Hollow Body Anchor for Bone Suture Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current suture anchors face challenges in arthroscopic implantation, leading to increased surgical trauma, longer healing times, and risk of dislodgement, with complex internal locking mechanisms and cylindrical defects in bones that complicate revision surgeries.
Innovation Solution
A suture anchor design featuring an open top and bottom with a cylindrical wall, incorporating inner and outer engagement surfaces and vents for bone growth, allowing for a uniquely shaped recess in the bone that increases holding power and reduces bone removal, along with optional ridges or threads for secure fixation and preloading of suture material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a solid body anchor with exterior threads or ridges is used, then the anchor can be securely fixed to the bone, but a large surgical exposure is required resulting in increased surgical morbidity and longer healing times
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor body is divided into multiple functional segments: a hollow cylindrical body for bone engagement, an internal cavity for suture storage, and separate loading mechanisms. This segmentation allows the anchor to be implanted through smaller incisions while maintaining fixation security through the hollow cylindrical design that engages with bone tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture material is nested within the hollow cavity of the anchor body, allowing the suture to be pre-loaded and stored inside the anchor. This nested configuration enables the entire anchor-suture assembly to be implanted through a single small incision, reducing surgical exposure and morbidity while ensuring secure suture-anchor bonding through internal friction and mechanical interlocking.
2Ease of operation
If complex internal locking mechanisms are used to secure sutures without knots, then knotless anchoring is achieved, but the device complexity increases making arthroscopic implantation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow cavity design allows the suture to be secured through self-service mechanisms: the suture is loaded into the cavity and secured using simple friction-based retention or basic internal features that do not require complex locking mechanisms. The anchor structure itself provides the securing function through its geometry, eliminating the need for additional complex locking components.
3Reliability
If conventional solid anchors are used, then sufficient bone engagement is achieved, but cylindrical defects are left in the bone complicating revision surgeries
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow cylindrical anchor body acts as a shell structure that engages with the bone through its outer surface while leaving the internal bone architecture intact. The hollow design allows bone ingrowth through the wall thickness and maintains bone continuity, creating a more favorable environment for potential revision surgeries compared to solid anchors that create complete cylindrical defects.
Data Source
AI summary
Attachment of sutures to bone is achieved by forming a recess in the bone having a cylindrical channel surrounding a bone core and then inserting a hollow anchor body into the recess and over the bone core. Suture material is attached using openings in the anchor body and the suture material may be pinched between the inside and outside surfaces of the anchor body and the bone material.