Handed Spiral Slotted Scalpet Array for Fractional Skin Resection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for managing skin laxity and burns often result in visible scarring, prolonged healing times, and limitations in skin graft harvesting, particularly due to the need for extensive incisions and donor site deformities.
Innovation Solution
The development of a Pixel Array Dermatome system that enables fractional resection and skin grafting with a pixelated approach, allowing for minimally invasive procedures that resect redundant skin without visible scarring and enable repeated harvesting of skin grafts from the same donor site using a semi-porous adherent membrane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional surgical methods are used to resect redundant skin, then skin tightening is achieved, but visible scarring and donor site deformities occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the skin resection into multiple small circular incisions (2-5mm diameter) arranged in a grid pattern, rather than making one large incision. This fractional approach allows the skin to be tightened through removal of small tissue columns while the surrounding intact skin bridges the gaps, preventing visible scarring and donor site deformities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating localized full-thickness skin excisions at discrete grid points while leaving the intervening skin intact. This localized approach allows targeted skin tightening in specific areas while preserving the overall skin continuity and aesthetic appearance, with each small excision site healing as a minimal scar
2Quantity of substance
If traditional skin graft harvesting is performed, then skin grafts are obtained, but donor site deformities and limited harvesting capacity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables repeated harvesting of skin grafts by segmenting the donor site into multiple small grid positions (2-5mm diameter). After harvesting from one grid, the same donor site can be reused for subsequent harvests at different grid positions or after healing, significantly increasing the total quantity of skin grafts obtainable from a single donor area while maintaining minimal deformity at each individual site
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by allowing the donor site to heal and recover between harvesting sessions. The small grid incisions heal rapidly with minimal scarring, enabling the same donor site to be reused multiple times for skin graft harvesting, thereby recovering the donor site's functionality and increasing overall graft availability
3Shape
If extensive incisions are made for skin resection, then skin laxity is corrected, but healing time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces healing time by segmenting the skin resection into multiple small independent incisions (2-5mm diameter) rather than one large incision. Each small incision heals independently and rapidly, and the overall healing process is accelerated because the small wounds have better blood supply and can be treated more effectively, correcting skin laxity in a fraction of the time required for traditional extensive incisions
Data Source
AI summary
A device comprising a scalpet assembly including a first investing plate and a scalpet array. The scalpet array includes scalpets rotatably coupled to the first investing plate. Each scalpet includes a first thread on a portion of an outside surface, and a distal end configured as a cylindrical scalpel. The device includes a second investing plate comprising apertures corresponding to the scalpet array. Each aperture includes a second thread configured to receive the first thread. The corresponding scalpet is configured to rotate relative to the second thread and move along an axis of the scalpet relative to the second investing plate.