Curved and Straight Suture Needle Construct for CrCL Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current suture needle constructs for canine cruciate ligament repairs lack sufficient fixation strength and optimal tension, leading to instability and arthritis in the knee joint.
Innovation Solution
A suture needle construct featuring a substantially curved needle and a free-floating substantially straight needle, designed for passing around the lateral fabella and through a tibial tunnel, providing increased fixation strength and optimal tension during CrCL reconstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional single needle construct is used for suture passage, then the device complexity is low, but the fixation strength and tension control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The needle construct is divided into two separate needles (curved needle and straight needle) instead of using a single needle. Each needle is optimized for specific suture passages: the curved needle for passing around the lateral fabella and the straight needle for passing through the tibial tunnel. This segmentation allows each component to be specialized for its function, improving overall fixation strength while keeping individual components relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
Two different needle types (curved and straight) are combined into a single suture construct, allowing the suture to be passed through different anatomical structures with appropriately shaped needles. The curved needle handles the lateral fabella passage while the straight needle handles the tibial tunnel passage, creating a unified repair system that leverages the advantages of both needle geometries.
2Reliability
If conventional suture techniques are used, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the tension control and fixation reliability are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the needle construct have different geometries optimized for local requirements: the curved needle portion is designed for the specific curvature of the lateral fabella passage, while the straight needle portion is designed for the linear tibial tunnel passage. This local optimization of needle geometry ensures reliable suture passage through each specific anatomical structure, improving overall joint stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture is pre-configured with two needles attached at specific locations before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary preparation allows the surgeon to directly pass the suture through the required anatomical structures without needing to manually thread or reconfigure needles during surgery, thereby improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single straight needle is used, then the ease of manufacture is high, but the ability to pass around curved structures like the lateral fabella is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The needle construct is segmented into two distinct needle types rather than using a single uniform needle. The curved needle is specifically manufactured for passing around the lateral fabella, while the straight needle is manufactured for passing through the tibial tunnel. This segmentation allows each needle to be optimized for its specific passage requirement, enhancing versatility without excessively complicating manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle construct serves multiple functions by combining two needle geometries in one suture assembly. The curved needle handles the lateral fabella passage while the straight needle handles the tibial tunnel passage, making the single suture construct versatile enough to perform multiple suture passage tasks that would otherwise require different instruments or techniques.
Data Source
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AI summary
A suture needle construct for extracapsular ligament reconstruction in mammals. In a technique for using the suture needle construct of the invention, the joint is first explored, and the damaged ligament and meniscus are debrided. The joint capsule is closed and a tunnel is created at the appropriate location in the proximal tibia for tibial fixation. Subsequent to the formation of the tibial tunnel, the suture needle construct, i.e., a suture with a substantially curved needle at one end and a substantially straight needle at the other end, is brought in the proximity of the joint. The suture is passed around the lateral fabella using the substantially curved needle, then deep to the patellar ligament using the substantially straight needle, and through the tibial tunnel using the substantially straight needle. The needles are cut off, and the sutures are tensioned over the repair site.