Polymeric Meniscus Replacement Attached with Antiparallel-Barbs Protruding from Anchor

Abstract

There are over 1 million meniscus tears treated each year in the United States. Current interventions include sutures and partial/total menisectomies, which can leave patients with impaired or limited shock absorbance in the knee. This increases the risk of osteoarthritis and further joint deterioration. While current devices are in development, the attachment mechanisms require drilling into the tibia or lack attachment mechanisms completely. The Bee’s Knees Artificial Meniscus aims to provide a device that attaches to the meniscal roots, providing integrated stability while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue. The device is constructed with polyurethane and aims to provide improved shock absorbance, a high shear strength, and a high pull out force to mimic a healthy meniscus. These aims will ensure both the stability of the device and the mobility of the knee joint. In order to do this, the team used SolidWorks to create root attachment variations, which were printed to create a silicone mold. This device was then manufactured using grade 90A polyurethane, where the root mechanisms showed a high shear strength and high pullout force. Instron pull out tests performed on 3 prototype variations (in silicone cross-linked with string) showed increased values on 10x-scaled models. Computations performed on 1:1 scale showed that the device designs were effective at the smaller scale. To bring this concept to market, design refinements, clinical trials, and setup for the FDA class III pathway would be the recommended next steps. With the team’s approach to better mimicking the anatomical meniscus, healthcare providers can incorporate the remaining meniscal roots to help patients regain knee mobility.

Video