Tendon Implant Delivery Frame for Precise Arthroscopic Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current procedures for delivering and positioning medical implants during arthroscopic procedures for rotator cuff or tendon injuries lack sufficient control and secure yet releasable connections, necessitating improved implant delivery systems for effective tendon repair.
Innovation Solution
A tendon repair implant delivery system featuring a frame with tabs and arms configured to securely engage and deploy a planar implant, allowing precise manipulation and secure attachment to the tendon, with optional detachment post-implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a delivery system is used to transport the implant through the joint space, then the implant can be delivered to the tear site, but the system lacks sufficient control for precise positioning and manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is divided into separate functional components: a delivery shaft for transport, a frame for positioning, and tabs for engagement. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the frame providing precise positioning control independent of the delivery shaft's transport function.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame acts as an intermediary between the delivery shaft and the implant. It receives the implant from the delivery shaft and provides controlled positioning and manipulation at the tear site, mediating between the transport function and the positioning function to achieve precise placement.
2Reliability
If the implant is securely attached to the frame during delivery, then the implant remains stable, but the attachment must be easily detachable after implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism transitions from a static secure connection during delivery to a dynamic detachable connection after implantation. The tabs are configured to maintain secure engagement during delivery and manipulation, then allow easy detachment once the implant is in place, adapting the connection state to the operational phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The tabs are pre-configured on the frame with geometries that enable secure engagement during delivery. The preliminary design of these engagement features ensures that secure attachment is achieved automatically during delivery, while the same features are designed to be easily disengaged after implantation without requiring additional tools or complex mechanisms.
3Strength
If tabs with sharp tips are used to engage the implant, then penetration through the implant material is achieved, but the implant structure must be carefully designed to accommodate this
Solution Approach 1:
The tabs are designed with localized sharp tips at specific locations on the frame, rather than the entire frame being complex. This local quality approach concentrates the penetration function at discrete points where needed, maintaining simplicity in the overall implant structure while achieving strong engagement through the localized sharp tab tips.
Data Source
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AI summary
An example medical device is disclosed. The medical device includes a delivery shaft and a frame. The frame is coupled to the distal portion of the delivery shaft, and the frame includes a body portion and at least first and second arms. Each arm has a first end attached to the body portion and a second, free end opposite the first end. The frame includes tabs on the arms and body portion configured to removably couple to an implant. The tabs on the arms and body portion may extend in different directions.