Self-Retaining Hernia Mesh with Anchoring Structures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional surgical implants for hernia management often lead to recurrent hernias due to displacement and cause inflammatory reactions and tissue trauma, especially when using staples or sutures for fixation.

Innovation Solution

A self-retaining surgical implant with a textile fabric featuring threads with anchoring structures that project from the fabric, allowing secure anchoring in biological tissues without additional fixing means, reducing the risk of inflammatory reactions and tissue trauma.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional fixing means (staples or sutures) are used to fix the mesh, then the mesh can be secured in position, but this leads to inflammatory reactions and additional tissue trauma

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemesh fixation stabilityVSAvoidtissue trauma and inflammation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mesh is equipped with self-retaining anchoring structures (protrusions, loops, or hooks) that enable it to secure itself to the tissue without requiring external fixing means such as staples or sutures. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional fixing materials, thereby preventing the inflammatory reactions and tissue trauma associated with conventional fixing methods while maintaining reliable mesh positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If additional fixing means are used to secure the mesh, then displacement is prevented, but the device complexity and number of incorporated materials increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemesh position stabilityVSAvoidnumber of fixing components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring function is merged directly into the mesh structure itself through integrated protrusions, loops, or hooks. This combines the mesh and fixing mechanisms into a single unified component, eliminating the need for separate fixing materials and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective mesh stabilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Area of stationary object

If the mesh edges lie between tissue layers, then coverage is achieved, but fixing becomes difficult and inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemesh coverage areaVSAvoidfixing convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mesh's self-retaining anchoring structures enable it to secure itself automatically to the tissue layers it covers. This self-service capability allows the mesh to maintain its coverage area effectively while eliminating the difficulty and inconvenience of manual fixing operations, as the mesh fixes itself without requiring additional surgical steps or tools.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2229918B1Surgical implant, in particular for management of hernias
Publication Date: 2013.07.24 AESCULAP AG
  • EP2229918B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C

AI summary

The invention provides a surgical implant (10) in the form of a textile fabric having at least two, in particular two, mutually opposite main surfaces (110,120), more particularly for management of hernias, comprising threads (130) having an elongate body and having a multiplicity of anchoring structures (134) for anchoring in biological, more particularly human and/or animal, tissues, the anchoring structures projecting from the body, and also a method of forming the implant.