Subcutaneous Anchor Device for Catheter Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for securing medical instruments like catheters to the skin often require sutures or adhesive tapes, which can complicate the process and hinder the cleaning and inspection of the skin tissue around the insertion site.
Innovation Solution
A medical anchor device with flexible adhesive strips and deployable subcutaneous anchors that can be adjusted to secure the instrument without penetrating the skin, allowing for secure positioning without the need for sutures or adhesive tapes, and facilitating easy installation and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sutures or adhesive tapes are used to secure the catheter to the skin, then the catheter is securely fixed in place, but the cleaning and inspection of the skin tissue around the insertion site is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional components: an anchor mechanism that penetrates the skin to provide secure fixation, and a catheter hub that remains external. This segmentation allows the anchor to be embedded in tissue without requiring adhesive tapes or sutures on the skin surface, thereby enabling easy cleaning and inspection of the skin while maintaining reliable catheter fixation through the subcutaneous anchor.
2Reliability
If a subcutaneous anchor mechanism is used to secure the catheter, then the catheter is firmly anchored in the tissue, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor mechanism is integrated directly with the catheter hub as a single unified component. The anchor elements are built into the hub structure itself, eliminating the need for separate anchor devices or additional attachment mechanisms. This merging reduces overall device complexity while maintaining firm anchoring in the tissue, as the anchor and hub work together as one cohesive unit.
3Reliability
If the anchor device is designed with deployable subcutaneous anchors, then the instrument is securely positioned relative to the skin penetration point, but the ease of installation and removal is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor elements are designed with dynamic deployment capabilities - they can be collapsed into a compact configuration for easy insertion through the skin, and then expanded or deployed within the subcutaneous tissue to provide secure anchoring. For removal, the process is reversed: the anchors are collapsed back into their compact form, allowing simple extraction. This dynamic transformation maintains precise instrument positioning while significantly improving installation and removal ease.
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 anchor device effectively secures medical instruments in place while allowing for improved inspection and cleaning of the skin tissue, reducing the need for external actuators and simplifying the coupling and decoupling process.
Implementation Method 1
one or more flexible adhesive strips mounted to the retainer body. The one or more flexible adhesive strips can be configured to adhesively attach with one or more corresponding exterior surfaces of a medical instrument
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of a medical device anchor system include an anchor device that secures a medical instrument (such as a catheter or the like) in place relative to a skin penetration point using subcutaneous anchors.