Segmented Conduit with Porous Sheath for Wound Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid removal devices for wound treatment sites are prone to blocking due to loose tissue debris and biological factors, limiting their effectiveness in draining seromas and hematomas, and are unable to apply sufficient vacuum pressure, hindering wound healing and recovery.
Innovation Solution
A device with a porous bioresorbable sheath and a conduit structure featuring a dual lumen system, where the conduit is composed of removable pieces connected by a bioresorbable connector, allowing for effective fluid drainage and delivery while minimizing blockages through strategically placed apertures and a truss-based design that maintains vacuum pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prior art fluid removal devices are used, then fluid drainage is provided, but the devices are prone to blocking by loose tissue debris and biological factors
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit structure is divided into multiple separate pieces that are assembled together using a connector. This segmentation allows the conduit to be more flexible and better conform to the treatment site, while the modular design facilitates easier cleaning and maintenance, reducing blockage risk
Solution Approach 2:
The conduit structure incorporates porous material that allows fluid to pass through while filtering out loose tissue debris and biological factors. The porous structure acts as a natural filter, maintaining fluid removal effectiveness while preventing blockages by allowing only fluid to pass through the porous walls
2Productivity
If prior art fluid removal devices operate at higher vacuum levels, then fluid removal speed increases, but the devices block more quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The porous conduit structure enables high vacuum operation by filtering debris before it can block the lumen. The porous walls allow fluid to pass through while trapping tissue debris, enabling sustained high-rate fluid removal without the rapid blockage that plagues conventional devices
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented conduit design with multiple pieces allows for better structural integrity under vacuum pressure while maintaining flexibility. The modular construction prevents stress concentration points that could lead to failure, enabling reliable operation at higher vacuum levels for extended periods
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-piece conduit structure is used, then the device is simpler to manufacture, but it is less flexible for removal and may cause tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is constructed from multiple separate pieces that can be easily assembled and disassembled. This segmentation allows the device to be removed by simply disconnecting the pieces, eliminating the need to pull a long single-piece conduit through tissue and significantly reducing tissue damage risk
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design allows the conduit to transition between connected and disconnected states, changing its physical configuration from a continuous structure to separate segments. This parameter change enables easy removal while maintaining manufacturing simplicity for each individual piece
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enables efficient fluid removal and delivery at wound sites, preventing blockages and maintaining effective vacuum pressure, thereby promoting wound healing and reducing the risk of complications such as seroma formation and infection.
Implementation Method 1
a porous bioresorbable sheath surrounding at least a portion of the conduit structure
Data Source
AI summary
A device for implantation at a treatment site in the body of a patient for the removal of fluid from the treatment site has a removable conduit structure, a connector, and a porous bioresorbable sheath. The removable conduit structure has two or more pieces and at least in part defines a fluid removal lumen, and the porous bioresorbable sheath surrounds at least a portion of the conduit structure. The connector removably and coaxially couples a first piece of the conduit structure to a second piece of the conduit structure and is configured to decouple from one or both of the conduit pieces upon initiation of removal of the conduit structure from the treatment site upon completion of treatment.