Knotless Suture Anchor with Dual Driver Shafts

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for attaching tissue to bone, such as suture anchors, face challenges in deployment and require time-consuming knot-tying procedures, which complicate surgical processes and impose space constraints.

Innovation Solution

A surgical system comprising a guide, a suture anchor with a sheath and screw, and two driver shafts allows for efficient deployment of the screw into the sheath, securing the suture between the sheath and bone, eliminating the need for knot-tying by pinching the suture in place.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional suture anchors are used, then soft tissue can be attached to bone, but the procedure requires time-consuming knot-tying which complicates surgery and consumes excessive time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical procedure efficiencyVSAvoidknot-tying time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the knot-tying step from the traditional suture anchoring process. The suture anchor device is designed to secure the suture through mechanical means (friction, interference fit, or locking mechanism) rather than requiring surgical knots, thereby removing the time-consuming and space-intensive knot-tying procedure while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The suture anchor acts as an intermediary device between the suture and the bone. Instead of directly tying knots in the suture, the anchor provides a mechanical interface that secures the suture through its internal geometry and engagement mechanisms, eliminating the need for knot-tying while achieving the same functional outcome of securing soft tissue to bone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If traditional suture anchors require knot-tying, then secure attachment is achieved, but space constraints in the surgical field are violated and procedure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment securityVSAvoidprocedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the knot-tying step from the procedure, thereby reducing procedural complexity and freeing up surgical space. The suture anchor device incorporates all necessary attachment functions within its structure, eliminating the need for separate knot-tying operations and associated space requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The suture anchor is designed to be self-securing through its mechanical features (friction surfaces, interference fit geometry, or integrated locking mechanisms). The device automatically secures the suture upon insertion and deployment without requiring additional surgical steps for knot-tying, thereby simplifying the overall procedure while maintaining reliable attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If suture anchors are deployed into anchor-receiving holes, then tissue re-attachment is achieved, but deployment challenges and insertion difficulties complicate the procedure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeployment efficiencyVSAvoidanchor insertion ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The suture anchor is pre-loaded into the inserter device with the suture already positioned and tensioned. The inserter device is pre-configured with the appropriate drilling or insertion mechanism, allowing the surgeon to perform a single integrated action to create the hole and deploy the anchor simultaneously, eliminating separate deployment steps and reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The suture anchor is nested within the inserter device, which itself may be nested within a guide or delivery system. This nested configuration allows for compact storage and streamlined insertion, where the anchor is delivered through a minimally invasive path and deployed in a controlled manner, reducing deployment challenges and improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3375381B1Devices for knotless suture anchoring
Publication Date: 2022.08.24 MEDOS INT SARL
  • EP3375381B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3375381B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3375381B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Methods and devices are provided for securing tissue to bone. A surgical system can include a guide, a suture anchor including a sheath and a screw, a first driver shaft, and a second driver shaft. The first driver shaft can be configured to be removably received within a lumen of the guide such that an awl tip thereof extends beyond a distal end of the sheath. The sheath and the guide can have first and second side openings, respectively, that can receive at least one suture therethrough. The second driver shaft can be configured to be removably received within the lumen of the guide when the first elongate shaft is removed therefrom, the second driver shaft having a distal driver member configured to be removably received within a proximal channel formed in the screw to drive the screw into mating engagement with the sheath.