Sinus Membrane Elevation Balloon with Protective Sheath
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sinus membrane elevation in dental implant surgery lack safety and reliability, particularly in ensuring the balloon's protection during insertion and precise control of penetration to avoid membrane rupture, and fail to achieve adequate sinus floor expansion.
Innovation Solution
A balloon assembly comprising a silicone rubber balloon with a rounded head and elongated sleeve, a probe with a screw-threaded stem, and a connector system with a manually operable valve and pump for controlled fluid pressure, allowing for safe and controlled sinus membrane elevation with precise balloon placement and expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a balloon is used for sinus membrane elevation, then bone substrate is increased for implant placement, but the risk of accidental membrane rupture increases
Solution Approach 1:
A protective sheath is introduced as an intermediary component between the balloon and the sinus membrane. This sheath protects the membrane from direct contact with the balloon during insertion and inflation, thereby preventing accidental rupture while still allowing the balloon to perform its function of elevating the membrane to create bone substrate for implant placement
Solution Approach 2:
The protective sheath acts as a cushioning barrier that is placed before the balloon is inflated. This beforehand protection prevents direct trauma to the membrane during the balloon expansion process, reducing the harmful effect of membrane rupture while maintaining the beneficial effect of bone substrate creation
2Force
If the balloon probe is inserted deeply to achieve sufficient membrane elevation, then sinus floor spreading is improved, but the risk of membrane rupture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective sheath serves as a mediator that allows deep insertion of the balloon probe to achieve sufficient sinus floor spreading (over 10 mm in all directions) while simultaneously protecting the membrane from rupture through its protective barrier function
Solution Approach 2:
The protective sheath is constructed as a flexible structure that can accommodate deep insertion and balloon expansion while maintaining its protective function. This flexible shell approach allows the system to achieve the required membrane elevation force without compromising membrane integrity
3Ease of manufacture
If a reusable balloon assembly is designed, then cost and environmental impact are reduced, but sterilization and reusability complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly is divided into separable components including the balloon, protective sheath, connector, and probe. This segmentation allows each component to be independently sterilized and assembled, simplifying the sterilization process while maintaining reusability capability. The modular design reduces complexity compared to a monolithic reusable system
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 solution enables safe and reliable sinus membrane elevation with controlled balloon expansion, preventing accidental rupture and achieving sinus floor spreading of over 10 mm in all directions, facilitating effective bone augmentation for dental implant placement.
Implementation Method 1
a pump for administrating a pressurized fluid through the pipe to the balloon
Implementation Method 2
a balloon made of an elastomeric material comprising a rounded head portion, an elongated, tubular sleeve portion and a flanged rim portion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~2b
Figure 3a
AI summary
An assembly for practicing sinus membrane elevation in the process of dental implant surgery comprising a balloon (30) made of an elastomeric material and having a rounded head portion (30a), an elongated, tubular sleeve portion (30b) and a flanged rim portion (30c). Further provided is a balloon probe member (28) having a stem portion with an outer screw-thread (28b) and a bore freely fitting the external diameter of the balloon tubular sleeve. A connector member (24) is threadably receivable in the probe member (28) and connected to a flexible pipe with a manually operable valve (20). For inflating the balloon a pump (12) supplies a pressurized fluid through the pipe (22).