Suture Passing Device Jaw Assembly with Push-Pull Capture

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical suture passing devices face challenges in arthroscopic procedures, particularly when suturing the labrum, due to limited visualization and the difficulty in passing and retrieving suture through severely damaged tissue with a small needle profile.

Innovation Solution

A suture passing device with a handle and shaft featuring a sharp distal tip and a jaw assembly with a push-pull suture capturing mechanism, comprising teeth for secure capture and retrieval of suture, allowing for easy passage and retrieval of suture through tissue with a minimized profile.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a small needle profile is used to minimize the overall device size for arthroscopic procedures, then the device can access difficult anatomical sites, but the suture loop size becomes very small making it difficult to grab and retrieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle profile sizeVSAvoidsuture retrieval ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device separates the needle function from the suture retrieval function. The needle passes through tissue with a minimal profile, while the jaw assembly with teeth provides a separate mechanism for capturing and retrieving suture, allowing each function to be optimized independently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The jaw assembly acts as an intermediary between the needle and the suture. It captures the suture with its teeth and provides a larger grip surface, mediating between the small needle profile and the need for easy suture retrieval

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a complex suture passing mechanism is implemented to improve suture capture and retrieval, then suture passing efficiency improves, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuture passing efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The jaw assembly is nested within the shaft, with the teeth structure integrated into the jaw members that move within the shaft. This nested configuration allows complex functionality to be achieved within a compact form factor using straightforward manufacturing approaches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The teeth on the jaw members automatically engage with and capture the suture through their geometric shape alone, without requiring additional active mechanisms. The scalloped edge geometry provides self-capturing functionality that is simple to manufacture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If the jaw assembly is designed to allow significant jaw movement for easy suture capture, then suture capture capability improves, but jaw movement within the shaft increases complicating the device structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuture capture capabilityVSAvoidjaw movement constraints

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The jaw members have different structural properties at different locations. The distal portion allows movement for suture capture, while the proximal portion is constrained within the shaft. The teeth are positioned to engage suture while the jaw body remains guided within the shaft

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11583269B2Suture passing device

Publication Date: 2023.02.21 ARCH DAY DESIGN LLC

AI summary

A suture passing device includes a jaw assembly that is moved to an open configuration after exiting a hollow needle distal tip and moved to a closed configuration when retracted into the needle tip. The jaw assembly may include a pair of jaw members biased to a default diverging configuration. A suture capturing mechanism formed on the jaw members securely captures suture to both push and pull the captured when the jaw assembly is retracted into the hollow distal tip. The jaw members have configurations of teeth that may be staggered axially and vertically.