Suture Passer Needle Loop Formation Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suture passer devices are inadequate for efficiently creating suture loops in tissue during orthopedic surgical procedures, requiring an improved method for passing sutures through body tissues effectively.
Innovation Solution
A suture passer device with a handle assembly, tubular shaft, movable jaw clamp, and retractable hook, featuring a needle that forms a loop in tissue by capturing a suture and penetrating through tissue with the aid of trigger mechanisms, allowing for precise control and loop formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional suture passer device is used, then the basic suture passing function is achieved, but the efficiency and precision of creating suture loops in tissue is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional modules: a handle assembly with trigger mechanisms, a tubular shaft, a movable jaw clamp, a retractable hook, and a needle. Each component performs a specific function in the suture loop creation process, allowing for efficient sequential operation while maintaining manageable complexity through functional specialization.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates multiple movable components including a movable jaw clamp that transitions between open and closed clamping positions, a retractable hook that extends and retracts along the tubular shaft, and a needle that moves longitudinally within the shaft. These dynamic elements enable precise control over the suture loop formation process, improving efficiency without requiring excessive structural complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If a simple suture passer structure is used, then the device complexity is low, but the precision and control for suture loop formation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs trigger mechanisms that provide mechanical feedback control. The first trigger mechanism controls the movable jaw clamp's clamping action, while the second trigger mechanism controls the retractable hook's extension and retraction. This feedback-based control system allows the surgeon to precisely control each step of the suture loop formation process with clear tactile and visual feedback, achieving high precision without overly complex electronic or mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The tubular shaft serves as an intermediary structure that guides and constrains the movement of the needle, retractable hook, and movable jaw clamp. This intermediate component provides a controlled pathway that ensures precise positioning and movement of the active elements, enabling accurate suture loop formation while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple functional components are added to improve suture passing capability, then the functionality is enhanced, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines multiple functional components into an integrated assembly where the handle assembly, tubular shaft, movable jaw clamp, retractable hook, and needle work together as a unified system. The trigger mechanisms are merged with the control linkages for the jaw clamp and hook, allowing the surgeon to control multiple functions through simple trigger activations. This merging of functions into a coordinated system enhances versatility while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive control.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed with multi-functional components that perform multiple roles. The movable jaw clamp serves both as a clamping mechanism for securing tissue and as a guide for needle passage. The retractable hook functions both to capture the suture and to assist in guiding the needle through the tissue. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, enhancing versatility while simplifying the overall operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A suture passer device for creating a suture loop in tissue has a handle having a fixed handle portion and a movable handle portion, a tubular shaft with a proximal and a distal end for capturing a suture, and a needle attached to the movable handle and positioned internal of the fixed handle and the tubular shaft. When the movable handle closes the needle is passed through a distal opening transverse to the tubular shaft. The needle has an end to hold a suture and form a loop in the tissue.