Barbed Knotless Suture Self-Locking Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical sutures, particularly in arthroscopic procedures, face challenges in manipulating and securing knots within small incisions, leading to increased surgical skill requirements and potential tissue irritation, especially in procedures like rotator cuff repairs.
Innovation Solution
A flexible suture system featuring a barbed portion and a hollow portion that allows for the formation of a secure, closed loop without tying a knot, where the barbs grasp onto the hollow portion to lock the suture in place, providing a self-locking mechanism that resists movement in one direction while allowing easy adjustment in the other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional sutures with knots are used in arthroscopic procedures, then the suture can be secured to tissue, but the knot manipulation becomes difficult within small incisions and requires increased surgical skill
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional knot-tying mechanical system with a self-locking barbed suture mechanism. The barbs engage with the hollow portion to automatically lock the suture in place, eliminating the need for complex knot manipulation through small incisions and reducing the required surgical skill level.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture system performs self-locking through the interaction between barbs and the hollow portion. The barbs automatically engage with the hollow portion when the suture is tensioned, securing the tissue without requiring the surgeon to tie knots or perform complex manipulation maneuvers.
2Reliability
If traditional sutures with knots are used, then the suture can be secured, but the knots and bulky attachment means irritate tissue over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful knot structure from the suture system and replaces it with a streamlined barbed mechanism. The barbs provide secure anchoring without the bulky knot material that causes tissue irritation, maintaining suture security while eliminating the harmful element.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow portion acts as a flexible structural element that receives and secures the barbed suture strand. This thin-walled hollow structure provides the necessary mechanical function without the bulk of traditional knots, reducing tissue irritation while maintaining reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a self-locking mechanism is implemented without knots, then tissue irritation is reduced, but the suture must have a complex structure with barbs and hollow portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated suture structure. The barbs and hollow portion work together as a unified self-locking mechanism, where the barbed strand engages with the hollow portion to provide both security and tissue compatibility without requiring separate knot-tying components.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture structure is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The barbs can slide along the hollow portion during insertion and tensioning, then automatically lock when the desired tension is achieved. This dynamic behavior allows the structure to adapt during the procedure while maintaining a relatively simple overall design.
Data Source
AI summary
Various exemplary methods and devices are provided for improved surgical sutures, suture systems, and methods for suturing. In general, the sutures, suture systems, and methods can allow a suture to form a secure, closed loop without tying a knot. The suture can include a barbed portion configured to be threaded through a hollow portion. The barbed portion can have a plurality of barbs thereon, which can grasp onto an inner wall of the hollow portion when disposed therein to help secure the loop at a desired size. The barbs can all be oriented in one direction that corresponds to a direction of movement of the suture when the loop is being tightened. Thus, the barbs can be configured to allow for a size of the loop to be easily reduced to any desired size to approximate tissue, but can be configured to resist subsequent expansion of the loop to ensure that the tissue remains in place.