Intermediate Member Load Distribution for Soft Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for repairing soft tissue tears often result in stitches pulling through the tissue, causing movement of the soft tissue relative to the bone, which compromises the repair's stability.
Innovation Solution
The use of an intermediate member connected to a bone anchor and a suture construct with adjustable loops helps distribute load across stitches, preventing them from being pulled through the tissue by applying tension to the intermediate member rather than directly to the stitches, and securing the soft tissue to the bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stitches are used to secure soft tissue to bone, then the soft tissue can be attached to bone, but the stitches may pull through the tissue causing movement and compromising repair stability
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate member is introduced between the suture construct and the soft tissue. This intermediate member acts as a mediator that distributes the load from the suture across a broader area of the soft tissue, preventing the stitches from concentrating force at single points and pulling through. The intermediate member transfers the tensile load from the suture to the soft tissue in a distributed manner, thereby maintaining repair stability while preventing stitch pull-through.
2Ease of operation
If tension is applied directly to stitches to secure soft tissue, then the soft tissue can be secured to bone, but the stitches are more likely to be pulled through the tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate member serves as a mediator that receives tension from the suture construct and distributes it across multiple attachment points on the soft tissue. When tension is applied during the securing process, it is transmitted through the intermediate member rather than directly to individual stitches, reducing the risk of stitch pull-through while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The load path is segmented by introducing the intermediate member, which divides the single-point tension application into multiple distributed attachment points. The suture construct attaches to the intermediate member at one location, while the intermediate member attaches to the soft tissue at multiple separate locations, segmenting the force distribution and preventing concentrated stress on individual stitches.
3Strength
If multiple stitches are used to secure soft tissue, then the attachment strength increases, but the complexity of the suturing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple attachment functions are merged into a single intermediate member component. Instead of requiring multiple separate sutures to be individually placed and secured, the intermediate member consolidates these functions into one element that can be attached to the soft tissue at multiple points simultaneously, reducing procedural complexity while maintaining attachment strength.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for repairing a tear in soft tissue are disclosed. A method according to the principles of the present disclosure includes connecting an intermediate member to a bone anchor and placing the intermediate member on the soft tissue. The method further includes inserting a first suture through the intermediate member and the soft tissue to attach the intermediate member to the soft tissue and fixing the bone anchor to bone to secure the soft tissue to the bone.