Suture Holder Delivery System with Toggle Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suture holding systems for soft tissue repair require the use of knots, knot pushers, and retraction lines for securing sutures, which are complex and limit the flexibility of suture anchor deployment.
Innovation Solution
A suture holding system comprising a block with specific notches and holes that allows for selective locking of the suture without knots, enabling independent and prioritized deployment of suture anchors using a delivery device with movable driver mechanisms and a toggle assembly for fixing positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional suture systems use knots and knot pushers to secure sutures, then the suture can be fixed to the fixation members, but the procedure becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the knotting procedure and knot pusher from the suture fixation system. Instead of using knots to secure the suture, the invention uses a simplified mechanism where the suture is directly fixed to the fixation members through holes and notches in the block, eliminating the need for complex knotting operations
Solution Approach 2:
The suture fixation system is designed to be self-securing without requiring external tools or complex procedures. The suture naturally locks into place through the geometric arrangement of holes and notches in the block, allowing the surgeon to simply pull the suture tight without needing knot pushers or retraction lines
2Device complexity
If a single needle and pusher mechanism is used to deliver multiple suture anchors, then the delivery device is simpler, but the surgeon loses freedom to individually deploy anchors and make adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is divided into separate components for delivering each suture anchor - individual needles and pushers for each anchor rather than a single shared mechanism. This segmentation allows the surgeon to independently control and adjust each anchor deployment while maintaining overall system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery device incorporates movable and adjustable components that allow dynamic reconfiguration during the procedure. The separate needles and pushers can be independently positioned and adjusted, providing the surgeon with flexibility to adapt to different tissue conditions and anchor placement requirements
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate needles and pushers are used for each suture anchor, then the surgeon has flexibility in deploying anchors, but the pusher mechanisms extend from opposing surfaces making the device more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher mechanisms are merged into a unified structure rather than extending from opposing surfaces. The pushers are integrated within the delivery device body, allowing them to be positioned and controlled without creating complex external protrusions, thus simplifying the overall device architecture while maintaining deployment flexibility
4Adaptability or versatility
If no means is provided to rigidly fix the delivery needle position, then the device is more flexible, but the surgeon cannot maintain stable positioning for precise anchor deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery needle is provided with a positioning mechanism that allows the surgeon to pre-establish and rigidly fix the needle position before anchor deployment. This preliminary positioning action ensures stable and accurate anchor placement while maintaining the ability to adjust the position if necessary, combining both stability and flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
A suture holder delivery system including a housing having a distal end and a proximal end, a first driver mechanism and a second driver mechanism, each movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the housing, a first delivery needle and a second delivery needle, the first delivery needle connected at a proximal end to the first driver mechanism and the second delivery needle connected at a proximal end to the second driver mechanism, the first driver mechanism and said second driver mechanism each having fully retracted and fully extended positions and a toggle assembly operable to fix at least one of the first driver mechanism and second driver mechanism in at least one longitudinal position. The delivery system may include a locking mechanism operable to prevent the second driver mechanism from being moved in a distal direction until the first driver mechanism is longitudinally advanced to the extended position.