Anchoring Assembly for Minimally Invasive Tissue Retraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and urinary incontinence often require invasive procedures, leading to significant discomfort, prolonged recovery times, and adverse effects, while existing devices for tissue manipulation are not optimized for minimal invasiveness or anatomical cooperation.

Innovation Solution

An integrated anchor delivery device that deploys an anchoring assembly within the body to retract, lift, or reposition tissues, utilizing a needle assembly for precise placement and a connector system for tension application, designed to complement and cooperate with body anatomy to minimize trauma and promote healing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional surgical procedures are used to treat BPH and urinary incontinence, then effective treatment can be achieved, but significant discomfort and prolonged recovery times occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidpost-operative discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The device divides the anchoring system into multiple independent anchoring members that can be deployed separately at different locations within the body cavity. This segmentation allows for distributed tissue support and retraction without requiring a single large incision or complex surgical procedure, thereby reducing post-operative discomfort while maintaining treatment effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device introduces an intermediary anchoring assembly that acts as a mediator between the surgical tool and the target tissue. The anchoring members are deployed through a delivery device and then remain as permanent or temporary anchors that provide continuous support without requiring ongoing surgical intervention, reducing the harmful effects of repeated surgical trauma.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If traditional surgical procedures are used to treat BPH and urinary incontinence, then effective treatment can be achieved, but recovery times are prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidrecovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring members are pre-formed and pre-positioned within the delivery device before insertion. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid deployment into the body cavity without requiring time-consuming surgical dissection and assembly during the procedure, thereby shortening the surgical time and accelerating the recovery process while maintaining treatment effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The anchoring assembly is designed to self-secure within the body cavity through its geometric configuration and material properties. The anchoring members automatically engage with the surrounding tissue through their shape and surface characteristics, eliminating the need for additional surgical steps to secure them, thereby reducing recovery time while ensuring reliable treatment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If existing devices for tissue manipulation are used, then tissue can be manipulated, but they are not optimized for minimal invasiveness or anatomical cooperation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue manipulation capabilityVSAvoidtissue trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring members are designed with locally optimized geometric features and surface properties that are specifically adapted to the anatomy of the target body cavity. Each anchoring member incorporates localized variations in shape, size, and surface texture to cooperate with the specific anatomical structures it will engage, thereby enabling effective tissue manipulation with minimal trauma to the surrounding tissue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The anchoring members incorporate curved and rounded geometric features rather than sharp angles or flat surfaces. This spheroidality principle allows the anchoring members to conform to the organic curves of the body cavity and surrounding tissues, reducing mechanical trauma and facilitating smoother insertion and deployment while maintaining the capability for effective tissue manipulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Adaptability or versatility

If invasive procedures are used to access and expose affected tissues, then complete access can be achieved, but significant trauma is caused to the body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to target tissueVSAvoidsurgical trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring assembly is nested within the delivery device during insertion, and then deployed into the body cavity in a compact configuration. This nesting principle allows the device to access deep or difficult-to-reach areas of the body cavity while minimizing the size of the insertion interface, thereby reducing surgical trauma while maintaining complete access to the target tissue for effective treatment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS10299780B2Apparatus and method for manipulating or retracting tissue and anatomical structure

Publication Date: 2019.05.28 TELEFLEX LIFE SCIENCES LLC

AI summary

Integrated systems and associated method for manipulating tissues and anatomical or other structures in medical applications for the purpose of treating diseases or disorders or other purposes. In one aspect, the system includes a delivery device configured to deploy and implant anchoring devices for such purposes.