Pre-deployed Fastener Housing for Implantable Device Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical fastening systems are often overly complex and unsuitable for adaptation to various applications, leading to the majority of implantable devices being secured with sutures, which is time-consuming and inconvenient, especially when placing devices like gastric bands where suturing through fat layers is challenging.
Innovation Solution
A surgical fastening system where an implantable device contains pre-deployed fasteners or a detachable housing with fasteners that can be easily deployed into position, using materials like titanium and polymers, and optionally coated with biological agents to minimize tissue reactions, allowing for quick and secure attachment and removal without causing trauma.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical fastening systems are designed to be highly specialized for specific applications, then the fastening strength and reliability are improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of adaptation to other applications increase
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical fastening system is designed with a universal housing and fastener configuration that can be adapted to multiple implantable devices including gastric bands, ports, and other medical implants. The housing contains a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position and can be fitted over different device types, eliminating the need for application-specific fastening systems while maintaining secure attachment.
2Reliability
If traditional suturing methods are used to secure implantable devices, then the fastening reliability is maintained, but the surgical time and tissue trauma increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fasteners are pre-positioned within the housing in a ready-to-deploy configuration before the surgical procedure begins. During surgery, the housing is simply fitted over the implantable device and the fasteners are deployed into the patient's tissue, eliminating the time-consuming steps of thread preparation, needle insertion, and knot tying associated with traditional suturing while maintaining equivalent attachment security.
3Strength
If multiple sutures are used to secure devices through fat layers, then the fastening strength is improved, but the surgical difficulty and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual suture operations are merged into a single integrated fastening operation. The housing contains multiple fasteners that are deployed simultaneously or in sequence through a single surgical action, securing the device through fat layers and tissue in one step rather than requiring multiple separate suture placements, thereby maintaining attachment strength while dramatically improving surgical ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical fastening system for implantable devices is disclosed. The implantable device may contain a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, may have a housing fitted over or around it which contains a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, or may be a part of a two-part system into which it fits. Accordingly, the present invention also encompasses a deployment system or tool that optionally positions the implantable device, and which causes the fasteners to move into post-deployment position. The fasteners may be staples, metal loops, coils, springs or hooks formed of biocompatible materials, including shape memory alloys such as NiTi.