Surgical Implant Assembly With Overlapping Sutures for CMC Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for treating degenerative osteoarthritis of the first carpal-metacarpal joint, such as trapeziectomy, are lengthy, require extensive incisions, and can lead to complications like subsidence and loss of arthroplasty space, while also being technically demanding and requiring the sacrifice of a functioning tendon.
Innovation Solution
A surgical implant assembly comprising first and second anchor bodies with interconnected sutures that engage bone surfaces, allowing for secure anchoring and stabilization of the joint through a novel suture configuration that simplifies the surgical procedure and reduces recovery time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional trapeziectomy with tendon sacrifice is used, then pain relief is achieved, but surgical time and technical complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical procedure is segmented into distinct phases: trapezium excision, implant insertion through pre-drilled holes, suture tensioning, and stabilization. This segmentation allows each step to be performed efficiently and systematically, reducing overall surgical time while maintaining pain relief outcomes
Solution Approach 2:
Bone holes are pre-drilled into the first and second metacarpal bones before implant insertion. This preliminary action prepares the surgical site in advance, allowing rapid implant placement and suture tensioning without time-consuming intraoperative bone preparation, thereby reducing surgical time while ensuring proper implant positioning for effective pain relief
2Reliability
If traditional trapeziectomy with tendon sacrifice is used, then pain relief is achieved, but procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: the first and second anchors provide skeletal fixation, the sutures enable soft tissue attachment, and the tensioning mechanism ensures proper ligament reconstruction. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate components and steps, reducing procedural complexity while maintaining effective pain relief
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the anchor bodies, sutures, and tensioning mechanism into a single integrated implant assembly that is inserted and deployed as one unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate implantation steps for anchors and sutures, simplifying the surgical procedure while ensuring proper alignment and tensioning for effective pain relief
3Strength
If extensive incisions are used for implant insertion, then secure anchoring is achieved, but tissue damage and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The implant assembly is extracted through small incisions using a folded configuration, minimizing soft tissue disruption. The anchors are inserted through pre-drilled bone holes rather than requiring large exposure incisions, thereby achieving secure anchoring while reducing tissue damage and accelerating recovery time
4Stability of the object's composition
If multiple sutures pass through both anchor bodies, then stabilization is improved, but surgical precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The suture configuration is segmented into distinct paths: the first suture passes through the first anchor body and the second suture passes through the second anchor body, with each suture having its own tensioning sequence. This segmentation simplifies the surgical procedure by reducing the complexity of suture routing while maintaining joint stabilization through systematic tensioning of each suture independently
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical implant assembly comprising: first and second anchor bodies adapted to engage respective bone surfaces; a primary suture having a suture length extending between first and second terminal segments of the primary suture, the suture length of the primary suture further comprising: a first suture segment that passes through the first anchor body; and a second suture segment passing through the second anchor body with a bridging segment of the primary suture extending between the first and second suture segments of the primary suture wherein the first suture segment of the primary suture lies in between the bridging segment and the first terminal segment of the primary suture and wherein the second suture segment of the primary suture lies in between the bridging segment and the second terminal segment of the primary suture; a secondary suture having a suture length extending between first and second terminal segments of the secondary suture, the suture length of the secondary suture further comprising: a first suture segment that passes through the first anchor body; and a second suture segment passing through the second anchor body with a bridging segment of the secondary suture extending between the first and second suture segments of the primary suture wherein the first suture segment of the secondary suture lies in between the bridging segment and the first terminal segment of the secondary suture and wherein the second suture segment of the secondary suture lies in between the bridging segment and the second terminal segment of the secondary suture; and wherein during use, the bridging segment of the primary suture is adapted to overlap with the bridging segment of the secondary suture.