Knotless Suture Anchor Single Molded Polymer Cinching Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional suture anchors require knot tying during surgery, which is challenging, especially in confined spaces like arthroscopic surgery, and existing knotless anchors are difficult to use and not suitable for small-scale manufacturing for hip joint labral repairs, often requiring complex designs and multiple moving parts.
Innovation Solution
A knotless suture anchoring system with a cinching mechanism that allows suture tensioning without knots, featuring a single molded part with a central channel and transverse apertures for suture loop formation, enabling secure tissue fixation without extra manipulations, suitable for small-scale manufacturing and arthroscopic procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional suture anchors are used, then reliable suture attachment is achieved, but knot tying is required which is difficult in confined surgical spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the knot-tying step from the surgical procedure by providing a suture anchor system that secures sutures without requiring knots. The anchor design includes features that mechanically capture and retain the suture ends through simple insertion and tensioning actions, removing the complex manual knot-tying operation that is difficult to perform in confined arthroscopic spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture anchor system provides self-service functionality where the anchor itself performs the suture securing function without requiring additional surgical manipulation. The anchor design allows the suture to be automatically captured and secured through the tensioning mechanism, eliminating the need for the surgeon to manually tie knots to secure the suture to the anchor.
2Ease of operation
If knotless suture anchors with multiple moving parts are designed, then knotless suture securing is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into a single integrated suture anchor component. Rather than using separate moving parts that would require assembly, the anchor design combines the suture capture mechanism, tensioning function, and securing features into one molded polymer structure. This single-component design achieves knotless suture securing while dramatically simplifying manufacturing through injection molding or other polymer forming processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the suture anchor design by transitioning from metal construction with moving parts to polymer material with integrated geometry. This parameter change enables the use of molding processes that can create complex three-dimensional structures with internal channels and capture features in a single manufacturing step, eliminating the need for assembly of multiple components.
3Ease of operation
If suture anchors require multiple components and assembly, then knotless functionality is achieved, but surgical time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges all suture anchor functions into a single pre-fabricated polymer component that requires no assembly. The anchor is manufactured as one integral piece with all necessary features (suture channels, capture mechanisms, tensioning surfaces) built in during the molding process. This eliminates the time-consuming assembly steps that would be required if multiple components were used, directly reducing surgical time while maintaining knotless functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary action by pre-configuring the suture anchor with all necessary features during manufacturing. The polymer anchor is molded with pre-formed channels, capture geometries, and tensioning surfaces before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for intraoperative assembly or configuration steps, allowing the surgeon to simply insert and tension the suture without additional manipulations.
Data Source
AI summary
Various devices, systems and methods for knotless suturing of tissue are disclosed. These devices allow sutures to be anchored to bone, and more specifically provide a suture anchor which eliminates the need for knotting the suture. Thus, damaged tissue may be re-attached to a substrate tissue. The anchors have a minimum of moving parts may be suited to being a single molded polymer construction. The anchors will find particular utility in hip and shoulder arthroscopy, e.g. labral re-attachment and similar procedures.