Suturing Device Arteriotomy Closure Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical suturing systems for closing arteriotomies after vascular procedures are inefficient, requiring prolonged recovery times, increased patient discomfort, and higher risks of complications due to reliance on manual compression or other methods that do not consistently ensure reliable closure.
Innovation Solution
A suturing device with an expandable suture capture component and moveable needles that deploy and retract to position sutures accurately within the arteriotomy, allowing for consistent and reliable closure of the vessel wall, reducing the need for prolonged compression and enhancing recovery times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual compression is used to close arteriotomies, then the procedure is simple to perform, but recovery time is prolonged and patient discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual compression with an automated suturing device that uses a catheter, expandable balloon, and needle mechanism to deliver sutures and close the arteriotomy. This substitution of manual mechanical compression with an automated medical device achieves faster closure while reducing patient discomfort and recovery time.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables self-contained arteriotomy closure through integrated components including the catheter, expandable balloon, needle, and suture mechanism. The system performs the closure function autonomously without requiring prolonged external compression or manual intervention, thereby reducing recovery time while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Device complexity
If manual compression is used to close arteriotomies, then the equipment required is minimal, but the risk of complications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces unreliable manual compression with a controlled automated suturing device that precisely delivers sutures through the vessel wall. This substitution introduces specialized equipment including catheter, balloon, and needle mechanisms, but achieves significantly improved reliability and reduced complication risks through consistent, controlled suture placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates feedback mechanisms through the expandable balloon that provides tactile and visual confirmation of proper positioning and vessel wall engagement. The balloon expansion signals when the needle has correctly penetrated the vessel wall, ensuring reliable suture placement and reducing complications while justifying the increased equipment complexity.
3Reliability
If pre-closure stitches are positioned during the procedure, then hemostasis is achieved during the procedure, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated device: the catheter serves as both the delivery mechanism and positioning guide, the expandable balloon provides both positioning feedback and suture anchoring, and the needle delivers both the suture and creates the puncture. This consolidation achieves reliable hemostasis through pre-closure stitches while managing device complexity through functional integration rather than separate components.
Data Source
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AI summary
A suturing device includes a handle, an elongated body, at least one suture snag, at least one pair of needles, and at least one suture pair. The suture snag is moveable between a deployed position in which two distal arm portions thereof radially extend away from the elongated body and a retracted position in which the two distal arm portions are disposed within the elongated body. The suture pair is slidingly disposed through the needle pair. The suturing device deploys the suture snag within a vessel adjacent to an arteriotomy, extends the needle pair through a vessel wall around the arteriotomy and through the deployed suture snag, extends the suture pair beyond the distal ends of the needle pair, and then utilizes the suture snag to capture the extended suture pair by retracting the suture snag to pull first or distal ends of the sutures back into the suturing device. An inflatable balloon or an expandable suture capture component may be alternatives to the suture snag for capturing the suture ends.