Soft Anchor Surgical Fixation Device for Glenohumeral Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for repairing glenohumeral instability, such as the Latarjet procedure, face challenges in providing sufficient constraint and stability due to the shallow glenoid cavity, leading to potential dislocation and pain, and existing surgical fixation devices are costly and leave metal residues in the body.
Innovation Solution
A surgical fixation device using flexible, three-dimensional soft anchor implants that deploy from an elongate to a radially-expanded shape, made from bioreabsorbable materials like suture, tape, or mesh, which can be used in conjunction with existing instrumentation to secure a bone graft to the glenoid, eliminating the need for metal implants and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal implants are used for bone graft fixation, then fixation strength and reliability are improved, but manufacturing cost increases and metal residues remain in the body
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs biodegradable polymer anchors that degrade over time as bone healing progresses, replacing permanent metal implants with temporary, biocompatible structures that are absorbed by the body, eliminating metal residue concerns while maintaining fixation strength during the critical healing period
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition properties of shape memory polymers that allow the anchors to be inserted in a flexible, low-profile state and then transform to a rigid, expanded state within the bone tunnel, achieving metal-level fixation strength through material property changes rather than material composition changes
2Strength
If metal implants are used for bone graft fixation, then fixation strength is improved, but the device complexity and biocompatibility worsen due to metal residues
Solution Approach 1:
The biodegradable anchors are designed to provide sufficient mechanical support during the bone healing period and then gradually degrade into harmless byproducts that are metabolized or excreted by the body, completely eliminating metal residue issues while maintaining necessary fixation strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite polymer structures combining different biodegradable materials with complementary properties - some components provide initial structural support while others facilitate bone ingrowth, creating a multifunctional implant that achieves metal-level performance with biocompatible materials
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional rigid anchors are used, then fixation stability is improved, but the ability to adapt to different bone tunnel sizes and shapes worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs anchors with dynamic structural characteristics that allow them to deform and conform to irregular bone tunnel geometries during insertion, then transition to a stable, load-bearing configuration once deployed, combining adaptability with fixation stability
Solution Approach 2:
The anchors utilize flexible polymer structures that can bend and stretch to navigate through varying bone tunnel shapes and sizes, then expand or rigidify upon deployment to provide stable fixation, adapting to patient-specific anatomy while maintaining mechanical integrity
4Object-affected harmful factors
If biodegradable materials are used for anchors, then biocompatibility is improved with no metal residue, but the perceived strength and durability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs shape memory polymers that undergo controlled phase transitions from soft, insertable state to rigid, load-bearing state within the bone tunnel, achieving strength levels comparable to metal implants through thermal or mechanical triggering of material property changes
Solution Approach 2:
The anchors utilize composite biodegradable structures combining high-strength polymer matrices with reinforcing fibers or crystalline phases, creating materials that achieve metal-level mechanical properties while maintaining biodegradability and biocompatibility
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 soft anchor implants provide effective bone graft fixation, enhancing glenohumeral stability while being cost-effective and biocompatible, with no metal residue left in the body, and can be used in various joints like the shoulder, foot, hand, or wrist.
Implementation Method 1
The implant is collapsible to an elongate low-profile shape and deployable to an expanded radially-oriented shape
Implementation Method 2
bioreabsorbable materials like suture, tape, or mesh
Implementation Method 3
bioreabsorbable materials
Data Source
AI summary
A soft anchor surgical fixation device includes two soft anchoring implants. The implants have a first elongate state where the implants may slide easily through a bone hole or tunnel, and a second axially compressed state where the implants are prevented from sliding through the bone hole or tunnel. The device also includes a suture pathway extending at least partially along and through the sidewalls of the implants. Tension on the suture transitions the implants from the first elongate state to the second compressed state.