Non-rotating Cannulated Tensioning Device for Anchor Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current knotless suture anchor systems face challenges in maintaining graft position and suture tension during anchor placement, often resulting in suture spin and graft shift due to torque transmission through rotating drivers, which complicates the procedure and increases the risk of improper tensioning and placement.

Innovation Solution

A non-rotating cannulated tensioning device is used within a cannulated driver to maintain suture tension and graft position, with a distal element extending beyond the driver to prevent twisting and ensure stable anchor placement, allowing for a simpler, single-piece anchor system with fewer steps and reduced risk of suture spin.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rotating driver is used to place the anchor, then the anchor can be securely fixed in the socket, but torque is transmitted to the suture and graft causing suture spin and graft shift

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchor fixation reliabilityVSAvoidsuture spin and graft shift

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The driver is divided into two separate components: a rotating driver portion for placing the anchor and a non-rotating tensioning device for maintaining suture tension. This segmentation allows the anchor to be securely fixed while preventing torque transmission to the suture and graft, eliminating suture spin and graft shift.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a non-rotating tensioning device is used to maintain suture tension, then suture spin is prevented, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuture spin preventionVSAvoiddriver system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The non-rotating tensioning device is nested within the rotating driver structure. The tensioning device includes a cannulated shaft that fits within the driver, with a distal element extending beyond the driver. This nested configuration allows the tensioning device to maintain suture tension without rotating, preventing suture spin while integrating smoothly into the overall driver system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the distal element extends beyond the driver to prevent twisting, then graft position stability is improved, but the anchor placement steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegraft position stabilityVSAvoidanchor placement efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The non-rotating tensioning device with its distal element extending beyond the driver is prepared in advance. The distal element is positioned to engage with the graft before anchor placement begins. This preliminary positioning of the tensioning device allows the surgeon to maintain suture tension and graft position stability throughout the anchor placement process, with the distal element preventing twisting as the anchor is inserted.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9566060B2Implant placement systems, devices and methods

Publication Date: 2017.02.14 TENJIN LLC

AI summary

Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture.