Wedge Suture Anchor Locking for Tensioned Soft Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing knotless suture anchors fail to provide a method for applying tension to suture material, making it difficult for surgeons to secure soft tissue to bone effectively.
Innovation Solution
A knotless suture anchor with a sloped lumen and movable wedge mechanism that engages a locking mechanism by tensioning the suture, allowing for secure fixation without a secondary locking step.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a knotless suture anchor is used to simplify the securing process, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ability to apply tension to the suture material is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The suture anchor system is designed to automatically lock the suture in place through self-engaging features. The wedge-shaped suture lock and corresponding wedge-shaped cavity work together to automatically secure the suture when tension is applied, eliminating the need for manual knot-tying while maintaining the ability to apply and maintain tension on the suture material.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a locking mechanism is added to allow tension application, then the ability to apply tension is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suture anchor is divided into distinct functional components: the anchor body, the suture lock, and the suture. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together as a system. The suture lock can be separately engineered to provide the locking mechanism without complicating the overall anchor design.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture lock is positioned within the anchor body, with the wedge-shaped suture lock fitting into the wedge-shaped cavity of the anchor. This nested arrangement allows the locking mechanism to be integrated within the anchor structure without significantly increasing the external dimensions or overall complexity of the device.
3Ease of operation
If a wedge mechanism is used to enable automatic locking, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge-shaped suture lock and wedge-shaped cavity are designed with specific geometric parameters that can be optimized for manufacturing. By carefully selecting the wedge angles and dimensions, the design balances the need for automatic locking functionality with the practical constraints of manufacturing precision. The parameters can be adjusted to accommodate standard manufacturing tolerances while maintaining effective locking.
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
Enables easy and secure attachment of soft tissue to bone by applying tension to the suture material, facilitating surgeries such as labral repair, muscle repair, and ligament repair.
Implementation Method 1
a suture locking wedge movably disposed at least partially within the first lumen, the wedge consisting of a sloped face such that the cross-sectional area of the wedge decreases in the proximal direction, the sloped face of the wedge contacting the sloped face of the first lumen when the wedge is in a suture locking position
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and anchor devices for repairing soft tissue with a suture are provided. An anchor device comprises an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a first lumen extending from the proximal end, the first lumen having at least one face which is sloped relative to the central axis of the elongate body such that the cross-sectional area of the first lumen decreases in the proximal direction. The anchor device also comprises a suture locking wedge movably disposed at least partially within the first lumen.