Soft Surgical Construct with Bunching Loop for Bone Tunnel Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical techniques for repairing damaged soft tissue, such as ligaments or tendons, often require complex procedures involving sutures and anchors, which can be cumbersome and require additional tools like inserter devices.
Innovation Solution
A surgical construct comprising a soft fixation device with a looped head and a tail portion, made of flexible material, which can be easily pulled into a bone tunnel and anchored by bunching the head portion, while repair flexible strands are used to engage and secure the damaged tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional suture and anchor techniques are used for tissue repair, then secure anchoring is achieved, but the procedure becomes complex and requires additional inserter devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the anchor and suture into a single integrated soft fixation device. The device consists of a soft fixation member with a head portion for anchoring and a tail portion for suturing, eliminating the need for separate anchors and inserter devices while maintaining secure anchoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The soft fixation device performs multiple functions: the head portion provides anchoring in the bone tunnel, the tail portion enables tissue suturing, and the integrated design eliminates the need for separate inserter devices, reducing overall procedural complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional anchors and sutures are used, then tissue can be secured, but additional tools like inserter devices are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the anchor function and suture function into one device, and further integrates the insertion capability, eliminating the need for separate inserter devices and simplifying the surgical workflow
3Ease of operation
If the fixation device is made of flexible material, then ease of insertion is improved, but anchoring strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The soft fixation device is segmented into two distinct functional portions: the head portion designed for anchoring in the bone tunnel and the tail portion designed for suturing tissue. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The device exhibits local quality differentiation where the head portion has properties optimized for anchoring (bunching capability) and the tail portion has properties optimized for suturing, while both portions maintain flexibility for ease of insertion
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical construct includes a loop configured to be anchored in a bone tunnel, a tail extending from the loop and configured to pull the loop into the bone tunnel, and a repair strand having a section received in the loop. The repair strand extends from the loop in a direction away from the tail and has a free end configured to engage a tissue. A method of tissue repair using the surgical construct involves pulling the loop into the bone tunnel with the tail, bunching the loop to anchor it in the bone tunnel, and engaging a tissue with the repair strand.