Suture Tensioning Adapter for Remote Surgical Site Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments lack an efficient mechanism to tension flexible materials such as sutures, wires, or fabrics away from the surgical site while maintaining contact at the repair site, which is crucial for effective tissue fixation and repair.
Innovation Solution
A tensioning adapter that can be fitted onto common surgical instruments with a longitudinal barrel, allowing the instrument to aid in suture tensioning by offsetting the tensioner from the surgical site while maintaining contact at the repair site, featuring a securing mechanism and an adjustment device to capture and tension the flexible strand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surgical instrument is used to tension flexible materials at the surgical site, then the tensioning action is direct and effective, but the surgical site is disturbed and access is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tensioning adapter as an intermediary device that couples between the surgical instrument and the flexible material. This adapter allows the surgical instrument to apply tension indirectly through the barrel mechanism, avoiding direct disturbance to the surgical site while maintaining effective tensioning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tensioning system is segmented into distinct functional components: the surgical instrument, the tensioning adapter with barrel, and the flexible material. This segmentation allows the tensioning action to be separated from the surgical site, enabling the instrument to operate at a distance while maintaining control over the flexible material.
2Reliability
If the tensioner is positioned close to the surgical site, then contact with the repair site is maintained, but the tensioning force cannot be applied away from the site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the surgical instrument barrel to separate the tensioning action from the surgical site. The barrel extends along the longitudinal axis, allowing the tensioning force to be applied at the proximal end while maintaining contact at the distal surgical site, effectively using spatial separation to resolve the contradiction.
3Reliability
If a dedicated tensioning device is used, then tensioning capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning adapter is designed to be compatible with existing surgical instruments having a longitudinal barrel, allowing these instruments to perform both their original function and suture tensioning. This multi-functionality approach avoids adding complexity by integrating tensioning capability into existing instrument platforms rather than requiring entirely new dedicated devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical tensioner and methods for surgical repairs. A tensioning adapter can be removably attached to, and detached from, a handle and/or elongated shaft of a surgical instrument to allow a flexible strand (suture or wire) attached to tissue (for example, soft tissue, graft or bone segments) to be secured to it and tensioned. A tensioning adapter can include a securing mechanism that can capture a flexible strand and lock it into place. A tensioning adapter can include an adjustment device to adjust tension on the flexible strand.