Translucent Dehydrated Placental Tissue Via Freeze-Drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods of dehydration result in opaque or brittle placental tissues, losing the advantages of intermediate layer and Wharton's Jelly, which are crucial for wound healing applications, and there is a need for a method to produce translucent, dehydrated placental tissues with enhanced handling characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A multi-step dehydration process involving air drying and freeze-drying techniques is employed to maintain the integrity of the intermediate layer and Wharton's Jelly, resulting in translucent, dehydrated placental tissues with improved handling properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If conventional dehydration methods (heat drying, desiccating, chemical dehydration) are used, then tissue shelf-life is extended, but tissue becomes opaque and brittle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue shelf-lifeVSAvoidtissue flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameters of dehydration by using freeze-drying (lyophilization) instead of conventional heat drying. This involves freezing the tissue first, then removing water through sublimation under vacuum, which preserves the tissue's structural integrity and flexibility while extending shelf-life, avoiding the brittleness caused by conventional methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to solid (freezing) and then from solid to gas (sublimation during freeze-drying). This phase transition process removes water without passing through the liquid phase that causes tissue shrinkage and brittleness, thereby maintaining tissue flexibility and strength while achieving long-term preservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Ease of operation

If intermediate layer and Wharton's Jelly are removed to improve handling, then tissue becomes easier to process, but translucency and beneficial components are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling characteristicsVSAvoidintermediate layer and Wharton's Jelly

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent selectively removes only the unwanted components (blood, debris, excess fluid) from the tissue while preserving the beneficial intermediate layer and Wharton's Jelly. This extraction process maintains the tissue's translucency and therapeutic components while improving handling characteristics through controlled processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different processing treatments to different regions of the tissue. The intermediate layer and Wharton's Jelly are preserved in their native state to maintain translucency and beneficial properties, while only specific areas with contaminants or excess fluid are processed, achieving local improvement without compromising overall tissue quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If oven dehydration is used, then dehydration efficiency is improved, but tissue appears opaque with visible white patches and striations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedehydration efficiencyVSAvoidtissue appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses freeze-drying which involves phase transition of water from solid to gas through sublimation. This process removes water without causing the thermal shrinkage and structural damage that occurs in oven dehydration, thereby maintaining tissue transparency and uniform appearance while achieving efficient dehydration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the thermal dehydration mechanism (oven heating) with a vacuum-based sublimation process. This substitution eliminates the thermal gradients and localized overheating that cause white patches and striations, resulting in uniform tissue appearance while maintaining high dehydration efficiency through controlled vacuum conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 method produces dehydrated placental tissues that are translucent, allowing visibility and easier positioning, while retaining the beneficial components for wound healing, such as glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans, enhancing their usability in medical applications.

Implementation Method 1

A multi-step dehydration process involving air drying and freeze-drying techniques is employed to maintain the integrity of the intermediate layer and Wharton's Jelly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFreeze-drying: Freeze Drying

Implementation Method 2

freeze-drying techniques is employed to maintain the integrity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSublimation: Sublimation

Data Source

PatentUS12447232B2Translucent, dehydrated placental tissue and methods of producing and using the same

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 STIMLABS LLC

AI summary

Compositions comprising translucent, dehydrated placental tissue and methods of preparing and using those tissues are provided. Repeated dehydration techniques may produce translucent, dehydrated placental tissues, including translucent, dehydrated placental membrane and umbilical cord, with improved visualization and/or handling characteristics. The present invention also includes methods of healing a wound of the skin, eye, nerve, tendon, muscle, dental region, or dura, including burns, comprising applying the translucent, dehydrated placental tissues of the invention to the wound.