Helical Slot Bone Tunnel Anchor for Uniform Graft Fixation

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional suture anchors do not provide radial expansion along their entire length, leading to potential issues in securing graft tissue in bone tunnels.

Innovation Solution

An anchor with an elongate body featuring a slot that allows for radial expansion along its entire length, utilizing a moveable member and a cannulated shaft to expand radially with a helical geometry, enabling secure fixation of graft tissue in bone tunnels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional suture anchors are used without radial expansion, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of securing graft tissue is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecuring graft tissueVSAvoidanchor structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor body is designed with a slot that allows it to transition from a compressed insertion state to an expanded fixation state. The slot enables the anchor to dynamically change its configuration, expanding radially along its entire length to compress and secure graft tissue against the bone tunnel wall, thereby improving reliability without requiring multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The anchor body is segmented by the slot into movable portions that can relative to each other. This segmentation allows the anchor to expand uniformly along its entire length when the moveable member is inserted and activated, providing reliable graft tissue securing through distributed compression along the anchor shaft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the anchor body is made rigid for insertion, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ability to expand radially is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveinsertionVSAvoidradial expansion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor body is designed with a slot that allows it to transition from a compressed insertion state to an expanded fixation state. The slot enables the anchor to dynamically change its configuration, expanding radially along its entire length to compress and secure graft tissue against the bone tunnel wall, thereby improving reliability without requiring multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The anchor body's physical state changes from a compressed, insertion-friendly configuration to an expanded, fixation-oriented configuration. The slot allows the material to deform and expand radially when the moveable member is activated, changing the anchor's outer diameter parameter along its entire length to achieve secure graft tissue compression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the anchor expands uniformly along entire length, then the reliability of graft fixation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegraft fixationVSAvoidexpansion mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor body is designed with a slot that allows it to transition from a compressed insertion state to an expanded fixation state. The slot enables the anchor to dynamically change its configuration, expanding radially along its entire length to compress and secure graft tissue against the bone tunnel wall, thereby improving reliability without requiring multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The moveable member is inserted through the cannulated shaft and into the anchor body's central bore, nesting within the anchor structure. When the moveable member is activated, it expands the anchor body uniformly along its entire length through the slot, providing reliable graft fixation while keeping the expansion mechanism integrated within the anchor itself rather than requiring separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 anchor effectively secures graft tissue by uniformly expanding to engage the graft tissue and bone tunnel walls, providing durable and efficient fixation.

Implementation Method 1

the anchors can be configured to expand radially outwardly to compress the graft tissue against the wall(s)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadial expansion:

Implementation Method 2

the body also utilizes materials (e.g., polyethylene) having material properties that allow the moveable portions to flex under a load

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlexing: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20250352197A1Securing graft tissue in a bone tunnel and implementations thereof

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 CONMED CORP

AI summary

This disclosure describes embodiments of an anchor with a body configured to expand radially outwardly along its entire length. The anchor includes, but is not limited to, a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a central bore, the cylindrical body having a slot exposing the central bore, the slot having a helical path around the longitudinal axis, wherein the slot is configured to expand so that the cylindrical body changes from a first state to a second state in response to pressure on the inner surface, and wherein an outer diameter of cylindrical body in the second state is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical body in the first state.