Retrograde Cutter for Arthroscopic Bone Socket Formation

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Solution Overview

Problem

During arthroscopic surgery, there is a challenge in handling instruments within the joint capsule due to minimal visibility and access, particularly in forming recipient site sockets with minimal bone loss and reduced intraarticular bone fragmentation during ACL reconstruction.

Innovation Solution

A retrograde cutter is designed to create a recipient site socket from the inside out, using a cutting blade that engages and locks onto the instrument shaft, allowing for minimal incisions and reduced bone fragmentation by employing a retrograde technique.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional cutting instruments are used during arthroscopic surgery, then bone sockets can be formed, but instrument handling is difficult due to minimal visibility and access within the joint capsule

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstrument handlingVSAvoidvisibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a retrograde technique where the cutting instrument is inserted through a proximal incision and cuts bone sockets from the inside out, moving in the opposite direction of conventional approaches. This inversion allows the instrument to be manipulated from a position of better visibility and access, resolving the handling difficulty caused by limited joint capsule visibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional drilling techniques are used, then femoral and tibial sockets can be formed, but bone fragmentation of tunnel rims increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesocket formationVSAvoidbone fragmentation

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By reversing the drilling direction to cut from the inside out rather than from the outside in, the instrument creates cleaner socket edges with minimal bone fragmentation. The retrograde approach allows controlled cutting that preserves tunnel rim integrity while forming precise femoral and tibial sockets

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of manufacture

If minimal incisions are made during arthroscopic surgery, then surgical access is limited, but this restricts instrument manipulation within the joint capsule

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincision sizeVSAvoidinstrument manipulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The retrograde cutting technique allows the instrument to be introduced through a small proximal incision and manipulated from a position of advantage, cutting bone from the inside out. This approach maintains the benefit of minimal incisions while improving instrument manipulation capability by working from the proximal end where access and visibility are better

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS8048079B2Retrograde cutting instrument

Publication Date: 2011.11.01 ARTHREX INC

AI summary

An instrument for retrograde cutting of sockets or tunnels in bone for arthroscopic tenodesis. A retrograde cutter is used to form a recipient site socket from the inside out, i.e., using a retrograde technique, with minimal incisions of distal cortices and reduced intraarticular bone fragmentation of tunnel rims. The retrograde cutter is provided with a cutting blade that is configured to engage the shaft of the instrument and to lock onto the shaft.