Knotless Anchor Loop for Minimally Invasive Soft Tissue Repair

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tissue repair devices for suturing soft tissues like cartilage, ligament, or muscle are not fully satisfactory in facilitating efficient and minimally invasive repair.

Innovation Solution

A soft tissue repair device with flexible or rigid anchors externally carried on an inserter, coupled by a flexible strand to form an adjustable knotless loop, allowing deployment and secure fixation without penetrating the tissue.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional suturing devices are used to repair soft tissue tears, then the repair can be performed, but the procedure is time-consuming and causes excessive tissue injury

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocedural timeVSAvoidtissue injury

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The device segments the suture function into multiple components: an inserter for delivery, anchors for securement, and a flexible strand for tensioning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, enabling faster deployment and reduced tissue manipulation compared to traditional suturing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The anchors are pre-loaded onto the inserter in a compact configuration before the procedure. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need to assemble components during surgery, significantly reducing procedural time and allowing the device to be deployed as a complete unit with minimal tissue disruption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If traditional penetrating suturing methods are used, then secure anchoring can be achieved, but the tissue penetration causes additional tissue damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchoring securityVSAvoidtissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of penetrating the tissue to create anchors, the device inverts the approach by deploying anchors on the outer surface of the tissue and securing them there. The flexible strand passes through the tissue without requiring the anchors to penetrate, thereby achieving secure anchoring while minimizing tissue damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible strand acts as an intermediary element that connects the anchors on the outer tissue surface to the tear site. This mediator allows force transmission and secure anchoring without requiring the anchors themselves to penetrate the tissue, reducing direct tissue damage while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If complex knotting procedures are used to secure sutures, then secure fixation is achieved, but the procedure becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixation securityVSAvoidprocedural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible strand is designed with self-locking capability through its interaction with the anchors. When tension is applied, the strand automatically secures itself to the anchors without requiring external knotting operations. This self-service mechanism eliminates complex knotting procedures while maintaining secure fixation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The device extracts the complex knotting operation from the surgical procedure by incorporating the securing function directly into the anchor-strand interface. The knotting complexity is taken out and replaced by a simpler tension-based securing mechanism that achieves reliable fixation without manual knot tying

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate components are used for tissue repair, then functionality can be optimized, but the device complexity and assembly time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional optimizationVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device merges the delivery mechanism (inserter), the anchoring elements (anchors), and the tensioning element (flexible strand) into a single integrated system. These components are pre-assembled and function together as one unit, optimizing functionality while reducing the perceived complexity by eliminating the need to handle and assemble multiple separate components during surgery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12502169B2Soft tissue repair device and associated methods

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 BIOMET SPORTS MEDICINE LLC

AI summary

A soft tissue repair device. The device includes an inserter having a distal portion, a first anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, a second anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, and a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors and forming an adjustable knotless loop.