Bone Anchor Installer with Integrated Suture Puller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for securing tissue to bone during arthroscopic procedures are cumbersome, particularly in endoscopic surgeries, as they require manual knot tying and separate tools for suture retrieval, which are time-consuming and prone to contamination, and lack direct tactile feedback for adjusting suture tension.
Innovation Solution
A bone anchor installer system with a handle and loader portion, including a suture puller and anchor holder, allows for direct tactile feedback and independent tensioning of sutures, eliminating the need for knot tying by using cleated passages and guide channels to secure the bone anchor within the bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual knot tying and separate tools for suture retrieval are used, then the surgical procedure can be completed, but the procedural time increases and contamination risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the suture puller, anchor holder, and loader portion into a single integrated bone anchor installer system. This merging of previously separate tools (suture retrieval tool, anchor insertion tool, and holder) eliminates the need for multiple separate operations, reduces procedural time, and minimizes contamination risks by maintaining a closed system throughout the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone anchor installer system performs multiple functions through a single device: it holds the bone anchor, tensions the suture, retrieves the suture loop, and secures the anchor in the bone. This multi-functionality replaces the traditional sequence of separate tools and operations, improving efficiency and reducing exposure to contamination.
2Ease of operation
If separate tools are used for suture retrieval and anchor insertion, then the procedure can be performed, but the device complexity and procedural steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the suture puller, anchor holder, and loader portion into a single bone anchor installer system. This consolidation reduces the number of separate tools the surgeon must handle and the number of tool changes required during the procedure, thereby simplifying the surgical process while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The single bone anchor installer system performs multiple operations that previously required separate tools: holding the anchor, tensioning the suture, retrieving the loop, and securing the anchor. This multi-functional design reduces device complexity from the user's perspective while maintaining comprehensive functionality.
3Measurement precision
If traditional suture tensioning methods are used, then the suture can be secured, but direct tactile feedback for adjusting tension is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The suture puller is designed to provide direct tactile feedback to the surgeon during suture tensioning. As the surgeon operates the suture puller to tension the suture, they can feel the resistance and tension levels directly, enabling precise adjustment of suture tension. This tactile feedback loop allows the surgeon to sense when optimal tension is achieved without relying solely on visual cues or indirect measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses and methods for securing tissue to bone using a bone anchoring system are described. Methods and apparatuses may allow transformation between locked and unlocked states, thereby allowing adjustment of the tension in the suture. The apparatus and/or methods may allow unidirectional movement of a suture, while preventing slippage or movement of the suture and tissue in the opposite direction. Ends of a suture may be individually tensioned to adjust positioning of a tissue with respect to a bone.