Adjustable Knotless Loops for Soft Tissue Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical methods for securing sutures in minimally invasive procedures are cumbersome and time-consuming, particularly due to the need to tie knots which can be challenging in inaccessible surgical sites.
Innovation Solution
The use of an adjustable loop within a flexible construct that is passed through a soft tissue and then folded upon itself using a fastener, which is attached to a bone, allowing for secure fixation without the need for knots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional knot-tying methods are used to secure sutures in minimally invasive procedures, then the suture can be secured to the bone, but the procedure becomes cumbersome and time-consuming due to the difficulty of accessing the surgical site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the knot-tying operation from the constrained surgical site by using a pre-formed loop structure that eliminates the need for manual knot manipulation inside the joint. The loop is advanced through the tissue and secured externally, removing the time-consuming knot-tying step from the minimally invasive procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop structure is pre-formed before the surgical procedure, with the adjusting arm and loop configuration already prepared. This preliminary preparation allows the surgeon to simply advance and secure the loop without performing complex knot-tying operations during the procedure, significantly reducing procedural time.
2Reliability
If manual knot-tying is performed in minimally invasive procedures, then the suture can be secured, but the surgeon's ability to manipulate the suture is limited by the inaccessibility of the surgical site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the pre-formed adjustable loop with adjusting arm - that mediates between the surgeon's external manipulation and the internal suture securing. The loop structure allows the surgeon to control and secure the suture from outside the joint, eliminating the need for direct manual knot-tying within the constrained surgical site.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of bringing the suture ends together inside the joint to tie a knot, the patent inverts the approach by using a pre-formed loop that is advanced through the tissue and secured externally. The securing action is performed from the opposite direction - outside the joint rather than inside - making the procedure much easier to perform minimally invasively.
3Reliability
If traditional suture methods are used, then the soft tissue can be attached to bone, but the construction requires knots which add complexity and procedural steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the knot-tying complexity from the suture construction by using a pre-formed loop structure with an adjusting arm mechanism. This eliminates the need for multiple suture ends and knot-tying steps, simplifying the overall construction while maintaining secure tissue attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop structure with adjusting arm serves multiple functions: it provides the suture loop itself, acts as the securing mechanism, and includes the adjustment capability - all in a single integrated construction. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity compared to traditional methods requiring separate sutures, needles, and knot-tying instruments.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of attaching a soft tissue to an adjacent bone at a defect site are provided. An adjustable loop region of a flexible construct contained in a bore defined by a fastener is passed through a tissue. The adjustable loop is passed through the tissue. The fastener is passed back through the adjustable loop to fold the adjustable loop upon itself. The fastener is attached to the bone. An adjusting arm on the flexible construct is engaged to reduce the size of the adjustable loop and secure the soft tissue to the bone.