Retrograde Resection Apparatus for Minimal Joint Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for resecting damaged articular cartilage and underlying bone in joints often require partial separation of the joint, leading to damage to connective tissues and increased recovery time.
Innovation Solution
A retrograde resection apparatus comprising a drive component and a cutting blade with a thin geometry, allowing for minimal joint separation by creating a retrograde access passage and using a tether or forceps to convey the cutting blade into the joint, where it can be rotatably driven to resect the articular surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If direct drilling or cutting is used to resect damaged articular cartilage and bone, then the damaged material can be removed effectively, but the joint must be partially separated which causes damage to connective tissues
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of approaching the articular surface from the joint cavity (anterior direction), the invention approaches from the opposite direction by drilling a retrograde passage through the bone from the distal end toward the articular surface. This inverted approach allows the cutting blade to reach the articular surface without requiring joint separation, thus avoiding damage to connective tissues while maintaining resection precision
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a retrograde access passage as an intermediary pathway through the bone. This passage serves as a mediator that allows the cutting blade to reach the articular surface indirectly, eliminating the need for direct joint separation and the associated connective tissue damage
2Ease of operation
If the joint is separated to access the articular surface, then direct resection can be performed, but recovery time increases due to connective tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the approach direction and accessing the articular surface retrograde through the bone, the invention eliminates joint separation entirely. This maintains ease of operation for resection while avoiding connective tissue damage, thereby significantly reducing recovery time
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the cutting blade through the retrograde passage and delivers it to the articular surface without extracting or separating the joint structures. This allows effective resection while preserving connective tissues, leading to faster recovery
3Power
If a traditional cutting blade is used, then sufficient cutting power is achieved, but the blade geometry requires larger joint separation for insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting blade is nested within a delivery catheter or sheath that guides it through the retrograde passage. This nesting allows the blade to be inserted through a small access point while maintaining its full cutting power once deployed at the articular surface
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery system uses a flexible catheter or sheath that can be inserted through the small retrograde access passage. This flexible delivery mechanism allows the rigid cutting blade to reach the target while requiring minimal insertion space, resolving the contradiction between cutting power and insertion depth
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 minimizes damage to connective tissues and reduces recovery time by allowing precise resection of the articular surface with minimal joint separation, facilitating the creation of an implant site for prosthetic placement.
Implementation Method 1
a cutting blade (14) configured to resect the articular surface
Implementation Method 2
using a tether or forceps to convey the cutting blade into the joint
Data Source
AI summary
A retrograde resection apparatus may include a cutting blade including a slot defined in the cutting blade, a recess defined in at least a portion of the slot, a screw, including a proximal end and a distal end defining a bore therethrough, a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the shaft passes through the bore and the distal end is configured to be received in the recess, and a biasing device configured to bias the shaft against the cutting blade. In addition, the apparatus may include a tether, a first portion of which is affixed to the cutting blade and a second portion of which passes through the bore.