Balloon Suture Anchor with Light-Curable Adhesive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for attaching soft tissue to bone, such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles, face issues with anchor pullout resistance, particularly in softer bone sites, and suture management challenges like binding, tangling, and knotting.
Innovation Solution
A suture anchor system featuring a catheter with a balloon portion that expands when filled with light-curable adhesive, providing high pullout resistance and independent suture management through adjustable eyelets, allowing for secure attachment of soft tissue to bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional suture anchors are used to attach soft tissue to bone, then the anchor can be implanted into bone, but the anchor may back out over time especially in softer bone sites or compromised bone tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the adhesive from liquid (injectable) to solid (cured) through light activation. The light-curable adhesive transitions from a flowable state during insertion to a cured state providing mechanical interlocking with the bone, significantly improving pullout resistance and preventing anchor backout while maintaining reliability in various bone types
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical anchor retention mechanisms (threaded screws, wedges, plugs) with a light-curable adhesive system. The adhesive is delivered through the catheter, cured upon light exposure, and creates a chemical-mechanical bond with the bone, eliminating the need for complex mechanical retention structures and improving reliability across different bone densities
2Ease of operation
If traditional suture systems are used for soft tissue attachment, then the suture can be threaded through tissue, but the suture may bind, tangle, or twist and cannot be maneuvered independently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the suture system into multiple independent strands that can be individually maneuvered through the tissue. Each suture strand can be independently threaded, tensioned, and knotted, eliminating the binding and tangling issues of traditional single-unit suture systems. The segmented design allows complex tissue repairs to be performed with simplified, independent suture management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the light-curable adhesive as an intermediary substance that facilitates suture placement and tissue attachment. The adhesive is delivered through the catheter, cured to secure the suture in place, and eliminates the need for complex suture manipulation techniques. This intermediary approach simplifies suture management while maintaining ease of operation
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 suture anchor system achieves high pullout resistance and improved suture management, ensuring secure and reliable attachment of soft tissue to bone across various bone types, reducing the risk of anchor displacement and suture complications.
Implementation Method 1
delivering a light curable adhesive to the balloon portion to expand the balloon portion... activating a light source to deliver light to the light curable adhesive in the balloon portion to cure the light curable adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
Suture anchors and methods for using the suture anchors for attaching soft tissue, such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles, to bone are disclosed herein. A suture anchor for attaching soft tissue to bone includes a catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the catheter has at least one inner lumen capable of allowing a light curable adhesive to pass therethrough; a balloon portion engaging the distal end of the catheter, wherein the balloon portion expands from a deflated state to an inflated state when a light curable adhesive is delivered to the balloon portion; and at least one suture material for passing through soft tissue to attach the soft tissue to a bone.