Septum Implant with Central Back and Angled Side Sections

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current septum straightening implants are not designed for long-term mechanical stability and often require removal due to material instability, leading to potential infections and incomplete septum alignment.

Innovation Solution

A rhinological implant with a central back section and symmetrical side sections, featuring angled and perforated designs for even force distribution, made from materials like titanium for enhanced stability and biocompatibility, ensuring a firm fit and minimizing foreign material exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional septum straightening implants are used, then the procedure can be performed, but the implants lack long-term mechanical stability and require removal due to material instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelong-term mechanical stabilityVSAvoidimplant retention time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The implant combines a rigid central back portion (titanium or titanium alloy) with more flexible side portions (medical-grade silicone or PTFE), creating a composite structure that provides both long-term mechanical stability and adaptability to the septum's shape, eliminating the need for removal due to material instability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The implant is divided into distinct segments: a central back portion and two side portions, each with different material properties and structural characteristics. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill specific functions - the central portion provides structural stability while the side portions conform to the septum's contours

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional implants are used, then septum straightening can be achieved, but infections occur due to material instability and implant removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfection riskVSAvoidmaterial stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The use of biocompatible materials (titanium, medical-grade silicone, PTFE) with proven track records in medical implants reduces the risk of infection and rejection. The material combination provides both stability and biocompatibility, preventing the infections associated with unstable materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Manufacturing precision

If simple implant designs are used, then the procedure is simpler, but incomplete septum alignment occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseptum alignment precisionVSAvoidimplant structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The multi-part design with central and side portions allows for precise positioning and adjustment during implantation. The segmented structure enables better adaptation to the specific anatomical variations of each patient's septum, achieving complete alignment that simple monolithic designs cannot provide

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the implant have different structural and material properties optimized for their specific locations. The central back portion has rigid structural support features, while the side portions have conforming surfaces with contact areas optimized for specific regions of the septum

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Area of stationary object

If implants with large surface area are used, then better contact with septum is achieved, but more foreign material is exposed in the body

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplant contact areaVSAvoidforeign material volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The combination of rigid and flexible materials allows the implant to achieve maximum contact area with the septum while maintaining a compact overall structure. The flexible side portions conform to the septum's surface, maximizing contact area without requiring a large volume of foreign material

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP4321132B1Improved septum implant with a central back portion and three partial portions
Publication Date: 2024.07.24 HEINZ KURZ GMBH
  • EP4321132B1 patent drawingFigure 1a)~1f)
  • EP4321132B1 patent drawingFigure 2a)~2d)
  • EP4321132B1 patent drawingFigure 3a)~3d)

AI summary

A rhinological implant (10) for straightening the human septum, comprising a central back section (11a) that is flat or barrel-shaped and curved upwards, with two side sections (12a, 13a) on either side of the back section, which extend symmetrically to the back section at an angle ϕ of approximately 90° upwards, and which each have a first subsection (12a', 13a') that connects directly to the back section and runs parallel to it, and a second subsection (12a", 13a") that connects to the respective first subsection and is angled relative to it, is characterized in that a third subsection (12a‴, 13a‴) is attached to an end of the respective first subsection opposite the respective second subsection and is also angled relative to the respective first subsection.This enables even better long-term mechanical stabilization of the septum and further improves the firm, flat fit of the implant on both lateral surfaces of the nasal septum.