Knotless Suture Anchor With Protrusions for Bone Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for securing soft tissue to bone, such as suture anchors and knot-tying techniques, often result in inadequate fixation and 'loop security issues, particularly in arthroscopic procedures, due to the limitations of conventional knot designs and suture-to-anchor fixation.
Innovation Solution
A surgical repair construct featuring a filament with a collapsible snare and loop, and a suture with stationary protrusions, which allows for incremental tensioning and secure attachment of soft tissue to bone without the need for tying knots, utilizing a sliding knot mechanism and flexible members to prevent unintentional collapse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional knot-tying techniques are used to secure soft tissue to bone, then the tissue can be attached to the anchor, but loop security issues and slippage occur under tension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the knot-tying step entirely from the surgical procedure by using a knotless suture anchor system. The suture is secured through a sliding mechanism within the anchor body rather than requiring external knot formation, extracting the problematic knot-tying operation from the surgical workflow while maintaining secure tissue attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sliding knot mechanism as an intermediary element between the suture and the anchor. This sliding knot acts as a mediator that allows controlled movement and tensioning of the suture while preventing slippage, eliminating the need for traditional hand-tied knots and improving loop security.
2Reliability
If additional half hitches or knots are tied to prevent slippage, then loop security improves, but the overall knot size becomes obstructive and may damage cartilage or tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the multiple half-hitch knots from the surgical construct, replacing them with a compact sliding mechanism integrated into the anchor. This eliminates the need for additional obstructive knots while maintaining loop security, thereby preventing cartilage damage and tissue abrasion that would result from large knot formations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding knot is nested within the anchor body, with the suture passing through an internal channel or mechanism. This nesting configuration contains the knotting function within the anchor structure itself, preventing external knot bulk from contacting and damaging surrounding cartilage or soft tissue.
3Manufacturing precision
If the sliding knot is advanced to tighten the loop, then tissue approximation to bone is achieved, but the sliding knot may slip back under tension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a ratchet or one-way locking mechanism within the anchor that prevents backward movement of the sliding knot. This preliminary anti-action feature is built into the anchor structure to counteract any tendency of the knot to slip back under tension, ensuring stable tissue approximation without requiring additional securing knots.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic sliding mechanism that allows controlled movement in one direction (for tightening) while preventing movement in the opposite direction (slippage). The sliding knot can be advanced incrementally to achieve precise tissue approximation, then locked in place by the anchor's internal mechanism to maintain position under varying tension loads.
4Strength
If suture anchors are used for tissue attachment, then fixation is provided, but inadequate suture-to-anchor fixation occurs particularly in patients with soft and weak bones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an expandable anchor mechanism that changes its physical parameters (size, surface area, expansion force) after insertion. The anchor is inserted in a compressed state through standard arthroscopic techniques, then expanded within the bone to create enhanced mechanical interlocking. This parameter change allows the same anchor design to adapt to varying bone densities, providing strong suture-to-anchor fixation in both soft and dense bones.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor transitions from a static inserted state to a dynamic expanded state, changing its mechanical properties to optimize fixation. The expansion mechanism allows the anchor to adapt its strength and grip to match the specific bone density encountered, providing versatile performance across different patient anatomies and bone qualities.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods are provided for securing soft tissue to bone. One exemplary embodiment of a surgical repair construct includes an anchor, a filament having a snare on one end and a collapsible loop on another end, and a suture having a plurality of stationary protrusions. The suture is configured to be coupled to detached tissue and have its ends passed through an opening in the snare. The snare can be collapsed around the suture so at least one of the protrusions is proximal of the collapsed snare. The anchor can be disposed in bone and the filament coupled thereto. Accordingly, collapsing the snare around the suture couples the tissue to bone, and applying tension to a tensioning limb of the filament can collapse the loop to incrementally tighten and secure the tissue to bone. Other exemplary systems, devices, and methods for use with tissue repair are also provided.