Self-Sticking Surgical Thread for Knotless, Low-Trauma Wound Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical sutures face issues such as increased scarring, dehiscence, ischemia, necrosis, undesired foreign-body reactions, and mechanical instability due to knotting and barbed sutures, which are complex in minimally invasive procedures and can cause tissue trauma.
Innovation Solution
A self-sticking or self-adhesive surgical thread that adheres to biological tissue without knotting, using a thread body with a self-sticking material or a coating capable of chemical bonding, which can be activated by biological or chemical agents, and optionally includes a polymerizable compound for antimicrobial properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sutures with knots are used for wound closure, then secure wound closure can be achieved, but increased scarring, dehiscence, ischemia, and necrosis occur due to tissue trauma and foreign-body reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical knotting system with a chemical bonding system. The suture material is coated with a self-sticking substance that chemically bonds to tissue, eliminating the need for mechanical knots and reducing tissue trauma associated with knot insertion and tightening.
Solution Approach 2:
The self-sticking substance acts as an intermediary between the suture and tissue. This coating material facilitates adhesive bonding to biological tissue, enabling secure wound closure without direct mechanical penetration or knotting that causes tissue damage.
2Ease of operation
If barbed sutures are used for physical retention without knots, then knot-related tissue trauma is reduced, but undesired tissue trauma and low retention strength occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bonding mechanism from mechanical interlocking (barbs) to chemical bonding. The self-sticking coating on the suture surface creates adhesive bonds with tissue, providing retention strength through chemical bonds rather than mechanical retention, thereby reducing tissue trauma while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If barbs are formed on suture body for physical retention, then knotless wound closure is achieved, but suture diameter is reduced and mechanical stability is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical barb structure with a surface coating of self-sticking substance. This substitution maintains the knotless advantage while preserving the suture's mechanical integrity, as the coating provides bonding functionality without the structural compromises introduced by barbs.
4Reliability
If multiple knots are tied for secure wound closure, then reliable closure is achieved, but large amount of suture material is introduced causing foreign-body reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces multiple mechanical knots with a single application of self-sticking coating. This chemical bonding approach achieves secure closure with minimal suture material in the wound zone, significantly reducing foreign-body reactions compared to multiple knots that require substantial suture length.
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
Facilitates wound closure and healing without knots, reducing tissue trauma and mechanical instability, while providing antimicrobial protection and simplifying minimally invasive procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a thread body comprising or consisting of a self-sticking (self-adhesive) material being capable of sticking to or gluing with a biological, in particular human or animal, tissue upon contact with the biological, in particular human or animal, tissue and/or upon contact with an activator
Implementation Method 2
optionally includes a polymerizable compound for antimicrobial properties
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical thread has a thread body with a self-sticking material configured to stick to a biological tissue upon contact with the biological tissue and/or an activator. An alternative surgical thread has a thread body and a coating that at least partially surrounds the thread body. The coating has or is made of a self-sticking material configured to stick to a biological tissue upon contact with the biological tissue and/or an activator. A surgical device or surgical kit can include the surgical threads.