Implantable Tissue Connector With Bulge-Ring Anti-Slip Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Connecting the end of the human's large bowel to an artificial exit or connecting a shortened large bowel to the patient's natural intestinal exit is difficult and often unreliable, leading to leakage, prohibited blood circulation, and potential failure due to continuous peristaltic movement.
Innovation Solution
An implantable tissue connector with a conduit featuring bulges and blocking rings to prevent slippage, using biocompatible materials like PTFE and silicone, and optionally a flexible sleeve with a porous ingrowth layer for secure attachment, ensuring minimal impact on blood circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple connection method is used to connect the bowel end to the artificial exit, then the procedure is easier and faster, but the connection becomes unreliable and prone to leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into multiple functional segments: the conduit body, the bulge element, and the blocking ring. Each segment performs a specific function - the conduit provides the connection pathway, the bulge creates a mechanical stop, and the blocking ring secures the tissue. This segmentation allows for a reliable connection while maintaining operational simplicity through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulge element acts as an intermediary between the conduit and the blocking ring, creating a mechanical interface that prevents tissue slippage. The bulge protrudes from the conduit surface and works in conjunction with the blocking ring to secure the bowel tissue, mediating the connection between these two components to ensure reliability.
2Reliability
If the connection is made tight to prevent leakage, then connection reliability improves, but blood circulation in the end area is prohibited
Solution Approach 1:
The compression effect is applied locally and temporarily only at the critical interface where tissue slippage occurs, rather than compressing the entire bowel end. The blocking ring and bulge create a localized compression zone that secures the connection without prohibiting blood circulation in the broader end area, maintaining a balance between reliability and tissue viability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism allows for dynamic adjustment - the blocking ring can be positioned at different locations along the conduit, and the bulge element provides a mechanical stop that prevents over-compression. This dynamic design enables the system to achieve reliable connection while adapting to prevent excessive compression that would harm blood circulation.
3Productivity
If the peristaltic movement force is increased to ensure thorough mixing and propulsion, then bowel function is maintained, but the connection fails over time
Solution Approach 1:
The bulge element and blocking ring are positioned in advance along the conduit to create a pre-established mechanical barrier against slippage. This preliminary positioning ensures that when peristaltic movements occur, the connection is already reinforced to withstand these forces, preventing failure over time while allowing normal bowel function to continue.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulge element acts as a cushioning structure that absorbs and distributes the forces generated by peristaltic movements. By providing this mechanical cushioning in advance, the system protects the connection from the full force of peristalsis, maintaining both durability and functional productivity.
4Reliability
If a secure attachment mechanism is used to prevent tissue slippage, then connection reliability improves, but tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking ring and bulge element work together to create a flexible attachment mechanism that secures tissue without causing damage. The system allows the tissue to be compressed gently against the conduit surface by the blocking ring, which is prevented from slipping by the bulge, providing secure attachment while maintaining tissue integrity through flexible, distributed pressure.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an implantable tissue connector to be connectable to a tubular part of living tissue within a patient's body. The connector is provided with a conduit having at least a first end and a second end and further having an outer surface with at least one bulge extending outwardly from the conduit's outer surface in a circumferential direction of the conduit about at least a part of the conduit's circumference, and at least one blocking ring loosely fitting over the outer surface of the conduit with a clearance between the outer surface and the blocking ring for mounting tubular living tissue within the clearance.