Pivoting Implant Retainer for Precise Arthroscopic Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is an ongoing need to deliver and adequately position medical implants during an arthroscopic procedure to treat injuries to the rotator cuff, rotator cuff tendons, or other soft tissue or tendon injuries throughout a body.
Innovation Solution
An implant delivery system with an outer shaft, inner shaft, yoke, and implant retainer that allows for the deployment and pivoting of a tendon repair implant, optionally with a spring component to bias the implant retainer, and a handle with a tether clamp for controlled deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional delivery system is used, then the implant can be delivered, but precise positioning and controlled deployment are difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is divided into distinct functional components: an outer shaft for delivery, an inner shaft for actuation, a yoke for directional control, and an implant retainer for secure holding. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system precision and controllability.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant retainer is designed with pivoting capability relative to the yoke, allowing dynamic adjustment of the implant orientation during deployment. This dynamic feature enables precise positioning of the implant at the target site while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the implant retainer is fixed relative to the yoke, then the structure is simple, but the implant cannot be properly positioned at various angles
Solution Approach 1:
The implant retainer is designed to pivot relative to the yoke, providing rotational freedom that allows the implant to be positioned at various angles and orientations. This single degree of freedom adds minimal complexity while significantly improving adaptability for different anatomical configurations.
3Ease of operation
If spring component is added to bias the implant retainer, then controlled deployment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring component is pre-loaded to automatically bias the implant retainer into the deployed position when released. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex active actuation mechanisms, as the spring's stored energy automatically performs the deployment function when the retainer is unlocked.
4Reliability
If the inner shaft extends through the entire lumen, then the structure is simple, but the implant cannot be securely captured and deployed
Solution Approach 1:
The inner shaft is segmented into a proximal portion extending through the outer shaft and a distal portion that couples to the yoke and implant retainer. This segmentation allows the distal portion to be configured with specific engagement features for secure implant capture, while the proximal portion maintains the simple longitudinal structure for smooth delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner shaft is nested within the outer shaft, with the distal end of the inner shaft coupling to the yoke and implant retainer assembly. This nested configuration allows the complex retainer mechanism to be delivered through the simple outer shaft while maintaining secure implant capture capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise placement of tendon repair implants over or in the area of tendon tears, enhancing the mechanical reinforcement and tissue reformation process during arthroscopic procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The spring component is configured to flex between a first position in which it is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the yoke and a second position in which it is offset from the longitudinal axis of the yoke. The spring component is configured to bias the implant retainer in the second position after the implant is deployed from the lumen of the outer shaft.
Data Source
AI summary
Implant delivery systems are disclosed. One implant delivery system includes an outer shaft, an inner shaft movable within the outer shaft, a yoke coupled to the distal end of the inner shaft, and an implant retainer pivotably coupled to the yoke. The implant retainer is configured to retain a sheet-like implant for implantation at a treatment site. Another implant delivery system includes a handle, a delivery sheath extending from the handle, and a delivery shaft extending through the delivery sheath to a frame attachable to a sheet-like implant. A tether extends from the frame within the lumen of the delivery shaft. An actuation member is translatable within a channel of the handle to deploy the frame from the delivery sheath. A tether clamp, positioned within the handle, is manipulatable by the actuation member to selectively unlock the tether within the handle.