Deformable Bone Anchor Capturing Suture Tension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for attaching soft tissue to bone, such as those involving the rotator cuff, are inefficient and may not securely reattach the tissue, leading to pain and restricted movement due to the lack of a reliable mechanism to maintain tension in the suture strands.
Innovation Solution
A bone anchor with a deformation material that responds to an applied energy source to deform and capture the suture strands, ensuring secure attachment of soft tissue to the bone by maintaining tension and preventing movement relative to the anchor body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate strands of suture are tied off to draw soft tissue against bone, then soft tissue reattachment is achieved, but the mechanism to maintain tension in suture strands is unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the suture strand with the bone anchor body by forming a channel within the anchor body that receives and retains the suture strand. This integration eliminates the need for separate tension maintenance mechanisms, as the anchor body itself becomes the retention structure. The suture strand is captured within the channel through deformation of the deformation material, creating a unified structure that maintains tension reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformation material within the bone anchor body automatically captures and retains the suture strand through its responsive deformation characteristics. When energy is applied, the deformation material deforms to capture the suture strand, and this captured state is maintained without requiring additional active components or complex mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the deformation material's inherent properties to achieve retention.
2Strength
If conventional suture tying methods are used, then soft tissue can be attached to bone, but tension maintenance is insufficient leading to pain and restricted movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a curved or contoured channel within the bone anchor body that receives the suture strand. The curved geometry of the channel provides mechanical advantage in maintaining tension, as the curvature naturally resists straightening forces and helps sustain the tensile load on the suture strand. This geometric feature enhances both the strength and reliability of the attachment without requiring additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone anchor body incorporates a deformation material that combines the structural integrity of the anchor with the flexible, capture-capable properties of the deformation material. This composite structure allows the anchor to maintain its shape and provide stable attachment while the deformation material can deform to capture and retain the suture strand, ensuring reliable tension maintenance through material composition rather than complex mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure and stable attachment of soft tissue to bone, maintaining tension in the suture strands and promoting effective reattachment, thereby reducing pain and improving musculoskeletal movement.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the bone anchor body can comprise a deformation material that is responsive to an applied energy source so as to deform at least a portion of the channel and capture the strand of suture therein with respect to movement relative to the bone anchor body
Data Source
AI summary
A soft tissue fixation assembly includes a plurality of deformable bone anchors and a suture that is configured to fixedly attach to each of the bone anchors. One or more of the bone anchors can be inserted into a bone, and one or more of the bone anchors can be inserted through soft tissue and into the bone. The suture can be inserted through the bone anchors, and energy can be applied to the anchors, thereby causing a deformable material of the bone anchors to deform, thereby capturing the strand of suture in the bone anchor. The strand of suture can be placed in tension, and can extend over the soft tissue so as to retain the soft tissue in contact with the bone.