Suture Passer Spring Clip Racking Hitch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current suture passers face difficulties in managing sutures for secure stitches, particularly in creating mattress or Mason-Allen stitches, as they require multiple passes through tissue, leading to complex suture management and increased procedural duration, especially in areas with poor visibility or limited hand availability during arthroscopic procedures.
Innovation Solution
A suture passer system that uses a suture loop and a grasp-and-retrieve mechanism with a spring clip to pass a racking hitch through tissue in one step, allowing for secure suture placement and management, featuring a handle, movable clamping jaws, and a suture spring clip to secure and release the suture loop, facilitating a racking hitch stitch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple suture passes are made through tissue to create secure stitches (mattress or Mason-Allen), then suture security is improved, but suture management complexity increases and procedural duration extends
Solution Approach 1:
The suture is segmented into multiple loops, with each loop representing a discrete suture pass through the tissue. The passer device processes one loop at a time, allowing secure multi-pass stitching while maintaining manageable complexity through systematic segmentation of the overall suturing task
Solution Approach 2:
The suture is pre-configured into loop formations before being passed through the tissue. This preliminary preparation of the suture geometry allows the passer to systematically create secure stitches (mattress or Mason-Allen patterns) without requiring complex real-time manipulation during the procedure
2Reliability
If multiple suture passes are made through tissue to create secure stitches, then suture security is improved, but procedural duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The passer device enables continuous processing of suture loops through the tissue without requiring retrieval or repositioning between passes. The grasp-and-retrieve mechanism maintains continuous useful action by capturing each suture loop as it emerges and automatically positioning it for the next operation, eliminating idle time between suture passes
Solution Approach 2:
The passer device performs self-service by automatically grasping and retrieving each suture loop as it emerges from the tissue. This self-grasping and self-retrieving capability eliminates the need for separate manual manipulation steps, reducing procedural time while maintaining secure multi-pass stitching
3Ease of operation
If grasp-and-retrieve mechanism is used to capture suture loop, then suture retrieval is simplified, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The top jaw incorporates a self-activating grasp-and-retrieve mechanism that automatically captures the suture loop as it emerges from the tissue. The mechanism uses the natural motion of the passer withdrawal to trigger the grasping action, making the device self-serving and eliminating the need for separate manual grasping operations by the surgeon
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 system enables secure and efficient passage of a racking hitch stitch through tissue, reducing procedural complexity and duration by allowing a single-step secure suture placement, even in challenging surgical conditions, and enhancing suture management with the use of a spring clip for easy loop handling.
Implementation Method 1
The spring clip is formed of a resilient material so that the distal end of the spring clip is adapted for clamping a portion of suture
Implementation Method 2
The spring clip is formed of a resilient material so that the distal end of the spring clip is adapted for clamping a portion of suture
Data Source
AI summary
A suture loop is used in combination with a grasp-and-retrieve suture passer to pass a racking hitch through tissue in one step.