Rotating Suturing Instrument for Meniscus Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional suturing instruments face difficulties in passing a straight suture thread through a loop in the joint capsule, leading to increased surgical time and patient burden, and limiting the areas where the meniscus can be sutured.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive suturing instrument featuring a collecting member with a straight or curved shape and an opening at the distal end, allowing for easy insertion into the joint capsule and facilitating the insertion and collection of suture threads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two needles are inserted into the meniscus in a parallel state, then the suturing structure can be formed, but the portion where the meniscus can be sutured is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The collecting member is designed to be rotatable relative to the insertion body, allowing the opening to change its orientation dynamically. This enables the same device to access different portions of the meniscus by rotating the collecting member, thereby expanding the sutured area without increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces rotational movement around the insertion axis, adding a dimensional degree of freedom. By rotating the collecting member around the insertion body's axis, the system can reach multiple meniscus portions that would otherwise be inaccessible with fixed parallel needle insertion
2Ease of operation
If a straight line suture thread is passed through a loop in the joint capsule, then the meniscus can be sutured, but the operation takes time and the burden on the patient is large
Solution Approach 1:
The collecting member acts as an intermediary tool between the suture thread and the meniscus. Instead of directly manipulating the thread through the joint capsule, the collecting member with its opening provides a guided pathway, simplifying the insertion process and reducing surgical time
Solution Approach 2:
The collecting member is inserted into the joint capsule beforehand to establish the opening and positioning structure. This preliminary action creates a ready-made pathway for the suture thread, eliminating the need for complex real-time threading operations and reducing overall surgical time
Data Source
AI summary
A suturing instrument in which a distal end portion of a collecting member of a straight line shape or a curved shape having a predetermined length of a semi-cylindrical shape or a spatula shape is provided with an opening opened in the intersecting direction with respect to the length direction of the collecting member. A suturing positioning instrument and a system configured to repair a fracture in a meniscus are also disclosed.