Knotless Suture Anchor with Offset Bore Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgeons face difficulties in securing bone and tissue during surgery due to the cumbersome process of tying knots between sutures and suture anchors, which complicates tensioning and can be time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A knotless suture anchor system comprising a first and second portion with angled surfaces and bores, where the portions can be aligned or offset to securely retain a suture within the anchor without the need for knots, utilizing a deployment shaft to misalign the bores and secure the suture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional suture anchor with knot connection is used, then the suture can be securely anchored to bone, but the knot tying process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the knot from the suture anchoring system. Instead of requiring a knot to secure the suture to the anchor, the suture is directly retained within the anchor body through the misalignment of the first and second suture bores, removing the time-consuming knot tying step while maintaining secure anchoring
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor is divided into two separate portions (first portion with first suture bore, second portion with second suture bore) that are misaligned relative to each other. This segmentation allows the suture to be mechanically retained within the anchor without requiring a knot, as the offset bores create a retaining mechanism that secures the suture in place
2Reliability
If a traditional suture anchor with knot connection is used, then the suture can be securely anchored to bone, but the tensioning process becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the knot from the system, the invention eliminates the source of tensioning difficulty. The suture can be directly tensioned from the tissue through the deployment needle and into the anchor without having to manage knot tension, significantly simplifying the tensioning process while maintaining secure anchoring
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of securing the suture to the anchor through a knot (external connection), the invention inverts the approach by having the anchor itself directly retain the suture through its internal misaligned bore structure. This internal retention mechanism allows for more direct and easier tensioning compared to the external knot-based system
3Productivity
If a knotless suture anchor with misaligned bores is used, then the knot tying step is eliminated, but the anchor structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is segmented into two portions with misaligned suture bores, which creates the knotless retention mechanism. While this segmentation increases structural complexity compared to a single-bore anchor, it eliminates the need for knot tying, improving surgical efficiency. The segmentation is designed to be integrated within the anchor body, minimizing the increase in overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A suture anchor including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion defining a first suture bore and having an angled distal surface that extends in a plane oblique to a longitudinal axis of the suture anchor. The second portion defining a second suture bore and having an angled proximal surface that is complementary to the angled distal surface. The angled proximate surface extends in a plane oblique to the longitudinal axis. In a first configuration, the first portion and the second portion are aligned along the longitudinal axis, and the first suture bore is aligned with the second suture bore. In a second configuration, the first portion and the second portion are offset with respect to the longitudinal axis, and the first suture bore is offset from the second suture bore to retain a suture within the first suture bore and the second suture bore.