Suture Clip with Movable Engaging Arms for Knotless Tissue Securing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual knot tying of sutures in surgical procedures is time-consuming, requires significant dexterity, and is challenging in limited spaces, with knots often locking before achieving the desired tension, necessitating a more efficient method to secure tissue or medical device components.
Innovation Solution
A suture clip system comprising a body with a lumen and movable engaging arms that transition between loaded and relaxed conditions, allowing for securement of suture tails without knotting, facilitated by a delivery device for precise deployment in tight spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual knot tying is used to secure suture tails, then the suture can be tied together to secure tissue or device components, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and requires considerable dexterity and space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the knot-tying function entirely from the suture procedure by introducing a separate clip device that secures sutures without requiring the suture tails to be tied together. The clip is applied independently to grasp and secure the suture tails, eliminating the time-consuming manual knot-tying process while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip acts as an intermediary device between the suture tails and the tissue/device components. Instead of directly tying the sutures together, the clip mediates the securing function by grasping the suture tails and providing secure attachment through its engaging arms, thereby eliminating the need for manual knot manipulation.
2Reliability
If multiple throws are incorporated into the knot to compensate for low friction surfaces, then the knot becomes more secure, but the knot becomes increasingly large and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the knot structure entirely from the system by using a separate clip device to secure the suture tails. This extraction eliminates the need to increase knot size through multiple throws, as the clip provides secure attachment through its mechanical engaging arms that grasp the sutures without requiring bulky knot structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the knot larger and more complex to achieve security, the patent inverts the approach by using a small clip device that actively grasps the suture tails. The security function is achieved not by enlarging the suture connection itself, but by introducing a separate securing mechanism that works in opposition to the natural tendency of low-friction sutures to slip.
3Reliability
If manual knot tying is performed in areas of limited available space, then the suture can be secured, but the procedure becomes particularly difficult due to lack of viewing and manipulation space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex manual knot-tying operation from the constrained surgical field by introducing a clip device that can be applied independently. The clip grasps and secures the suture tails through its engaging arms, providing reliable attachment without requiring the surgeon to perform delicate knot-tying maneuvers in the limited space within the heart.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip serves as an intermediary that performs the securing function in the constrained space. Its design with movable engaging arms allows it to grasp and secure suture tails through a simple motion that can be performed even in the limited space available within the heart, eliminating the need for complex manual knot manipulation in difficult-to-reach areas.
4Volume of moving object
If the suture clip engaging arm is oriented parallel with the sidewall in the loaded condition, then the clip can be compactly stored in the delivery device, but the engaging arm must deflect to the transverse orientation to secure the suture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the engaging arm movable between two orientations: parallel to the sidewall when stored in the delivery device, and transverse to the sidewall when deployed to secure the suture. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the clip to be compact during storage while providing full securing capability when needed, with the engaging arm's movement driven by the deflection of the body from its constrained to unconstrained state.
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
Enables rapid, secure attachment of sutures without the need for knotting, reducing procedural time and improving accessibility in confined areas by using a suture clip that can be easily deployed and affixed to secure tissue or medical devices.
Implementation Method 1
at least one engaging arm movable between a loaded condition in which the engaging arm is oriented substantially parallel with the sidewall of the body, and a relaxed condition in which the engaging arm is oriented transversely to the sidewall of the body and at least partially disposed within the lumen
Data Source
AI summary
A suture clip includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a sidewall defining a lumen through the body from the proximal end to the distal end. At least one engaging arm is movable between a loaded condition in which the engaging arm is oriented substantially parallel with the sidewall of the body, and a relaxed condition in which the engaging arm is oriented transversely to the sidewall of the body and at least partially disposed within the lumen.