Adjustable Cannulated Retrograde Reamer for ACL Tunnel Creation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical instruments for retrograde ACL tunnel creation often produce non-circular or misaligned tunnels, which can cause anatomical inaccuracies and injuries to neurovascular structures, and require a large inventory of instruments for varying tunnel diameters.
Innovation Solution
A cannulated retrograde reamer with adjustable cutting members that can change diameters and move between deployed and collapsed positions, allowing for precise tunnel creation and reduced inventory needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional retrograde reamer is used to create femoral ACL tunnels, then the tunnel can be drilled in a retrograde fashion, but the tunnel may not be circular, may diverge from the intended trajectory, and may cause injury to neurovascular structures
Solution Approach 1:
The reamer incorporates a dynamic cutting member mechanism that can rotate and advance along the shaft. The cutting member is positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis and rotates about this axis while the shaft advances through the bone, creating a controlled cutting action that maintains circularity and accuracy in the retrograde tunnel trajectory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a guide wire or guide element that serves as an intermediary to establish the precise trajectory before cutting. The guide wire is inserted first to define the intended path, and then the cutting member follows this guide to ensure the tunnel adheres to the planned circular trajectory, preventing deviation and neurovascular injury.
2Device complexity
If a conventional retrograde reamer with fixed diameter is used, then the instrument design is simple, but a large inventory of instruments is required for varying tunnel diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The reamer features a dynamic cutting member whose effective cutting diameter can be adjusted during operation. The cutting member can be rotated to different angular positions and advanced to different locations along the shaft, allowing the same instrument to create tunnels of varying diameters by changing the position and orientation of the cutting member rather than requiring multiple fixed-diameter instruments.
Data Source
AI summary
A cannulated retrograde reamer configured to be disposed over a guidewire that is adjustable to create tunnels of multiple different diameters. The cannulated retrograde reamer substantially reduces the risk of tunnel malposition and/or misalignment, and can be adjusted to create a range of tunnel diameters, thereby allowing inventory levels to be reduced for a surgical case.