Adjustable Loop with Locking Knot for Soft Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current soft tissue repair systems face challenges such as inadequate knot security, excessive force requirements for implantation, and limited versatility, particularly in arthroscopic procedures, where knots can loosen or slip, and existing systems are not easily adjustable or reversible.
Innovation Solution
A suture construct featuring a self-locking knot, a selectively adjustable loop, and a fixed eyelet, allowing for adjustable tension and reversible locking, which minimizes the need for additional knots and reduces the force required for implantation, while maintaining secure tissue attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sliding knots are used to tie suture ends together, then the loop can be formed to capture soft tissue, but the knot may slip or loosen causing loss of loop security
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic locking mechanism where the suture construct transitions from an unlocked state allowing loop formation to a locked state preventing knot slippage. The locking feature engages automatically when tension is applied, providing reliable knot security while maintaining ease of operation through automatic locking rather than requiring multiple manual half-hitches.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture construct performs self-locking through its inherent design where the geometry of the loop and suture arrangement causes the knot to secure itself automatically when tension is applied. This eliminates the need for additional locking maneuvers by the surgeon, improving both reliability and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If multiple half hitches are tied proximate to the sliding knot to prevent loosening, then knot security is improved, but the overall size of the knot configuration increases causing tissue trauma
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for multiple half-hitches by incorporating an integrated locking feature into the suture construct itself. This removes the harmful element (additional knots causing tissue trauma) while preserving the beneficial function (preventing knot loosening) through a cleaner, more direct locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking feature is designed to engage at the same functional level as the sliding knot itself, providing security without requiring additional structural elements. The locking mechanism is equipotential with the main knot structure, meaning it provides equivalent protection against slippage without adding extra size or tissue contact points.
3Strength
If conventional anchors are used for tissue attachment, then fixation can be achieved, but excessive force is required for implantation causing difficulty in soft tissue repair procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic deployment mechanism where the anchor is delivered in a compressed or expanded state that allows easy implantation with minimal force. Upon deployment, the anchor transforms to its functional configuration providing strong tissue fixation. This dynamic transition resolves the contradiction by separating the low-force insertion phase from the high-strength fixation phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor is pre-configured in a delivery state that facilitates easy implantation, and the full fixation capability is activated only after deployment into the bone. This preliminary preparation of the anchor in a favorable delivery configuration reduces the force required for implantation while maintaining full strength for tissue attachment once deployed.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the suture loop diameter is fixed, then the structure is simple, but adjustability for different tissue locations and tension requirements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The suture construct incorporates a dynamic loop configuration that allows the surgeon to adjust the loop diameter and tension characteristics during the procedure. The loop can be enlarged or reduced by manipulating the suture arrangement, providing adaptability for different tissue locations and repair requirements without requiring multiple different constructs.
Solution Approach 2:
A single suture construct design serves multiple functions by allowing adjustment of loop size and tension characteristics. This universal construct can accommodate various tissue repair scenarios (rotator cuff, labrum, ligament) without requiring procedure-specific variants, achieving high adaptability while maintaining relatively simple construction.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods for soft tissue repair are generally provided and they generally involve the use of surgical filaments that are configured in a variety of manners to minimize and/or eliminate the tying of knots during a surgical procedure. Moreover, systems and devices described herein can provide for a reversible locking knot, which allows for additional tension to be applied to the repair if adjustments are required after the construct has been locked. The reversible locking knot can be "flipped" or actuated without requiring the knot to be untied and then retied. Further, systems and devices described herein can additionally be used to associate implantable bodies and suture constructs within a bone to secure soft tissue while not restricting the relative movements of operative sutures once the implantable body has been deployed.