Two-Part Surgical Tack Fixation for Faster Hernia Mesh Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical mesh fixation methods for ventral hernia repair are time-consuming and prone to complications, necessitating a need for faster and more secure fixation techniques to reduce operating time and minimize mesh infections.
Innovation Solution
A two-part tacking system with a penetrating tack and retention collar is used for quick and reliable fixation of soft tissues or prostheses, featuring a high-pitch spiral for tissue penetration and biased ribs for variable thickness placements, allowing for secure attachment through a disposable device with replaceable cartridges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional suture or tack methods are used for mesh fixation, then secure attachment is achieved, but operating time increases significantly (60-80 minutes)
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation system is divided into separate components: a dispensing device, fixation elements (tacks or sutures), and a mesh implant. This segmentation allows for pre-loaded cartridges and standardized attachment mechanisms, enabling faster deployment while maintaining secure fixation. The device can be quickly reloaded with new cartridges without requiring complex assembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixation elements are pre-loaded into cartridges within the dispensing device before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming assembly or preparation steps during surgery, allowing the surgeon to simply activate the device and deploy pre-positioned fixation elements, thereby reducing operating time while ensuring reliable mesh attachment.
2Ease of operation
If traditional surgical needles are used for mesh fixation, then tissue penetration is achieved, but surgeon and technician safety is compromised due to needle hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation elements are enclosed within a protective cartridge system and delivered through a controlled dispensing mechanism. This enclosure replaces exposed sharp needles with a protected delivery system, maintaining the tissue penetration capability while eliminating the safety hazards to surgeons and technicians. The flexible cartridge housing contains the sharp elements until deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing device acts as an intermediary between the surgeon's hand and the sharp fixation elements. Instead of directly handling needles, the surgeon operates the dispensing device which safely contains and delivers the fixation elements. This intermediary mechanism maintains surgical precision and tissue penetration while protecting the surgical team from needle-stick injuries.
3Reliability
If manual mesh fixation techniques are used, then adequate attachment is achieved, but operating room efficiency decreases due to time-consuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes key parameters of the fixation process: from manual suture tying to automated tack deployment, from individual needle handling to cartridge-based batch delivery, and from variable fixation depth to standardized positioning. These parameter changes maintain reliable mesh attachment while dramatically improving operating room efficiency by reducing the time and skill required for fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing device is designed to be self-contained with pre-loaded cartridges that automatically deploy fixation elements when activated. The device performs its own loading and deployment functions without requiring complex external assistance or multiple surgical team members, thereby improving operating room efficiency while ensuring consistent and reliable mesh attachment through standardized mechanical action.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical tacking system and method for fixation of soft tissues or soft prostheses during surgical procedures, such as ventral hernia repairs, e.g., between two tissues or between the tissue and the implant. The tacking system operates on a two-part fixator consisting of a penetrating tack and a retention collar to quickly and reliably deploy and fixate tissue in a closing procedure. The fastener dispenser includes a first jaw movably coupled to a second jaw that dispenses a fastener. The fastener dispenser is movable from an unclamped configuration to a clamped configuration, thereby reducing a relative spacing between the first jaw and the second jaw so as to hold the first layer relative to the second layer therebetween, while penetrating the first layer and the second layer with the elongated member to couple the elongated member to the collar to fixate the first layer to the second layer.