Spring Ligament Scaffold with Suture Anchoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Injuries to the spring ligament in the foot often go undiagnosed until complications like flat-foot deformities arise, necessitating a method for effective repair or augmentation to prevent further afflictions.
Innovation Solution
A synthetic scaffold made of polyester or polyethylene, combined with suture anchoring and tensioning systems like the Juggerknot and Ziploop systems, is used to replace or augment the spring ligament, providing a resilient construct that can be fixed to bone anatomy to restore ligament function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a synthetic scaffold is used to replace or augment the spring ligament, then ligament function is restored and flat-foot deformities are prevented, but the complexity of the repair procedure increases due to the need for specialized anchoring and tensioning systems
Solution Approach 1:
The ligament replacement system is divided into distinct functional components: the synthetic scaffold (ligament augment) and the anchoring system (suture anchors with tensioning devices). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the scaffold for ligament function restoration and the anchors for secure fixation - while simplifying the overall implantation process through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Suture anchors act as intermediary elements that bridge the synthetic ligament scaffold and the bone anatomy. These anchors provide a mechanical interface that securely attaches the non-biological scaffold to the biological bone tissue, enabling force transmission and stable fixation without requiring direct suture passage through bone tunnels.
2Strength
If suture anchoring systems are used to fix the ligament augment to bone, then stable fixation is achieved, but the device complexity and surgical time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The suture anchors are pre-formed and ready for immediate deployment, eliminating the need for time-consuming bone tunnel drilling and suture passage procedures. The anchors can be directly inserted into prepared bone sites and the ligament augment can be immediately attached and tensioned, significantly reducing surgical time while maintaining fixation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical system of bone tunnel drilling, suture passage, and knot tying is replaced with a simplified anchor insertion system. The suture anchors provide immediate mechanical fixation through their design (soft anchors forming within bone or hard anchors with threaded engagement), eliminating the need for complex mechanical assembly steps and reducing surgical time.
3Strength
If a woven or braided polyester or polyethylene material is used for the scaffold, then the ligament construct provides adequate strength and resilience, but the material may not be fully absorbable by the body
Solution Approach 1:
The material composition of the synthetic scaffold is varied to create different degradation profiles. By adjusting the polymer type, weave density, and structural configuration, the scaffold can be designed to maintain strength over the critical healing period while gradually degrading at controlled rates. This allows optimization of both mechanical performance and biodegradability based on specific clinical requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The ligament augment may incorporate composite material structures combining different polymer materials with varying degradation characteristics. This allows the construct to provide initial high strength from non-degradable components while simultaneously introducing biodegradable elements that gradually transfer load to healing tissue, ultimately achieving both strength requirements and biocompatible degradation.
Data Source
AI summary
A construct is disclosed that may be used to repair or replace a natural ligament. The construct may be formed of materials for biocompatibility and/or resorbtion. The construct may be provided or connected to a soft anchor for connection to a bone portion.