Syndesmosis Fixation Assembly Suture Securing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for syndesmosis fixation, such as screw or suture button systems, face challenges due to the small cross-section of the fibula at the syndesmosis, making it difficult to insert fixation devices through the bone.
Innovation Solution
A syndesmosis fixation assembly with a suture retaining portion and a suture securing portion, along with a bone insertion portion, that allows for the insertion of sutures without extending through the fibula, utilizing a suture securing mechanism to stabilize the syndesmosis by wrapping around the fibula and securing to the tibia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screw or suture button systems are used for syndesmosis fixation, then fixation stability is achieved, but insertion difficulty increases due to the small cross-section of the fibula
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device is divided into separate components: a fixation element inserted through the tibia and a suture button engaged with the fibula. This segmentation allows the fibular component to be smaller and easier to engage without requiring the entire device to pass through the narrow fibular canal.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture button acts as an intermediary element that engages the fibula from the lateral side rather than requiring direct insertion through the fibular canal. The suture material serves as a mediator to secure the fibula to the tibia, eliminating the need for large-bore insertion through the narrow fibular cross-section.
2Reliability
If fixation devices are inserted through the fibula, then syndesmosis stabilization is achieved, but the small bone cross-section creates insertion challenges
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of inserting the fixation device through the fibula from the lateral side, the invention inverts the approach by inserting the fixation element through the tibia medially and having the suture button engage the fibula from the lateral side. This reverses the traditional insertion pathway and eliminates the need to navigate the narrow fibular canal.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixation device transitions from a single-dimensional insertion approach (through the fibular canal) to a multi-dimensional configuration where the fixation element is positioned in the tibial dimension and the suture button engages the fibula in a lateral dimension, creating a three-dimensional fixation construct that avoids the narrow fibular passage.
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 solution provides a stable and effective fixation of the syndesmosis without the need to insert devices through the fibula, addressing the difficulty of small bone cross-sections and enhancing the ease of insertion and stability of the fixation system.
Implementation Method 1
The suture securing portion is movable between a first position wherein a suture is moveable within the suture retaining portion and a second position wherein the suture is frictionally secured within the suture retaining portion
Data Source
AI summary
Syndesmosis fixation assemblies, systems, and methods thereof. A syndesmosis fixation assembly includes a suture retaining portion having a plurality of suture openings formed therein and a suture securing portion rotatably connected to the suture retaining portion. The suture securing portion is movable between a first position wherein a suture is moveable within the suture retaining portion and a second position wherein the suture is frictionally secured within the suture retaining portion. A bone insertion portion has a distal bone insertion end adapted for insertion into a bone, a proximal bone insertion end connected to the suture retaining portion, and a central longitudinal axis extending between the distal bone insertion end and the proximal bone insertion end.