Knotless Syndesmosis Button With Locking Insert for Bone Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current suture systems for maintaining bone positions during healing require knots that can cause irritation and are prone to failure, increasing surgical time and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A knotless button system with a body and a slideable locking insert that allows for adjustable loops to be secured without knots, facilitating precise bone alignment and stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If knots are used to maintain sutures in a fixed position, then the suture can be secured, but the knot causes irritation during healing and is subject to tearing due to friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the knot from the suture system entirely, extracting the harmful element that causes irritation and tearing. Instead of using a knot to secure the suture, the invention employs a button with a loop that can be tied around a bone, eliminating the need for traditional knotted sutures and their associated complications.
Solution Approach 2:
The button serves as an intermediary device between the suture and the bone. Rather than directly knotting the suture to the bone (which creates irritation), the button acts as a mediator that the suture loops around, providing secure attachment without direct knot contact with the bone surface.
2Reliability
If knots are formed during surgery, then the suture can be secured, but the surgical time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The button is pre-formed with a loop structure that is ready for immediate use during surgery. The button can be inserted through a bone tunnel and the suture looped around it in a single motion, eliminating the time-consuming process of forming knots during the surgical procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The button design allows the surgeon to simply loop the suture around the button and secure it in place without requiring the complex manual knot-tying skills and time traditionally required. The button's structure inherently provides the securing function that would otherwise require extensive manual manipulation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If knots are used to maintain bone position, then the bone can be stabilized, but the complexity of the surgical procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the stabilization function into separate components: the button (which provides the mechanical anchor), the loop (which provides the adjustable tension), and the suture (which provides the binding force). This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall procedure compared to traditional knotted suture systems that require complex manipulation to achieve the same stabilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A knotless button includes a body defining a proximal portion and a distal portion. The body further defines an internal cavity and a first loop opening extending from the internal cavity to an outer surface of the body. A locking insert is slideably positioned within the internal cavity. The locking insert defines a second loop opening extending from a first side of the locking insert to a second side of the locking insert. The locking insert is slideably moveable from a first position to a second position within the internal cavity. A flexible strand defines a first adjustable loop extending through the first loop opening and the second loop opening. The locking insert is slideably moveable from a first position configured to allow adjustment of the first adjustable loop to a second position configured to lock the first adjustable loop.