Ligament Retractor With Cutting Shield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments and methods lack effective means to prevent accidental damage or cutting of ligaments during bone resection operations in knee joint arthroplasty procedures.
Innovation Solution
A retractor assembly comprising a retractor with an arcuate projection and a guide projection, which includes a convex retractor surface and a cutting shield surface, is designed to retract the medial collateral ligament away from the tibial plateau, thereby reducing the risk of ligament damage during surgical procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a surgeon blindly approaches the medial collateral ligament from the lateral side with a saw blade during tibial plateau resection, then the bone resection operation can be performed, but the risk of accidentally damaging or cutting the medial collateral ligament increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor member acts as an intermediary protective barrier between the saw blade and the medial collateral ligament. The cutting shield surface of the retractor member directly interfaces with and protects the ligament, while allowing the surgical procedure to proceed uninterrupted.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor member is positioned and secured to the tibial plateau before the bone resection operation begins. This preliminary placement establishes the protective barrier in advance, ensuring the medial collateral ligament is protected throughout the subsequent cutting procedure.
2Reliability
If a retractor member with cutting shield surface is positioned on the tibial plateau, then the medial collateral ligament is protected from accidental cutting, but the complexity of the surgical instrument increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor member combines multiple protective features into a single integrated component: the cutting shield surface for direct ligament protection, the guide projection for proper positioning, and the engagement features for secure attachment to the tibial plateau. This merging reduces the need for multiple separate instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a protective barrier, a positioning guide, and a securing mechanism. The single component performs what would otherwise require multiple separate surgical tools, simplifying the overall surgical workflow.
3Manufacturing precision
If the retractor member includes a guide projection with an aperture shaped to receive the femoral condyle, then the retractor member can be accurately positioned relative to the tibial plateau, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide projection with the aperture shaped to receive the femoral condyle enables self-alignment and self-positioning of the retractor member. The anatomical features of the knee joint itself (the femoral condyle) serve as the positioning reference, eliminating the need for external alignment tools or complex positioning mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A retractor assembly may include a retractor removably coupled with a retractor handle. The retractor may include a handle connection feature, a retractor shaft, an arcuate projection having a convex retractor surface and a cutting shield surface, and a guide projection having an aperture shaped to receive at least a portion of a femoral condyle therein to position the retractor relative to a tibial plateau. The retractor handle may include a handle portion and a retractor connection feature. The retractor may be placed on a lateral side of a medial collateral ligament of a knee joint to retract the medial collateral ligament away from a tibial plateau of the knee joint and protect the medial collateral ligament during a tibial plateau resection procedure.