Knotless Tissue Fixation Using Cinched Continuous Loops

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tissue repair methods, such as ACL, PCL, and meniscal repairs, often require knotting which can be cumbersome and may compromise the integrity of the repair.

Innovation Solution

A surgical fixation system comprising a fixation device, an adjustable loop, a continuous loop, and a shuttle construct, optionally with reinforcement material, allowing for knotless tissue repair by tensioning and rotating the continuous loop to form a cinched loop around native tissue bundles, and utilizing independent tensioning of components to enhance stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional knotting methods are used for tissue repair, then the repair can be secured, but the knotting process is cumbersome and may compromise the integrity of the repair

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverepair integrityVSAvoidknotting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the knotting step from the traditional tissue repair process. The fixation device is designed to secure tissue bundles without requiring any knots, thereby removing the cumbersome knotting operation while maintaining secure fixation through the cinched loop mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a continuous loop as an intermediary element that facilitates tissue repair without knots. The continuous loop can be passed through tissue bundles and cinched to secure them, serving as a mediator that replaces the traditional knotting mechanism with a smoother, more reliable fixation method

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If reinforcement material is added to the fixation device, then the load-bearing capability and stability are enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload-bearing capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the fixation system into distinct functional components: the fixation device, the continuous loop, and the optional reinforcement material. This segmentation allows the reinforcement material to be added independently to enhance strength without fundamentally altering the core fixation mechanism, thereby managing complexity through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the continuous loop is rotated to form a cinched loop, then the tissue capture and stability are improved, but the operation requires additional precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue capture stabilityVSAvoidloop rotation precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional approach by having the continuous loop pass through the tissue bundles and then cinching around them, rather than tying knots around the tissue. The cinched loop configuration naturally captures and secures tissue bundles through its geometry, reducing the precision burden compared to traditional knot-tying while maintaining reliable tissue capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20260033940A1Surgical fixation systems and associated methods for performing tissue repairs

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 ARTHREX INC

AI summary

This disclosure relates to surgical fixation systems and methods. The surgical fixation systems may include one or more loops and one or more reinforcement materials. The surgical fixation systems can be used in various knotless tissue repair procedures.