Polymeric Cored Braided Suture for Bone Fracture Fixation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical bone fixation technologies face issues such as mismatch in elasticity between fixation devices and bone, leading to loss of compression, fatigue-induced failure, stress-shielding effects, and increased risk of pathologic fractures, which hinder effective primary healing and require further surgical interventions.
Innovation Solution
The use of a polymeric cored braided suture held in place by anchors implanted on either side of a fracture, providing tension to compress the bone fragments and maintain fixation under tensile and shear loads, with advanced surgical anchors designed to optimize securement and tension distribution, and a deployment instrument that can drive anchors and tension the suture efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal fixation devices (screws, plates, nails) are used to compress bone fragments, then initial fixation strength is improved, but compression is lost due to elasticity mismatch between device and bone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to polymer, fundamentally altering the elastic properties to match bone. This allows the fixation device to maintain compression over time by having compatible elastic characteristics with the bone tissue, preventing the compression loss that occurs with stiffer metal devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material structures within the polymer device, combining different polymer components or reinforcing elements to achieve both the necessary flexibility for compression maintenance and sufficient strength for initial fixation. This composite approach allows optimization of both contradictory properties.
2Reliability
If metal fixation devices are used to stabilize fractures, then fixation reliability is improved, but fatigue-induced failure occurs over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material from metal to polymer, fundamentally altering fatigue resistance characteristics. Polymers exhibit different fatigue behavior with better resistance to cyclic loading, extending the service life of the fixation device while maintaining reliable fracture stabilization throughout the healing period.
3Strength
If metal plates are used to span and compress fractures, then fracture stabilization is improved, but stress-shielding effect weakens the bone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the stiffness parameter by using polymer material instead of metal, creating a more compliant fixation device. This allows the device to flex with bone during normal loading, maintaining physiological stress transmission to the bone tissue and preventing disuse-induced bone resorption while still providing adequate fracture stabilization.
4Reliability
If metal fixation devices are used to provide rigid fixation, then primary healing potential is improved, but device complexity and surgical intervention requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material properties to achieve the desired fixation performance with simpler device geometries. The polymer material's inherent flexibility and compliance allow effective fracture fixation without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or multiple components, reducing surgical complexity while maintaining primary healing potential.
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
This approach enables rigid fixation necessary for primary healing, reduces the risk of complications, and maintains compression even under load-bearing conditions, potentially shortening healing time and minimizing the need for additional surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
The polymeric cored braided suture (110) is tensioned so as to compress the fracture and hold it in place
Implementation Method 2
All of these methods described above have shortcomings despite their clinical usefulness. Metal fixation devices generally suffer from a mismatch in elasticity between the device and the bone that a device is compressing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes surgical anchors and related devices and methods that can be used for surgical bone fracture fixation. Some implementations use a polymeric cored braided suture held in place by anchors on each side of a fracture. In some implementations, the anchors are secured into bone while maintaining high tension (e.g., relative to certain prior art methods) in the suture during the deployment process. Some implementations provide for tensioning (e.g., using a polymeric cored braided suture) to compress the fracture and hold the bone in place, functioning as though the suture has sewn the bone (e.g., fragments or portions) together. This can, for example, provide rigid fixation of a fracture which may be important for healing to occur. The tension preload can provide compression to maintain fixation in the face of tensile and shear loads applied to the bone (e.g., as a result of movement and weight bearing).