Lateral Suture Anchor Locking Structure for Low-Density Bone Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soft-tissue-to-bone reattachment procedures, such as rotator cuff repair, face issues with knotless techniques allowing relative movement between tendon and suture, suture slippage due to diminished bone density, and anchor pullout, particularly in patients with age-related or disease-induced diminished bone density, along with the formation of undesirable flaps or folds.
Innovation Solution
A suture anchor with a proximal anchor body, distal tip, and internal locking elements, featuring a retaining feature and suture engagement mechanism, including mating threads and a collapsible sleeve, to securely lock the distal tip to the proximal anchor body upon implantation, providing a strong interference fit and reducing relative movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If knotless repair technique is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to relative movement between tendon and suture
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into a body portion and a separate distal tip that can be independently inserted into the bone. The suture is segmented into multiple strands that can be independently managed. This segmentation allows the anchor to be inserted first, establishing reliable bone fixation, and then the suture strands are separately passed through the tendon, eliminating the need for complex knotting while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal tip acts as an intermediary component between the anchor body and the bone. It provides a separate insertion path that allows the anchor to be securely固定在 bone without requiring the suture to pass through the entire anchor length, thereby reducing relative movement while maintaining ease of operation.
2Device complexity
If interference fit between anchor and bone is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to suture slippage in diminished bone density
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the anchor into a body and a distal tip, the system creates additional engagement points with the bone. The distal tip provides independent anchorage that complements the body's interference fit, distributing the load and preventing suture slippage in patients with diminished bone density without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal tip extends the anchor's engagement with the bone into a different spatial dimension, providing additional anchorage depth and surface area for bone contact. This dimensional extension enhances reliability by creating multiple planes of fixation, preventing suture slippage even when bone density is reduced.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple anchor design is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to anchor pullout in diminished bone density
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design with separate body and distal tip components allows each part to be manufactured using standard processes, maintaining ease of manufacture. The components are then assembled through simple threading or interference fit, avoiding complex manufacturing while achieving enhanced reliability through distributed bone engagement that prevents pullout in diminished bone density.
4Reliability
If sutures are passed through entire anchor length, then secure fixation is achieved, but formation of undesirable flaps or folds occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The distal tip is extracted as a separate component that can be inserted independently into the bone. This allows the suture to be passed through the tendon and engaged with the anchor body without requiring the suture to traverse the entire anchor length, thereby eliminating the formation of undesirable flaps or folds while maintaining secure fixation through the combined action of the body and distal tip.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The suture anchor enhances secure fixation of soft tissue to bone, minimizing suture slippage and anchor pullout, while promoting better healing through bone marrow access and reducing the formation of undesirable flaps or folds.
Implementation Method 1
internal locking elements configured to lock the distal tip to the proximal anchor body when the lateral anchor is implanted in a bone
Implementation Method 2
The internal locking elements of the suture anchor comprise mating threads formed in a distal portion of the inner cannulation of the proximal anchor body and on a proximal portion of the distal tip
Implementation Method 3
a pointed distal end configured to facilitate insertion into bone
Implementation Method 4
a pair of spikes extending proximally and radially outwardly from the pointed distal end
Data Source
AI summary
A lateral suture anchor has a proximal anchor body with an open proximal end and a distal tip. The distal tip has an eyelet configured to receive an end of a repair suture and a suture engagement feature extending proximally from the distal tip. At least one preloaded stay suture extends proximally from the suture engagement feature and out through the open proximal end of the proximal anchor body. The stay suture includes a looped end, a straight end, and an intermediate portion. and is doubled over itself so that the intermediate portion extends through the suture engagement feature, and the looped and straight ends extend proximally through the open proximal end of the proximal anchor body. Internal locking elements are provided for licking the distal tip to the anchor body.