All-Suture Anchor with Sliding Filament to Reduce Bone Abrasion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional soft all-suture anchors face issues with suture filament abrasion due to friction during and after deployment in bone holes, leading to potential failure and reduced effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A soft all-suture anchor design featuring a flat fibrous construct with an open elongated column and a filament that can slide through it, which is deformable to increase in diameter upon deployment, providing fixation within cancellous bone and under the bone cortex, and an installation device for tensioning the filament to secure the anchor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional Y-Knot device with suture filament pierced through braid material is used, then the anchor can be deployed in bone holes, but the suture filament is abraded by bone due to friction upon deployment and post-deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an open column of woven suture tape material as an intermediary structure between the suture filament and the bone. This mediator protects the filament from direct contact with bone surfaces, eliminating abrasion while still allowing the anchor to be deployed and secured in the bone hole. The open column structure allows the filament to pass through while providing a protective barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional two-dimensional braid material to a three-dimensional open column structure made of woven suture tape. This dimensional change creates internal space within the anchor body, allowing the suture filament to be positioned within the open column rather than merely passing through the surface, thereby providing enhanced protection from bone abrasion.
2Ease of operation
If conventional all-suture anchors are constructed with suture filament passing through braid material, then the anchor can be inserted into bone holes, but friction during deployment causes potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The open column of woven suture tape serves as a mediator that reduces friction between the suture filament and bone during deployment. By providing a low-friction pathway within the anchor structure, the open column allows smooth passage of the filament while maintaining secure retention in the bone hole, resolving the contradiction between ease of insertion and reliable retention.
3Strength
If segments of suture filament are in contact with bone, then the anchor can be securely fixed, but friction upon deployment causes abrasion and reduces effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the anchor structure into distinct functional zones: the open column of woven suture tape that contacts and protects the suture filament, and the outer braid material that provides structural integrity and fixation strength. This segmentation allows the filament to be protected from abrasion while the anchor maintains strong fixation in the bone hole.
Solution Approach 2:
The open column structure acts as an intermediary layer between the suture filament and the bone environment. This mediator protects the filament from direct contact with bone surfaces during deployment and post-deployment, eliminating frictional abrasion while allowing the anchor to achieve secure fixation through the outer braid material.
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 deformable fibrous construct and sliding filament mechanism reduce frictional abrasion, ensuring secure fixation and prolonged anchor stability within bone holes, enhancing the anchor's retention capacity and effectiveness in orthopedic procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a soft all-suture anchor is the Y-Knot® device... a suture anchor is passed through or down the drill guide with an anchor inserter/installation device into the bone hole for deployment... The deformable fibrous construct and sliding filament mechanism reduce frictional abrasion, ensuring secure fixation and prolonged anchor stability within bone holes
Implementation Method 2
When certain conventional all-suture anchors are constructed in the traditional manner, segments of suture filament on the back surface of the braid are in contact with bone and may be abraded by the bone due to friction upon deployment and post-deployment of the device... The deformable fibrous construct and sliding filament mechanism reduce frictional abrasion
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor includes a flat fibrous construct having an open elongated column; and a filament having a first filament end and a second filament end, which passes through and is positioned at least partially in the open elongated column. The flat fibrous construct includes a first state in which the flat fibrous construct is uncompressed and extends along the longitudinal axis of the filament when in an unfolded and pre-deployed condition; and a second state in which the flat fibrous construct is compressed and expanded in a direction perpendicular to longitudinal axis of the filament in a deployed condition.