Cardiovascular Knotless Suture Assemblies With Self-Locking Tension Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cardiovascular procedures, such as valve repairs or replacements, often require knots or crimps to secure sutures, which can be cumbersome and may complicate the surgical process, and there is a need for more efficient and less invasive methods to connect implants to cardiovascular tissue.
Innovation Solution
A knotless suture assembly utilizing a repair suture and a shuttle suture, coupled with needles and a pledget, where the shuttle suture forms a locking feature to retain the repair suture under tension through a shuttling process, eliminating the need for knots and crimps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If knots or crimps are used to secure sutures, then the suture can be held under tension, but the surgical process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the knot or crimp from the suture assembly, replacing it with a self-locking mechanism where the shuttle suture is threaded through the repair suture and secured with a locking feature that automatically retains tension without requiring manual knot tying or crimping operations
Solution Approach 2:
The suture assembly is designed to self-lock and self-retain tension through its structural configuration. The locking feature on the shuttle suture automatically engages with the repair suture when tension is applied, eliminating the need for surgical intervention to tie knots or apply crimps
2Reliability
If knots or crimps are used to secure sutures, then the suture can be held under tension, but the number of components and steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of the repair suture, shuttle suture, and locking mechanism into a single integrated assembly. The shuttle suture is threaded through the repair suture and secured with a locking feature that automatically retains tension, eliminating the need for separate knot-tying steps and reducing the number of components required
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional suture methods are used, then implants can be connected to tissue, but the invasiveness and complexity of the procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unnecessary components (knots, crimps) that increase invasiveness and complexity, retaining only the essential elements needed for implant connection. The simplified suture assembly reduces tissue manipulation and procedural complexity while maintaining effective implant fixation
Data Source
AI summary
A knotless suture assembly may include a repair suture which may have a first and a second end. The first end may be coupled to a first needle. The knotless suture assembly may also include a shuttle suture. The shuttle suture may have a first end coupled to the first needle and a second end coupled to a second needle. The shuttle suture may include a shuttling feature, and the first end of the repair suture may be configured to engage the shuttling feature during a shuttling process. The knotless suture assembly may include a locking feature. The repair suture may be configured to engage the locking feature during the shuttling process. The locking feature may be configured to retain the repair suture under tension in response to the shuttling process.