Ligament Retractor With Cutting Shield For Knee Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments lack effective means to prevent accidental damage to ligaments during knee joint arthroplasty procedures, particularly the medial collateral ligament, during tibial plateau resection operations.
Innovation Solution
A surgical retractor assembly comprising a retractor with a generally arcuate projection and a guide rod, where the guide rod is pivotably coupled to the retractor, allowing precise placement on the lateral side of the medial collateral ligament to prevent damage during bone resection, and a concave cutting shield surface that acts as a mechanical stop to protect the ligament from saw blades.
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 surgical procedure can be performed, but the risk of accidentally damaging or cutting the medial collateral ligament increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a retractor as an intermediary tool between the surgeon's saw blade and the medial collateral ligament. The retractor includes a retractor member with a cutting shield surface that physically interposes itself between the cutting instrument and the ligament, creating a protective barrier that prevents direct contact while allowing the surgical procedure to continue
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor is positioned and the medial collateral ligament is retracted away from the tibial plateau before the bone resection operation begins. This preliminary retraction action ensures the ligament is in a protected position prior to the dangerous cutting phase, preventing accidental damage before it can occur
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a retractor is used to retract the medial collateral ligament away from the tibial plateau, then the ligament is protected from saw blades, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple protective functions into a single retractor device. The retractor member integrates both the retraction function (via its arcuate projection shape) and the shielding function (via the cutting shield surface) into one unified instrument, reducing the need for multiple separate devices while maintaining comprehensive protection
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it retracts the ligament away from the surgical site, provides a physical shield against cutting instruments, and maintains exposure of the surgical field. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating protective mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly may include a retractor pivotally coupled to a guide rod. The retractor may include a generally arcuate projection having a convex retractor surface, a concave cutting shield surface, and a retractor coupling feature. The guide rod may include an elongate member and a rod coupling feature that may be configured to engage the retractor coupling feature to pivotably couple the guide rod to the retractor. The assembly 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.