Rotatable Facet Joint Surgical Tool for Minimally Invasive Cyst Treatment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for synovial cysts in facet joints, such as surgical removal and percutaneous aspiration, often result in tissue damage, recurrence, and sub-optimal patient outcomes due to the thick and viscous nature of synovial fluid, which complicates aspiration and leads to additional surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

Development of a facet joint surgical tool with rotatable members and a sheath that allows for minimally invasive access and manipulation within the facet joint, enabling the delivery of fluid compositions like hyaluronidase to liquefy synovial fluid, aspiration of thick fluids, and radiofrequency ablation to reduce cyst recurrence, while minimizing tissue damage and scarring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If surgical removal is used to treat synovial cysts, then complete removal and symptom relief is achieved, but tissue damage and scarring occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecyst removal effectivenessVSAvoidtissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the synovial cyst through a percutaneous needle aspiration approach, taking out only the cystic material through a small puncture site rather than performing open surgical removal that would require larger incisions and more extensive tissue dissection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary enzyme (hyaluronidase or collagenase) injected into the cyst to chemically break down the thick synovial fluid, making it liquid enough for aspiration through the needle. This chemical mediator enables removal of the cyst without requiring forceful mechanical extraction that would damage surrounding tissues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If percutaneous aspiration is used to treat synovial cysts, then tissue damage is minimized, but aspiration fails due to thick and viscous synovial fluid

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue damageVSAvoidaspiration difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameter of the synovial fluid by injecting enzymatic solutions (hyaluronidase or collagenase) that chemically degrade the thick, viscous synovial fluid into a more liquid state, changing its viscosity parameter to enable successful aspiration through the needle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary chemical agent (enzyme solution) that acts as a mediator between the thick synovial fluid and the aspiration needle, facilitating the transition from non-aspiratable viscous fluid to aspiratable liquid through chemical breakdown

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If repeated aspirations are performed to treat synovial cysts, then recurrence can be managed, but treatment time and additional procedures increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecyst recurrence managementVSAvoidtreatment duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by injecting the enzymatic solution (hyaluronidase or collagenase) into the cyst before aspiration to pre-liquefy the synovial fluid. This preliminary chemical treatment ensures complete and permanent cyst removal in a single procedure, preventing future recurrence and eliminating the need for repeated aspirations or additional surgical interventions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The tool facilitates effective aspiration and treatment of synovial cysts with reduced recurrence rates, minimizing tissue damage and the need for additional surgeries by allowing for precise manipulation and ablation within the facet joint, improving patient outcomes.

Implementation Method 1

The fluid composition includes at least one of hyaluronidase or collagenase to liquefy the synovial fluid to facilitate aspiration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzymatic degradation: Enzyme

Implementation Method 2

Radiofrequency energy delivered by a needle or probe is usually used for ablation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiofrequency heating: Dielectric Heating

Implementation Method 3

ablating the synovial lining of the facet joint and cyst to reduce synovial fluid production

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAblation: Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS10912605B2Devices, kits and methods relating to treatment of facet joints

Publication Date: 2021.02.09 THIXOS

AI summary

A facet joint surgical tool for treating a facet joint synovial cyst includes rotatable members disposed side-by-side through a minimally invasive sheath and rotatable to reconfigure distal end portions between a facet joint penetration configuration with a tissue piercing tip and a facet joint retraction configuration. Facet joint synovial cysts located to an anterior side of the facet joint are treated by a posterior approach with access to the cyst through the facet joint retracted by the surgical tool. Facet joint synovial cysts located to a posterior side of the facet joint are treated by direct access from a posterior approach.