Two-Piece Floating Joint Replacement Device for Bone-Sparing Meniscus Repair
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating damaged knee cartilage, such as total or unicompartmental knee replacement, are invasive and result in significant pain and rehabilitation time, with a need for less traumatic and bone-sparing devices that can maintain joint function and load-bearing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A two-part joint replacement device comprising a free floating soft tissue replacement component and a rigid base component, designed to mimic the natural meniscus, which allows for sliding engagement between anatomical structures without anchoring, using biocompatible materials like polycarbonate-urethane or metals, and includes external passages for sutures to connect loosely with surrounding tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If total or unicompartmental knee replacement is performed, then joint function is restored, but significant bone removal and tissue damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the damaged soft tissue (meniscus or cartilage) for replacement, rather than removing entire bone surfaces as in traditional knee replacement. The prosthesis is inserted into the joint space without removing or penetrating bone tissue, selectively replacing only the compromised soft tissue while preserving healthy bone and cartilage structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible soft tissue replacement component made of elastomeric material that mimics the natural meniscus or cartilage. This flexible component can deform and conform to the joint's natural motion, providing a biocompatible interface that reduces stress concentration and minimizes damage to surrounding bone and tissue structures.
2Strength
If traditional knee replacement implants are used, then load bearing capability is achieved, but invasive surgery and long rehabilitation are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the replacement device into two separate components: a flexible soft tissue replacement component and a rigid base component. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the flexible component for load distribution and the rigid component for structural support - enabling effective load bearing with minimal surgical intervention and faster rehabilitation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines two distinct materials with complementary properties: an elastomeric material for the soft tissue replacement component that provides flexibility and load distribution, and a rigid material for the base component that provides structural support. This composite approach achieves superior load bearing capability while minimizing surgical trauma and rehabilitation time.
3Strength
If rigid implants are used to replace soft tissue, then structural support is provided, but natural joint movement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic system where the flexible soft tissue replacement component can deform and adapt to the joint's natural motion patterns. The elastomeric material allows the prosthesis to change shape and position during joint movement, maintaining structural support while accommodating the full range of motion without restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the elastomeric material's ability to change its physical parameters (shape, volume, stiffness) in response to applied loads and joint motion. This parameter change capability allows the prosthesis to maintain structural integrity while adapting to varying joint positions and movement requirements, preserving natural joint dynamics.
Data Source
AI summary
A two-part joint replacement device for replacing damaged soft joint tissue, such as a meniscus or cartilage tissue. In one form, the device may include a free floating soft joint tissue replacement component comprising a first tissue-interface surface shaped to engage a first anatomical (bone and/or cartilage) structure of a joint having damaged soft tissue. The device may also include a free floating rigid base component comprising a second tissue-interface surface shaped to engage a second anatomical (bone and/or cartilage) structure of the joint. The free floating soft joint tissue replacement component may be shaped to slidably interface with the rigid base component. In another form, the free floating soft joint tissue replacement component and the rigid base component are fixed together.