Tensionable Knotless Anchors for Secure Tissue-to-Bone Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical methods for tissue repair often require multiple knot-tying steps, which can be time-consuming and may compromise the strength and stability of the repair.
Innovation Solution
A tensionable, knotless surgical construct with two self-locking, independent mechanisms, including a preformed flexible loop and a shuttle/pull device, allows for secure fixation of soft tissue to bone without knots, enabling fewer passing steps and increased fixation and compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional knot-tying methods are used for tissue fixation, then the repair can be secured, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the knot-tying step entirely from the surgical procedure by using a knotless anchor construct. The flexible coupler is directly attached to the anchor body without requiring any knot formation, thereby extracting the time-consuming and complex knot-tying operation while maintaining secure fixation through the tensionable mechanism that locks the coupler to the anchor.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible coupler is pre-formed with a specific configuration that allows it to be directly attached to the anchor body without knots. The coupler's pre-formed loop and tensionable structure are designed in advance to enable direct attachment, eliminating the need for intraoperative knot tying and reducing surgical time.
2Reliability
If multiple knot-tying steps are performed, then tissue fixation can be achieved, but the procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the knot-tying steps from the surgical procedure by using a knotless anchor construct. The flexible coupler is directly attached to the anchor body through a tensionable mechanism that locks without knots, thereby simplifying the procedure while maintaining reliable tissue fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible coupler incorporates a self-locking mechanism that automatically secures itself to the anchor body through tensioning. The tensionable construct self-locks as it is tightened, eliminating the need for multiple manual knot-tying steps and reducing procedural complexity while ensuring secure fixation.
3Reliability
If traditional fixation methods with knots are used, then tissue can be secured, but the strength and stability of the repair may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible coupler features a self-locking tensionable mechanism that automatically secures itself to the anchor body as tension is applied. This self-locking action distributes forces evenly along the coupler-anchor interface, enhancing both the strength and stability of the repair without the stress concentrations that can occur with traditional knots.
Solution Approach 2:
The tensionable flexible coupler allows for dynamic adjustment of tension during the surgical procedure, enabling optimal force distribution and fixation strength. The construct can be tensioned to the appropriate level and then locks in place, providing both strength during installation and stability during healing.
Data Source
AI summary
Tensionable, knotless, self-locking surgical constructs and methods for surgical repairs are disclosed. A tensionable, knotless, self-locking surgical construct includes two self-locking, tensionable, knotless independent mechanisms loaded onto a fixation device, one of the two self-locking, tensionable, knotless, independent mechanisms including a preformed, flexible, continuous, uninterrupted loop. The fixation device can be a knotless fixation device such as a hard-body anchor, or a knotless soft anchor such as an all-suture knotless anchor.