Bidirectional Barbed Sutures for Stronger Tendon Repair Glide

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tendon repair procedures lack standardized, efficient, and repeatable methods that provide sufficient strength at the repair junction, allow for smooth tendon glide, minimize adhesion formation, and reduce patient discomfort, while varying surgical techniques often result in inconsistent patient outcomes.

Innovation Solution

A system using bidirectional barbed sutures, a tissue clamp, and adhesive tape for tendon repair, which includes therapeutic agents to enhance healing and minimize tissue damage, allowing for consistent and strong tendon approximation with minimal deviation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional sutures with varying suture patterns and knotting techniques are used, then surgeons can repair tendons, but the results vary and knot-related complications occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsistency of repair resultsVSAvoidvariety of suture techniques

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of suture design by incorporating barbs on the suture material itself, transforming it from a passive thread requiring complex knotting to an active anchoring system. The bidirectional barbs engage tissue in both directions, providing consistent repair results without varying techniques or knotting procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the knotting function from the suture procedure entirely. By incorporating self-anchoring barbs directly on the suture material, the complex knotting technique is removed, leaving only the essential function of tissue approximation while eliminating knot-related complications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Strength

If traditional sutures are used to repair tendons, then the tendon can be joined, but adhesion formation and inflammation occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetendon junction strengthVSAvoidadhesion formation

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of suture material interacting with tissue by designing barbs that engage tissue mechanically without causing inflammation or adhesion. The barbed design distributes stress evenly across the tendon junction, strengthening the repair while minimizing harmful biological responses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If complex surgical procedures are used to repair tendons, then repair can be achieved, but recovery time increases and patient quality of life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverepair effectivenessVSAvoidrecovery period

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts unnecessary procedural steps from tendon repair by using bidirectional barbed sutures that provide inherent self-anchoring and tissue approximation capabilities. This eliminates the need for complex knotting and multiple suture patterns, streamlining the surgical procedure and reducing recovery time while maintaining repair effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If traditional suturing techniques are used, then tendon repair can be performed, but the procedure lacks standardization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical technique flexibilityVSAvoidprocedure standardization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the suture material parameter by incorporating bidirectional barbs, which fundamentally simplifies the surgical technique to a standardized procedure. The barbed design provides inherent self-anchoring and tissue approximation, making the procedure easily teachable, repeatable, and standardized across different surgeons while maintaining versatility for various tendon repairs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12484904B2Systems, devices and methods of repairing tendons and ligaments

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL

AI summary

A repaired tendon includes a proximal tendon section having a free end, and a distal tendon section having a free end that opposes the free end of the proximal tendon section. Four bidirectional barbed sutures are implanted in the repaired tendon for approximating the free end of the proximal tendon section with the free end of the distal tendon section. Each of the four bidirectional barbed sutures includes a proximal section having proximal barbs that engage the proximal tendon section, a distal section having distal barbs that engage the distal tendon section, and a stop located between the proximal and distal barbs that engages the approximated free ends of the proximal and distal tendon sections. The bidirectional barbed sutures have first suture bites and second suture bites that are shorter than the first suture bites.