Implantable Spacer With Trigger Thread Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional spacers used in particle beam radiation therapy, such as Gore-Tex, require additional surgeries for removal and can cause infections if the intestinal tract is injured during placement, necessitating a solution for easy implantation and removal without increasing surgical burdens.

Innovation Solution

An implantable spacer composed of a folded or bent tube with fixing threads and a trigger thread, allowing for easy placement and removal by maintaining the tube's shape and facilitating release through a knot system, reducing the need for multiple surgeries and minimizing infection risk.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an artificial material spacer is embedded between the tumor and gastrointestinal tract, then the spacer protects normal organs from particle beam radiation, but the spacer requires additional laparotomy surgery for removal causing patient burden

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradiation protectionVSAvoidsurgical burden

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be independently manipulated. The fixing threads are attached at specific positions on different segments, allowing the spacer to be secured in place during treatment and then systematically released segment by segment for removal without requiring full surgical intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Fixing threads serve as intermediary elements between the spacer and the surrounding tissue. These threads can be easily accessed and manipulated through small incisions or natural body openings, allowing for non-invasive or minimally invasive removal of the spacer without requiring repeat laparotomy surgery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If the gastrointestinal tract is detached to create space for the spacer, then the spacer can be placed between the tumor and gastrointestinal tract, but infection risk increases if the intestinal tract has injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespacer placementVSAvoidinfection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer is designed with pre-attached fixing threads that are prepared in advance. This preliminary configuration allows the spacer to be quickly deployed and secured in the created space without requiring extensive manipulation or detachment of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby minimizing the time the tract is exposed and reducing infection risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The spacer is designed as a temporary, single-use device that performs its protective function during radiation treatment and then is removed. The fixing threads are designed to be easily detachable, allowing the spacer to be discarded after use without requiring complex removal procedures that would increase infection risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS10179248B2Implantable spacer

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 GUNMA UNIVERSITY

AI summary

Provided is an implantable spacer that can be placed in a body and can be easily removed after placement. The implantable spacer includes a tube which is folded or bent at one or a plurality of positions to form partial sections adjacent to each other; fixing threads which are disposed along a direction transverse to the partial sections in order to maintain the shape of the tube; and a trigger thread for catching the fixing threads being in a releasable state.