Surgical Support Structure for Retinal Tissue Translocation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes significant visual impairment and blindness, with existing treatments lacking effective methods to address the rapid vision loss associated with the disease, particularly the wet form which involves neovascularization and fluid leakage.
Innovation Solution
The method involves surgically translocating a healthy tissue patch including choroid, Bruch's membrane, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to reestablish a connection with the macula, using a support structure to minimize tissue shrinkage and distortion, and coagulating the periphery with a micropulsed diode laser to facilitate the translocation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a tissue patch is translocated to replace damaged RPE, then visual acuity is improved, but tissue shrinkage and distortion occur during the translocation process
Solution Approach 1:
A support structure acts as an intermediary between the harvested RPE tissue and the implantation site. The support structure maintains the tissue's shape and orientation during translocation, preventing shrinkage and distortion while enabling precise placement at the recipient site.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is attached to the RPE tissue during the harvesting phase, before translocation occurs. This preliminary attachment ensures that the tissue is already stabilized and maintained in its proper configuration before the stressful translocation process begins.
2Ease of operation
If the periphery of the tissue patch is coagulated to facilitate translocation, then ease of operation is improved, but thermal damage to surrounding tissue may occur
Solution Approach 1:
Coagulation is applied locally only to the peripheral edges of the RPE tissue patch, not the entire tissue area. This localized treatment provides sufficient anchoring and handling capability while minimizing thermal exposure and damage to the surrounding sensitive ocular tissues.
3Manufacturing precision
If a support structure is used to maintain tissue orientation, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is designed as a thin, flexible membrane or shell that can be easily attached to the RPE tissue. This flexible design provides the necessary structural support for maintaining orientation and shape while remaining simple enough to be manipulated during surgery and eventually resorbed or removed.
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
This approach allows for the replacement of damaged tissue underlying the macula with healthy tissue, potentially reducing neovascularization and maintaining the orientation and polarity of the RPE, thereby slowing or halting vision loss and improving visual acuity.
Implementation Method 1
coagulating the periphery with a micropulsed diode laser to facilitate the translocation process
Implementation Method 2
coagulating the periphery with a micropulsed diode laser
Data Source
AI summary
This document discusses, among other things, a system for translocating a multilayer patch. The system includes a support structure having a contact surface for bonding to the patch. The support structure has a shape configured to support the patch following separation of the patch from a surrounding tissue.