Tissue Stabilization Fasteners for Joint Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods often fail to adequately repair and stabilize tissue and implants post-surgery, leading to complications such as joint instability and degenerative issues due to undamaged tissues like muscles, ligaments, and cartilage not being properly reconstructed or secured during and after the procedure.
Innovation Solution
The use of fasteners and sutures to compress and rebuild tissues, both hard and soft, around the operation site, allowing for partial restoration of tissue function and enhanced healing by stabilizing joints through rigid or flexible fixation methods, including the use of biocompatible materials and minimally invasive techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If tissue is displaced or cut to create surgical pathway, then access to operation site is achieved, but tissue function is damaged and stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by stabilizing and repairing tissue during the surgical procedure itself, before the patient leaves the operating room. Fasteners and sutures are placed to secure ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues while the surgical field is still accessible, preventing post-operative instability and degenerative issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses fasteners and sutures as intermediary devices to bridge damaged tissue structures. These intermediaries connect and secure tissue edges, maintain proper alignment, and restore structural integrity without requiring extensive tissue reconstruction.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional skin approximation only is performed, then surgical closure is completed, but deeper tissues remain unrepaired and instability persists
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the closure process into multiple levels: skin approximation and deeper tissue repair are performed as separate, coordinated steps. Fasteners and sutures are placed at different tissue depths to address specific structural needs, allowing each tissue layer to be repaired according to its unique requirements rather than treating all tissues uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary repair of deeper tissues including ligaments, tendons, and capsules before final skin closure. This ensures that structural stability is established while the surgical field is still accessible, preventing post-operative complications from unrepaired deep tissue damage.
3Productivity
If no post-surgical tissue stabilization is performed, then surgical procedure is completed quickly, but joint instability and degenerative disc disease develop later
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs tissue stabilization and repair during the surgical procedure itself rather than requiring separate post-surgical interventions. Fasteners and sutures are placed to secure ligaments and tendons while the surgical field is accessible, eliminating the need for additional stabilization procedures later and preventing degenerative conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the useful surgical action from merely completing the primary procedure to including tissue stabilization and repair. By continuing the therapeutic action through fastener placement and tissue securing, the surgery achieves both immediate and long-term stability in a single continuous process.
Data Source
AI summary
An implant for repairing a joint between a first bone and a second bone includes a first section constructed of a substantially rigid material and a graft constructed of soft tissue having a first end and a second end. The first section has a first end surface configured for positioning against the first bone. The graft is configured for stabilizing the first section relative to the first bone. A first fastener is configured for mounting to the graft and the first section to anchor the graft to the first section. A second fastener is configured for mounting to the graft and the first bone to anchor the graft to the first bone.