Tissue Anchor With Interlocking Barbs for Secure Anchorage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tissue anchor technologies, such as sutureless wound closure systems, rely on adhesives that can be compromised by tissue composition, moisture, and exudate, leading to mechanical instability and potential allergic reactions, while also causing tissue trauma and requiring complex deployment processes.
Innovation Solution
A tissue anchor with a body comprising two sections that are displaceable to translate between undeployed and deployed states, featuring protrusions that overlap perpendicularly to provide secure anchorage, reducing tissue trauma and simplifying deployment through localized shear deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesives are used to achieve attachment of anchorage devices to tissue surface, then attachment is achieved, but mechanical integrity is compromised by tissue composition, moisture, and exudate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces adhesive-based attachment with a purely mechanical anchoring system. The tissue anchor features a body with multiple protrusions (barbs) that mechanically engage with tissue through insertion and deployment, eliminating reliance on chemical adhesives. The barbs are configured to penetrate and interlock with tissue structures, providing secure attachment through physical interlocking rather than chemical bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The tissue anchor body is divided into multiple sections with individual protrusions (barbs) that can be independently deployed. Each barb acts as a separate anchoring element that can engage tissue independently, distributing the mechanical load across multiple discrete attachment points rather than relying on a continuous adhesive layer.
2Reliability
If adhesives are used for attachment, then anchorage is achieved, but allergic reactions and skin injuries may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention completely eliminates adhesive materials from the attachment mechanism, replacing them with a mechanical barb-based system. This substitution removes the source of allergic reactions and adhesive-related skin injuries, as no chemical adhesives come into contact with the tissue. The attachment is achieved purely through the physical interlocking of the barbs with tissue structures.
3Productivity
If sutureless wound closure systems are used, then procedural time is decreased, but complex deployment processes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The tissue anchor incorporates a dynamic deployment mechanism where the barbs transition from a compressed, low-profile state during insertion to an expanded, interlocked state after tissue penetration. The body sections are displaceable relative to one another, allowing the barbs to be deployed in a controlled manner that simplifies the overall procedure while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The barbs are pre-configured in a compressed state within the body that facilitates easy insertion through minimal incisions. The deployment mechanism is pre-loaded and requires simple activation, allowing rapid transition from insertion to anchored state without complex manual manipulation during the procedure.
4Strength
If protrusions are inclined and overlap perpendicular to the displacement direction, then secure anchorage is achieved, but tissue trauma may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The barbs are specifically configured with inclined orientations and overlapping arrangements at critical locations where maximum mechanical engagement is needed. The protrusions are positioned and angled to optimize tissue interlocking in the deployed state, while the body design ensures minimal disruption to surrounding tissue during insertion and deployment.
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 tissue anchor achieves robust and secure anchorage with reduced tissue trauma, minimizing the need for invasive procedures and adhesives, while allowing for versatile medical applications like wound closure, drug delivery, and biosensing.
Implementation Method 1
at least one protrusion on at least one section being inclined towards the at least one protrusion on the other section; and wherein the at least one protrusion on the first section and the second section overlap in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a tissue anchor and a system and method employing same, the anchors including a body having a first section and a second section reversibly engagable with one another, each section including a plurality of barbs in the form of microneedles projecting from the underside therefore, the barbs on one section being inclined towards barbs on the other section, such that tissue may be captured and deformed between the barbs through displacement of the first section relative to the second section in order to achieve robust retention of the tissue anchor at a deployment site.