Knotless All-Suture Anchor With Eyelet Locking for Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic anchoring devices, particularly those using rigid materials, pose risks such as migration into joints, discomfort from external knots, and potential bone weakening, while all-suture anchors are limited by procedural complexity and single-suture deployment.
Innovation Solution
A knotless all-suture anchor construct with a tension suture forming eyelets to secure repair sutures, allowing for multiple sutures and enhanced locking force, facilitated by a specialized delivery system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid anchors with suture are used, then strong fixation is achieved, but the risk of migration into joint and bone weakening increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid (polymer, metal) to soft (flexible suture material), transforming the anchor from a rigid construct to a flexible all-suture construct that provides fixation without the harmful effects of migration and bone weakening associated with rigid materials
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining multiple suture materials (e.g., flexible suture material with reinforcing elements) to create an all-suture anchor that achieves both flexibility and structural integrity, eliminating the need for rigid materials while maintaining fixation strength
2Object-affected harmful factors
If all-suture anchors are used, then invasiveness is reduced, but procedural complexity and deployment steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the all-suture anchor into distinct functional segments (e.g., fixation portion, locking portion, eyelet portion) that can be independently designed and deployed, simplifying the overall procedure while maintaining the benefits of soft material construction
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates pre-tied knots or pre-configured locking mechanisms within the all-suture anchor that are activated during deployment, eliminating the need for complex manual knot-tying procedures and reducing overall operational complexity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If all-suture anchors with friction lock are used, then material flexibility is improved, but locking force and fixation reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved or helical configurations of the suture material (e.g., helical reinforcement elements, curved locking arms) that generate mechanical interlocking forces through their geometry, providing reliable locking without relying solely on friction
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines flexible suture material with reinforcing elements (such as helical wires or braided structures) to create a composite all-suture anchor that maintains flexibility while achieving superior locking force through the mechanical interaction of its composite components
4Ease of operation
If external knots are used to secure tissue, then ease of operation is improved, but patient discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the knot from the external environment and relocates it within the bone tunnel or anchor structure, eliminating the external knot that causes discomfort while maintaining the ease of operation through internalized locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediate structure (such as a bone tunnel or anchor body) that mediates between the external suture and the internal tissue, allowing the knot to be concealed within this intermediate structure while maintaining operational ease
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides stronger bone fixation with reduced invasiveness, eliminates joint lodging risks, and requires fewer deployment steps, offering improved surgical precision and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
friction between the opposing braid fibers provides resistance to motion
Implementation Method 2
Tension on the inside braid approximates soft tissue to bone or tissue to tissue, while tension on the outside braid locks the inside and outside braids together
Implementation Method 3
A specialized delivery system provides nearly twice the force to the tension suture than a force provided by a human hand
Implementation Method 4
Tensioning of the first and second ends of the suture causes the at least one eyelet to form a tortuous path around the repair suture and constrict them within or against the anchor body
Implementation Method 5
The anchor body is made from a soft, flexible material that can be tensioned to change its configuration
Data Source
AI summary
Tissue repair systems which use knotless all-suture anchors and have the ability to lock multiple repair sutures within the anchor construct. The anchor construct includes a tension suture wrapped or looped upon itself to create an open eyelet, through which multiple repair sutures originating in soft tissue are passed. The location of the eyelet may be anywhere inside the all-suture anchor or adjacent to the exterior of the anchor body. Tensioning of the tension suture causes the eyelet to restrict movement of the repair sutures and secures them within or against the anchor body.