Swivel Anchor Knotless Tissue Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for reattaching soft tissue to bone, such as using suture anchors, are inefficient and prone to knot deformation or exposure, especially in arthroscopic surgeries, requiring multiple knots and being time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A swivel anchor device with a cannulated ribbed body and a swivel implant at the driver's distal end, allowing a strand to freely slide through a closed aperture, which is then securely locked into a bone with a screw, eliminating the need for multiple knots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple suture knots are used to reattach soft tissue to bone, then the tissue can be securely fixed, but the surgical procedure becomes time-consuming and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the knot-tying function from the surgical procedure by using a pre-formed suture knot that is inserted into the anchor as a complete unit. This eliminates the need for the surgeon to manually tie knots during surgery, significantly reducing surgical time while maintaining secure tissue fixation through the pre-formed knot structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture knot is prepared and formed before the surgical procedure (pre-formed extracorporeally), allowing the surgeon to simply insert the pre-knotted suture into the anchor rather than tying knots during surgery. This preliminary preparation resolves the contradiction by maintaining fixation security while eliminating time-consuming intraoperative knot-tying.
2Reliability
If multiple suture knots are manually tied and forced into position, then tissue reattachment is achieved, but the knots tend to deform or collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The suture knot is pre-formed with the correct shape and structure before surgery, eliminating the need to force knots into position during surgery. This preliminary formation ensures the knot maintains its structural integrity and does not deform or collapse, while still achieving secure tissue reattachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a delivery device or anchor mechanism that acts as an intermediary to properly position and secure the pre-formed knot without requiring manual forcing. This intermediary mechanism protects the knot's structural integrity during insertion, preventing deformation while achieving secure tissue reattachment.
3Reliability
If suture knots are inserted into bone canals, then tissue to bone fixation is achieved, but the knots are exposed to abrasion or cutting by sharp or rough bone walls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an anchor device or protective mechanism as an intermediary between the suture knot and the bone canal walls. This intermediary structure protects the knot from direct contact with sharp or rough bone surfaces, preventing abrasion and cutting while still enabling secure tissue to bone fixation through the anchor's interference fit or screw mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor device provides beforehand protection by creating a protective environment for the suture knot before it is exposed to harmful bone canal walls. The anchor's internal structure or delivery mechanism cushions and protects the knot during insertion and positioning, preventing abrasion while maintaining fixation reliability.
4Ease of operation
If suture anchors are used alone for reattachment, then the procedure is simpler, but large areas of detached tissue do not allow good tissue to bone contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of suture anchors (simplicity of insertion) with direct tissue-to-bone contact techniques. The combined approach uses anchors for initial fixation while also creating direct contact between the tissue and bone surface, achieving both surgical simplicity and reliable tissue-to-bone contact for large tissue areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fixation approach by using multiple anchors at different positions and combining them with direct tissue contact techniques. This segmentation allows large areas of detached tissue to be addressed in sections, with each anchor providing focal fixation points while overall tissue-to-bone contact is maintained across the entire repair area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The swivel anchor device provides secure fixation of soft tissue to bone without the need for multiple knots, reducing surgical time and minimizing exposure to abrasion, ensuring stable tissue attachment until natural healing occurs.
Implementation Method 1
a cannulated ribbed body of an interference plug or screw
Implementation Method 2
swivel implant at the distal end of a driver that securely engages and locks into a cannulated ribbed body
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for knotless fixation of tissue. A swivel anchor having a rotatable implant is used to capture suture for surgical tissue repair without requiring suture knots. The implant may be provided with a conical metal tip which is self-punching and avoids the need for pre-drilling a hole in bone. The implant includes a closed aperture to allow free sliding of a suture strand. The swivel anchor is secured in a hole in bone by advancing a fixation device, such as a cannulated interference screw, over the body of the implant.