Knotless Tensionable Fixation for Joint Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for repairing tissue defects in joints, such as cartilage defects or soft tissue tears, often require knot-tying techniques that can be complex and may not provide adequate fixation or stability, leading to potential joint instability and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A knotless tensionable fixation system utilizing multiple knotless suture anchors and a reinforcement construct to secure a graft over the tissue defect, where loops are created in the suture anchors and the reinforcement construct is passed through or looped around them to approximate the graft to the defect, providing compression and fixation without the need for knots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If knot-tying techniques are used to secure graft to tissue defect, then fixation stability is improved, but surgical complexity and time are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the knot-tying step from the traditional fixation process. Instead of requiring surgeons to tie knots to secure the graft, the system uses pre-configured suture anchors with loops that are passed through the graft and tightened using a cinching mechanism, completely removing the complex knot-tying operation while maintaining secure fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture anchors are designed with self-cinching capability where the loops can be tightened and secured without requiring external knot-tying operations. The system serves itself by incorporating the fixation mechanism directly into the anchor design, allowing the graft to be secured through a simpler tightening process rather than complex knot manipulation.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional fixation methods are used, then surgical procedure is simpler, but graft-to-tissue contact and compression are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation system incorporates dynamic cinching capability that allows progressive tightening of the graft to the tissue defect. The loops can be gradually tightened to achieve optimal compression and contact, transforming a static fixation method into a dynamic adjustment process that ensures precise graft-to-tissue contact while maintaining surgical simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture anchors are pre-configured with loops and attachment points before surgery, allowing the graft to be secured with precise compression from the outset. The preliminary configuration of the anchors enables immediate and accurate graft-to-tissue contact without requiring complex intraoperative adjustments, combining surgical simplicity with precise fixation.
3Reliability
If multiple fixation points are used to enhance stability, then fixation reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation system is segmented into multiple independent suture anchors, each with its own loop configuration. This segmentation allows multiple fixation points to be distributed across the tissue defect, enhancing overall stability while keeping each individual anchor component simple and easy to implant. The modular nature of segmented anchors reduces the complexity of the overall system compared to a single complex multi-point fixation device.
Data Source
AI summary
A knotless tensionable fixation system may be utilized for performing surgical methods for repairing tissue defects within a joint. An exemplary surgical method may include fixating a graft over top of the tissue defect with the knotless tensionable knotless fixation system. The knotless tensionable fixation system may include a plurality of knotless suture anchors, the graft, and a reinforcement construct. The reinforcement construct may establish a fixed segment of material over the graft after being secured in place by the plurality of knotless suture anchors.