Urethral Hammock Stabilization for Stress Urinary Incontinence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical treatments for stress urinary incontinence, such as the polypropylene mesh vaginal sling procedure, are associated with high risks and complications, and alternative methods like the Burch and autologous sling procedures require invasive incisions and are technically challenging.

Innovation Solution

A minimally invasive method using a system with a tissue anchor, tether, and vaginal anchor that stabilizes the urethra without incisions, utilizing bioresorbable materials and adjustable sutures to create a hammock effect, allowing outpatient treatment and adjustment if necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If polypropylene mesh vaginal sling procedure is used, then efficacy and quality of life improvement are maximized, but risks of infection and erosion increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveefficacyVSAvoidinfection and erosion risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses absorbable sutures that are temporarily implanted to provide the necessary support structure during healing, then naturally absorbed by the body. This eliminates the need for permanent synthetic mesh that causes infection and erosion, while still achieving the therapeutic effect during the critical healing period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the material parameter from permanent synthetic polypropylene mesh to temporary absorbable sutures. This parameter change transforms the long-term safety profile while maintaining short-term efficacy, as the absorbable materials provide adequate support during the healing phase and then dissolve without causing harm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If Burch procedure with sutures is used, then alternative to mesh is provided, but open incision surgery is associated with high morbidity and hospital stay

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealternative to meshVSAvoidmorbidity and hospital stay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical incision-based suture placement system with a minimally invasive needle-based system. The needles are inserted through the vaginal wall without requiring abdominal incisions, significantly reducing surgical trauma, morbidity, and hospital stay requirements while achieving the same urethral stabilization effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the surgical approach from a two-dimensional incision-based method to a three-dimensional minimally invasive approach where needles pass through the vaginal wall and abdominal wall in a controlled manner. This dimensional change allows access to the urethra without requiring open incisions, reducing surgical morbidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If laparoscopic placement of sutures is used, then alternative to open incision is provided, but procedure is very technically difficult to perform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealternative to open incisionVSAvoidtechnical difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces specialized needles as intermediary tools that are pre-configured with absorbable suture material. These needles are designed to be inserted through the vaginal wall and guided to the urethra, simplifying the complex laparoscopic procedure into a more straightforward minimally invasive technique that reduces technical difficulty while maintaining the benefits of incisionless surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If needle procedures with permanent sutures are used, then effective treatment is achieved, but incisions in vagina and abdomen are required

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveeffectivenessVSAvoidincisions required

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces permanent sutures with absorbable sutures that are temporarily implanted and then naturally absorbed. This eliminates the need for permanent foreign materials and allows for minimally invasive insertion through needle punctures rather than incisions, achieving both effectiveness and reduced surgical trauma.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the suture material parameter from permanent non-absorbable to temporary absorbable materials. This parameter change enables the use of minimally invasive needle insertion without incisions, as the absorbable nature of the sutures allows them to be placed and then dissolved, eliminating the need for removal through incisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250288324A1Systems and Methods for Treating Stress Urinary Incontinence

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 FREYJA HEALTHCARE LLC

AI summary

The disclosure provides improved methods and devices to create a hammock effect to stabilize the urethra without creating an incision in the abdomen or the vagina, and without using a surgical mesh. Such implementations can also leave no permanent material in the body. The simplicity afforded by such procedures and methods permits treatment of patients on an outpatient basis, and avoids risks and disadvantages associated with the installation of a permanent mesh.