Research Overview
Understanding the role of suture tension in hernia repair and validating a device that can measure tension in real time.
The Variability of "Feel": There is currently no objective way to measure the amount of tension being applied during wound closure. Surgeons rely on feel, vision, and experience to guide how tightly they pull each stitch and repair the hernia. This can vary from one surgeon to another and affects how well the repair holds over time as shown in the figure above.
Consequences of Tension: Excessive tension has been identified as a key factor in hernia recurrence. When the tension on the suture is too high, it can damage tissue, reduce blood flow, and cause ischemia, which all weaken the repair. Over time, this weakened tissue is more likely to fail, increasing the risk of the hernia returning.
Defining the Optimal Zone: The SutureSense "Optimal Zone" was established through benchmark testing focused on identifying the tension range that supports a strong hernia repair. By determining the force applied during closures, we were able to translate clinical "intuition" into reliable data, creating a defined tension range.
Design Competitors
Evaluating SutureSense against the current standard of care and existing surgical methods.
| Feature | Surgeon Intuition | Braided Sutures | Surgical Mesh | SutureSense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantifiable Data | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Real-Time Feedback | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Low Foreign Body Risk | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Ischemia Risk Mitigation | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Native Tissue Preservation | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Standardized Metric | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |