Color-Coded Suture Anchors for Arthroscopic Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current suture management systems for reattaching soft tissue to bone in surgical procedures are challenging due to limited visibility and physical clutter during arthroscopic surgeries, leading to increased complexity and prolonged anesthesia time.
Innovation Solution
The development of suture anchor assemblies with visually coded suture elements, such as tags and loops, that include stop members to prevent accidental dislodgment and are designed for easy identification and management, along with a specialized insertion tool to simplify the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple suture anchors and suture strands are used for extensive surgical repairs, then the soft tissue reattachment capability is improved, but the visibility and physical clutter at the surgical site increases, making suture management more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-coding to suture strands, assigning different colors to different suture strands or anchor-suture combinations. This allows surgeons to easily distinguish between multiple sutures during arthroscopic procedures, directly addressing the visibility and identification problem while maintaining the ability to perform extensive repairs with multiple anchors
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple suture anchors and suture strands are deployed for complex repairs, then the soft tissue reattachment capability is improved, but the physical clutter and risk of tangling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the suture management system by providing unique identifiers (color-coding and numerical labeling) for each suture strand and anchor combination. This segmentation allows surgeons to track and manage each suture independently, reducing the overall complexity of managing multiple sutures simultaneously during complex repairs
3Device complexity
If traditional suture anchors without visual markers are used, then the device simplicity is maintained, but the time required for suture management and identification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-coding and visual markers to suture anchors and strands during the manufacturing or preparation phase, before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary action ensures that identification systems are already in place, eliminating the need for time-consuming identification processes during surgery and directly reducing procedural time
Data Source
AI summary
Assemblies, devices and methods are provided for suture management associated with surgical procedures for anchoring suture to bone. Suture elements mounted to suture anchors are terminated in suture loops or tags, and associated stop members that in combination with visual coding provide suture identification, prevent accidental unmounting of suture from suture anchors, and reduce the number of suture legs requiring active management during complex arthroscopic repairs. The present invention also provides exemplary drivers that can be used with the various methods and devices disclosed herein, or with other methods and devices known in the art.