Knotless Suture Button Anchoring for Soft Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing knotless surgical techniques face challenges in securing soft tissue to bone, particularly in limited spaces and varying bone strengths, which can compromise the predictability and stability of surgical repairs.
Innovation Solution
A surgical method and kit utilizing sutures with loops and buttons that allow for secure attachment of soft tissue to bone without tying knots, by establishing tunnels in the bone and adjusting loop lengths to fix the position of the tissue against the bone, leveraging the strongest bone areas for improved strength and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional knotting techniques are used to secure suture, then the soft tissue can be held in position, but the procedure complexity increases and tissue irritation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the knot from the surgical procedure entirely. The suture system is designed to function without requiring knot tying, extracting the harmful element (knot) that causes tissue irritation and procedural complexity while maintaining the essential function of securing soft tissue to bone
Solution Approach 2:
The button acts as an intermediary element between the suture and the bone tunnel. The suture is anchored to the button, which then secures the soft tissue against the bone surface without requiring the suture to tie knots directly in the tissue, thereby reducing complexity and tissue irritation
2Reliability
If sutures are secured with knots, then the soft tissue attachment is stable, but the available space in limited bone areas is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional knot-tying approach to a two-dimensional button anchoring system. The button provides a broader attachment surface area on the bone, distributing the load across a larger region and utilizing available bone space more effectively than a narrow knot configuration
3Reliability
If traditional suture techniques are used, then soft tissue can be reattached, but bone strength variability compromises repair predictability
Solution Approach 1:
The button design allows for adjustment of suture loop length and tension, enabling optimization of the repair construct to accommodate varying bone strengths. This parameter adjustment capability ensures predictable repair outcomes across patients with different bone quality characteristics
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative example surgical method includes establishing a tunnel in a bone. At least a portion of the suture is passed through the tunnel. The suture has two ends and first and second loops between the two ends. The first loop includes a button on the suture. The second loop is on one side of the tunnel and the button is on the other side of the tunnel after the portion of the suture has been passed through the tunnel. At least some of the second loop of the suture is passed through soft tissue. Manipulating the second loop over the button positions a portion of the soft tissue between the second loop of the suture and the bone. Adjusting a length of the second loop urges the portion of the soft tissue against the bone where the portion of the soft tissue is held by the suture without tying any knots in the suture.