Flip Retrograde Cutter for Bone Socket Creation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Arthroscopic surgical instruments face limitations in cutting tissue due to the narrow diameter of cannulas, making it difficult to create wide tunnels or sockets in bone without causing intraarticular bone fragmentation and requiring rotary cutters and drill pins.
Innovation Solution
A flip retrograde cutter with a blade that articulates between a straight and 90-degree position, allowing for retrograde drilling through a small diameter tunnel with minimal incisions and reduced bone fragmentation, creating a recipient site socket from the inside out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a narrow diameter cannula is used for arthroscopic insertion, then the instrument can be inserted through small incisions, but the cutting implement width is limited and cannot create wide tunnels or sockets in bone
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting implement is divided into multiple blade segments that can be deployed radially outward from the cannula. The blades are initially collapsed within the narrow cannula for insertion, then expanded to create a wide cutting surface for tunnel creation in bone.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting blades are nested within the cannula in a compact configuration during insertion. Once positioned, the blades are deployed outward from the cannula, allowing the system to transition from a narrow insertion profile to a wide cutting profile.
2Manufacturing precision
If rotary cutters and drill pins are used for retrograde drilling, then tunnels can be created in bone, but intraarticular bone fragmentation occurs and multiple components are required
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions (cutting, drilling, and tunnel creation) are merged into a single integrated cutting implement with multiple blades. This eliminates the need for separate rotary cutters and drill pins, reducing the number of components and procedures while creating smoother tunnel walls with less bone fragmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rotating the cutter in place, the instrument is rotated while being pulled outwardly through the bone. This retrograde pulling motion with articulated blades creates clean tunnel walls and reduces bone fragmentation compared to traditional rotary drilling methods.
3Ease of operation
If the blade remains in a straight position during retrograde drilling, then the instrument is simple to insert, but the blade cannot effectively cut bone tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is designed to articulate between a straight configuration for easy insertion through the cannula and a perpendicular configuration for effective bone cutting. The blade can be positioned in different orientations depending on the operational phase, transitioning from insertion mode to cutting mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade articulates from a longitudinal orientation (parallel to the instrument axis) to a transverse orientation (perpendicular to the axis). This dimensional change allows the blade to engage bone tissue effectively at right angles while maintaining a compact profile during insertion.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A flip retrograde cutting instrument which is used to form a tunnel or socket in bone. A method of forming a socket includes inserting the cutter into a joint with a blade of the cutter in a straight position, pivoting the blade to a non-straight flip position, locking the blade in the flip position, and retrograde drilling a socket using the blade in the flip position.