Tenodesis Implant With Push Rod Guide For Accurate Tendon Fixation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Minimally invasive tenodesis techniques face challenges in accurately securing tendons to bones due to issues with tendon placement and fixation, leading to potential instability and longer recovery times compared to open surgical methods.

Innovation Solution

A novel anchoring device comprising a first stage implant and a second stage fixation member, where the implant removably engages a push rod to guide the tendon into a pre-drilled bore, and the fixation member is installed over the push rod to securely pin the tendon against the bore's bottom surface, ensuring proper tendon placement and fixation without the need for threading through an eyelet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive techniques are used for tenodesis procedures, then soft tissue trauma and recovery time are reduced, but tendon placement accuracy and fixation stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoft tissue traumaVSAvoidtendon placement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fixation system is divided into multiple components: a push rod for tendon insertion, an implant with straddle for tendon positioning, and a fixation member for securing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining minimally invasive benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The push rod is used to preliminarily position the tendon and implant within the bore before the fixation member is installed. This preliminary action ensures proper tendon placement accuracy before final fixation, resolving the contradiction between minimally invasive approach and placement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If interference fit screw fixation is used to anchor tendon to bone, then fixation strength is improved, but tendon placement control and stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixation strengthVSAvoidtendon placement stability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The tendon is preliminarily positioned and secured against the bottom surface of the bore using the push rod and implant straddle before the fixation member is installed. This preliminary positioning ensures stable tendon placement that maintains accuracy throughout the fixation process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The implant with straddle acts as an intermediary between the tendon and the fixation member. The straddle captures and holds the tendon in proper position, while the push rod maintains positioning force during fixation member installation, ensuring both strength and stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If a two-stage anchoring device is used with push rod and fixation member, then tendon placement accuracy and fixation stability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetendon placement accuracyVSAvoidanchoring device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The push rod, implant with straddle, and fixation member are designed to work together as an integrated system. The push rod attaches to the implant, and the fixation member installs over both components, merging multiple functions into a coordinated assembly that improves precision without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The push rod serves multiple functions: guiding tendon insertion, positioning the implant, and maintaining positioning force during fixation. The implant with straddle provides both structural support and tendon capture. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, managing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3034022B1Tenodesis system
Publication Date: 2018.08.29 BARWOOD SHANE
  • EP3034022B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP3034022B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8
  • EP3034022B1 patent drawingFigure 9~13

AI summary

A tendon anchoring device may include an implant having a pair of spaced apart legs for straddling a tendon. A push rod removably attached to the implant may be utilized to guide and push a portion of the tendon into a pre-drilled bore in a bone. A fixation member may be slid along the push rod and threadably engage an inner surface of the pre-drilled bore to thereby anchor the tendon to the bone while a force is applied to the push rod. Once the fixation member has been installed, the push rod may be disengaged from the implant and removed from the bore. The implant may remain permanently straddled over the tendon inside of the bore.