Tubular Resorbable Delivery System for Irregular Bone Defects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone grafts and substitutes struggle to conform to irregular surgical sites, provide immediate mechanical support, and facilitate customized delivery, leading to limitations in bone tissue regeneration and healing due to their fixed shape and size, as well as issues with graft migration and density maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A tubular delivery system comprising a mesh of synthetic resorbable polymeric material with a mechanical attachment mechanism, containing a mixture of surface demineralized bone chips and fibers, which retains the substance until placement and facilitates active or passive transfer upon implantation, allowing for customization and conformability to the surgical site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional bone grafts and substitutes are used, then they can provide bone tissue regeneration, but they cannot conform to irregular surgical sites due to their fixed shape and size
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system employs a compressible, expandable catheter structure that transitions from a compact delivery state to an expanded implantation state. The catheter can be compressed for insertion through small incisions and then expanded at the surgical site to conform to irregular bone defects, providing adaptability while maintaining a fixed shape during delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone graft material is nested within the catheter structure, allowing the graft to be contained and delivered in a compact form. The catheter itself can be nested within delivery instruments, enabling minimally invasive delivery while maintaining the ability to expand and conform to the surgical site upon deployment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional bone grafts are used, then they can be placed at the surgical site, but they cannot be customized at the time of implantation due to being substantially complete at implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system segments the bone graft into particulate material that can be independently controlled and adjusted. The catheter is divided into a delivery portion and an implantation portion, allowing the surgeon to control the release and placement of graft material in a segmented manner, enabling customization during implantation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a closed, complete implant structure to an open, customizable configuration during implantation. The catheter can be partially deployed, allowing the surgeon to adjust the amount and distribution of bone graft material released, providing dynamic customization capability.
3Strength
If monolithic or particulated bone grafts in carriers are used, then they can provide structural support, but they do not conform to the implant site because they are substantially solid at implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter structure provides mechanical strength during delivery in a compressed state, then transitions to an expanded state at the implantation site that can conform to irregular bone defects. This dynamic transformation allows the system to provide structural support during delivery while achieving conformability at the implant site.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is constructed as a flexible structure that can be compressed for delivery and then expanded to conform to the implant site. The flexible nature of the catheter allows it to adapt to irregular shapes while maintaining structural integrity during the delivery and implantation process.
4Productivity
If bone substitute materials and bone chips are used, then they can be quickly remodeled, but they cannot provide immediate mechanical support
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines bone substitute materials (which remodel quickly) with a structural catheter framework (which provides mechanical support). The composite structure allows the bone substitute to be delivered in a form that provides immediate mechanical support through the catheter while maintaining the quick remodeling properties of the bone substitute material itself.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
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AI summary
A covering for delivering a substance or material to a surgical site is provided. The covering, with substance provided therein, may be referred to as a delivery system. Generally, the covering may be a single or multi-compartment structure capable of at least partially retaining a substance provided therein until the covering is placed at a surgical site. Upon placement, the covering may facilitate transfer of the substance or surrounding materials. For example, the substance may be released (actively or passively) to the surgical site. The covering may participate in, control, or otherwise adjust, the release of the substance.