Suture Anchor Filament Loop Configuration for Slippage Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional suture anchors often experience the suture/filament sliding through the anchor body during deployment and fixation, leading to instability and potential failure in securing soft or bony tissues.

Innovation Solution

A device and method that secure the suture/filament to the anchor body by creating a closed loop around the fibrous construct, using a hole in the filament's working end to prevent sliding, achieved by positioning the first working end through the hole from one side to the other, forming a secure construct that prevents the filament from freely sliding through the anchor body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the suture/filament is allowed to slide freely through the anchor body during deployment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential failure in securing tissues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of deploymentVSAvoidsecuring reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The suture/filament is pre-configured with a hole through its working end before deployment. This preliminary structural preparation allows the suture to be easily threaded through the anchor body during deployment while ensuring that once positioned, it forms a secure loop configuration that prevents slippage, thus maintaining both ease of operation and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the suture/filament is secured rigidly to the anchor body, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in deployment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecuring reliabilityVSAvoidease of deployment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The suture/filament structure incorporates a dynamic loop configuration where the first working end passes through the hole in the second working end, creating a movable loop during deployment that can be easily manipulated, but which becomes fixed and secure once the loop is formed around the anchor body, thus achieving both ease of deployment and reliable securing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If a hole is created through the filament's working end to prevent sliding, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-sliding securityVSAvoidfilament structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suture/filament is segmented into distinct functional portions: a second working end with a hole through it, and a first working end that passes through the hole to form a loop. This segmentation of the filament structure allows each portion to serve a specific function - the hole provides the anchoring point while the loop provides the securing mechanism - thereby achieving reliable anti-sliding security without excessive overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3500183A1Device for securing suture to an anchor body of a suture anchor
Publication Date: 2019.06.26 CONMED CORP

AI summary

A suture anchor device includes: a suture anchor body; a filament portion connected to the suture anchor body, the filament portion comprising a first working end and a second working end extending from the suture anchor body, wherein: the second working end includes a hole positioned through the second working end; and the first working end is configured to be moveably positioned through the hole from a first side of the second working end to a second side of the second working end.