Flexible Loop-Band Fixation Structure for Adjustable Ligament Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suspension fixation devices for ligament repair, such as those using titanium plates and suture coils, suffer from instability due to material stiffness differences, leading to wear, bone damage, and poor biocompatibility, requiring complex pre-surgical measurements and additional fixation methods, which reduce surgery efficiency and cause complications.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable and fully flexible loop-band fixation device made of flexible woven textile material, featuring a fixation band with a tightening loop and adjustable coil, formed by interlacing sutures, and a self-locking knot, allowing for controlled adjustment and stable fixation without the need for additional knotting or screw implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal material (titanium plate) is used for fixation, then fixation strength is improved, but material stiffness difference causes instability and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses suture material throughout the entire fixation device, including the coil, band, and fixation elements, ensuring uniform material properties and eliminating stiffness mismatches between metal and suture components. This homogeneity prevents the windshield wiper effect and bungee jumping effect that occur with metal-suture combinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite suture structure combining different suture materials (e.g., PTFE-coated suture with polyester core) to achieve both flexibility and sufficient mechanical strength, replacing the metal-suture composite approach that causes instability.
2Strength
If metal material is used for fixation, then fixation strength is improved, but bone damage and poor biocompatibility occur
Solution Approach 1:
The entire fixation device is made from biocompatible suture material that is softer and more compatible with bone tissue, eliminating the hard-on-hard contact between metal and bone that causes foreign body sensation and tissue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from hard metal to soft suture material, fundamentally altering the interaction characteristics with bone tissue to reduce mechanical damage and improve biocompatibility while maintaining adequate fixation strength through the coil structure.
3Device complexity
If non-adjustable length band is used, then device simplicity is improved, but surgery efficiency decreases due to measurement and calculation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an adjustable coil structure that can be dynamically modified during surgery to achieve the required fixation length and tension, allowing real-time adaptation without pre-calculation or additional fixation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixation device allows dynamic adjustment of geometric parameters (length, tension, coil tightness) during the surgical procedure, enabling the surgeon to optimize fixation for each patient's specific anatomy without complex pre-operative planning.
4Reliability
If adjustable length band with additional fixation is used, then fixation reliability is improved, but device complexity and surgery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the adjustment mechanism and fixation function into a single unified structure where the adjustable coil itself provides the fixation through its interlaced structure, eliminating the need for separate additional fixation procedures or complex multi-component systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable coil structure is designed to be self-fixating through its interlaced configuration, where the coil's own structure provides the anchoring mechanism, eliminating the need for external fixation aids or complex assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to an adjustable and fully flexible loop-band fixation device including a fixation band, a fixation loop, and a traction thread which are all made of flexible woven textile material. A wound tightening structure formed by interlacing of a pull suture in the middle and two sides of the fixation band fits an 8-shaped adjustable coil formed by extending on a side of the fixation band; and the 8-shaped adjustable coil has an anti-reverse structure and a self-interlacing structure, which form the fixation loop as a whole.