Bio-resorbable Interlocking Plate Implant for Soft Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for repairing tendons, such as surgical sutures and metal retaining elements, are invasive, lead to excessive scar tissue formation, and result in prolonged recovery times with potential complications like pain and joint stiffness, and often require additional surgeries for device extraction.
Innovation Solution
A bio-compatible and bio-resorbable implantable device comprising interlocking plates with connecting elements that distribute tensile loads and promote autologous tissue regeneration, accompanied by a non-implantable perforating device for minimally invasive insertion, which degrades naturally, avoiding the need for extraction and minimizing scar tissue formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If surgical suturing is used to repair tendons, then the repair can be performed with readily available materials and low cost, but it promotes excessive scar tissue formation, increases the size of the tendon, and creates a locking point that is weak to tensile forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful knot locking point from the repair system by using a suture anchor that engages tissue at its tip rather than creating a knot. This eliminates the weak point while maintaining the simplicity of suture-based repair.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of pulling the suture through the tendon and creating a knot to secure it, the invention inverts the approach by having the suture anchor engage the tendon at its tip, with the suture passing through a channel and locking into place without forming a traditional knot.
2Reliability
If larger caliber threads are used to increase grip strength, then the grip for active joint mobilization improves, but the size of the tendon increases proportionally, causing repercussions on adjacent tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tendon repair function into two separate components: the suture anchor that provides mechanical grip and stabilization, and the suture material that provides tensile strength. This allows the anchor to be optimized for grip without requiring excessive suture caliber that would enlarge the tendon.
3Ease of operation
If conventional surgical sutures are used, then the repair procedure is simple and readily available, but it requires prolonged passive mobilization for three or four weeks, resulting in delay in physiotherapy and increased complications
Solution Approach 1:
The suture anchor is implanted and secured in the tendon before the suture is tied off, creating a pre-secured anchor point that eliminates the need for prolonged passive mobilization to secure the repair. The anchor is already in place to withstand the full tensile load from the moment of implantation.
Data Source
AI summary
A bio-compatible and bio-resorbable implantable device for repairing soft tissue which has a first plate and a second plate and a plurality of connecting elements for connecting the first and second plates is provided. The first plate has a first surface suitable for being placed on a first side of the soft tissue. The second plate has a second surface suitable for being placed on a second side of the soft tissue. Each connecting element has a first portion integral with the first plate and a second portion integral with the second plate. The connecting elements extend from at least one of the first surface of the first plate and the second surface of the second plate to reach the other one of the first surface of the first plate and second surface of the second plate for locking the first and second plates in a definable respective position.