Conical Mesh Tissue Repair Device for Minimizing Bulk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tendon and ligament repair techniques face challenges in achieving a strong, secure, and anatomically correct repair that allows for early active motion without adhesions or interference with surrounding tissues, often resulting in bulky repair sites that impede tendon excursion and healing.
Innovation Solution
A terminal tissue attachment and repair device composed of a mesh that wraps and compresses the tendon into an ovoid shape, approximating its natural anatomy, with a proximal component that securely holds the tendon and a distal component for attachment to bone, minimizing bulkiness and facilitating smooth passage through fibro-osseous tunnels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple suture strands are passed through the tendon core to provide adequate purchase and strength of repair, then the strength of repair is improved, but the bulkiness at the repair site increases and tendon excursion is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sutures from the tendon core and places them on the external surface. The conical device captures the tendon ends externally, allowing sutures to wrap around the outside rather than penetrating through the core, thereby providing adequate purchase without increasing internal bulkiness or impeding tendon excursion.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional core suture approach to a three-dimensional external wrapping system. The conical device with its tapered geometry creates a volumetric capture zone that distributes suture forces across the external surface, eliminating the need for multiple core-penetrating sutures and reducing bulkiness at the repair site.
2Reliability
If suture knots are placed between the two cut ends at the site of coaptation, then the securement of tendon ends is improved, but direct contact between the two ends is prevented and healing is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The conical device serves as an intermediary structure that bridges the two tendon ends without requiring direct suture knot placement between them. The device's tapered geometry provides a continuous surface that maintains apposition of the tendon ends, allowing healing to proceed without interruption from knots or sutures in the coaptation zone.
3Strength
If prolonged immobilization is used to allow repair healing, then the strength of repair is improved, but adhesions form and tendon excursion is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a preliminary protective environment around the repair site using the conical device and external suturing system. This preliminary action secures the tendon ends and protects the repair zone before active motion begins, allowing early mobilization without compromising repair strength, thereby preventing adhesion formation while maintaining excursion.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the repair site reproduces normal tendon anatomy with minimal bulk, then friction and adhesions are reduced, but the complexity of the repair device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the repair system into a separate conical device component that can be independently manufactured and sterilized. This segmentation allows the device to be designed specifically for anatomical reproduction without complicating the suture technique, as the device itself provides the structural framework for minimizing bulk while maintaining simplicity of application.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal soft tissue attachment and repair device has a sheet of mesh with two longitudinal sides and two lateral ends angled to the sides. One end has a smooth surface where the healing tissue rests and the sides mutually overlap. The device attains a frusto-conical shape of a proximal component and a distal component. The two sides and one end of the proximal component have suture holes. The other end of the proximal component merges with both sides and joins them to the distal component. From the joint, the two sides extend in a V shape spanned by laced suture. A surgeon places an end of tissue within the device. The surgeon then laces suture and then pulls it from one location to secure the invention upon the tissue and the distal component to a bony insertion. The invention attains a shape like the natural tissue.