Cannulated Suture Anchor Removing Head to Prevent Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current suture anchors face issues with torque strength and migration due to their length, which leads to weak fixation in cortical bone, as they often engage mostly with cancellous bone rather than cortical bone.
Innovation Solution
A cannulated suture anchor design with a suture-engaging member and a driver that maximizes torque strength by allowing full engagement through cortical bone, eliminating the need for a driver head and preventing migration by using a broad range of materials, including bioabsorbable and osteoconductive materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the suture anchor head length is increased to withstand torque applied by a driver, then the torque strength is improved, but the anchor extends into underlying cancellous bone, resulting in weak fixation and potential migration
Solution Approach 1:
The driver head is completely removed from the suture anchor design. Instead of having a head that engages with a driver, the anchor is inserted through a bone tunnel without any head structure, allowing the entire anchor length to be engaged within the cortical bone for optimal fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the anchor head engage with a driver from the outside, the driver is inserted through the anchor body from the inside. The driver engages with the anchor shaft internally, reversing the traditional external engagement mechanism.
2Strength
If the suture anchor head length is increased to withstand torque, then the torque strength is improved, but the anchor migrates into cortical bone causing the head to become proud
Solution Approach 1:
The driver head is completely removed, eliminating the source of torque application that causes migration. The anchor is designed to be inserted without a head, allowing it to settle stably within the bone tunnel without becoming proud.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor is pre-formed with a configuration that allows it to be inserted through the bone tunnel and settle into position before any loading occurs. The lack of a head allows the anchor to achieve stable positioning within the cortical bone prior to suture tensioning.
3Ease of operation
If the suture anchor engages mostly with cancellous bone due to head length requirements, then the driver can be positioned, but the fixation is weak compared to cortical bone engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The driver head is removed, allowing the anchor to be inserted through the bone tunnel without being constrained by head length requirements. This enables full engagement of the anchor shaft with the cortical bone, providing superior fixation strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor engagement transitions from a two-dimensional surface contact at the head level to a three-dimensional engagement along the entire shaft length within the cortical bone, maximizing the bonding surface area for stronger fixation.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices are provided for anchoring suture to bone. In one exemplary embodiment, a cannulated suture anchor is provided and it includes a suture-engaging member formed therein and configured to receive a suture therearound such that trailing ends of the suture can extend through the suture anchor. The present invention also provides exemplary sutures and drivers that can be used with the various methods and devices disclosed herein, or with other methods and devices known in the art.