Subcutaneous Tendon Cutting Tool With Grooved Harvesting Tip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tendon cutting tools for subcutaneous use are invasive, prone to inaccurate cutting, and risk damaging the tendon or surrounding soft tissue, with uncontrolled harvest processes.
Innovation Solution
A cutting tool with a movable blade and tendon harvesting tip, featuring a groove and safety lock mechanism, allows for precise, minimally invasive tendon cutting by guiding the tendon into a groove and securing it before cutting, reducing the risk of accidental cuts and tissue damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a closed eyelet design is used where the tendon is inserted inside, then the tendon can be secured for cutting, but the cutting process becomes uncontrolled and requires repeated cutting actions that risk damaging the tendon
Solution Approach 1:
The tendon is inserted into the groove of the harvesting tip before the cutting action begins. This preliminary positioning ensures the tendon is correctly secured and aligned, allowing for a single controlled cutting action rather than repeated cuts, thereby reducing the risk of tendon damage while maintaining reliable securing
Solution Approach 2:
The groove in the harvesting tip serves as an intermediary structure that receives and secures the tendon. This groove acts as a mediator between the tendon and the cutting blade, providing a controlled environment for the cutting action to occur at a precise location without requiring repeated attempts
2Ease of operation
If the distal end of the tendon is severed first and inserted into the eyelet, then the tendon can be held in tension for proximal cutting, but the cut is uncontrolled and the harvest process becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the tendon is inserted into the groove of the harvesting tip before the proximal cutting action. This preliminary insertion ensures the tendon is properly positioned and secured, enabling the surgeon to perform the proximal cut with controlled accuracy rather than making uncontrolled freehand cuts
Solution Approach 2:
The manual freehand cutting method is replaced with a guided mechanical system where the harvesting tip with its groove provides a predetermined cutting path. This substitution eliminates the need for uncontrolled manual cutting while maintaining ease of operation through the tool's built-in guidance mechanism
3Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional open surgical procedure is used, then the surgeon has good visibility and control, but the procedure is invasive and the harvest process is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The tool employs a slender, flexible shaft design that can be inserted through minimal incisions to reach the tendon subcutaneously. This thin-film-like approach minimizes tissue trauma compared to open surgery while maintaining the surgeon's ability to perform the harvest procedure with proper control and visibility through the tool's design
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations include a tool for the subcutaneous cutting of tendons. The tool includes a shaft, arranged along a longitudinal axis, having a proximal end and a distal end, a grip, provided at the proximal end, comprising a fixed handle and a movable trigger, and a cutting head placed at the distal end, which comprises a tendon harvesting tip provided with a groove and a blade. The blade and the harvesting tip are movable relative to each other on a plane which contains the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The blade is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shaft.