US 12,144,497 B2
Suture anchor with real-time tension sensor
Jeremy S. Somerson, League City, TX (US)
Assigned to BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/469,304.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/080,478, filed on Sep. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0087671 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/04 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/0401 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/0409 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0414 (2013.01); A61B 2017/044 (2013.01); A61B 2090/064 (2016.02); A61B 2562/0214 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0247 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inserter instrument for an anchor implant comprising:
a handle;
a hollow outer barrel shaft extending from one end of the inserter instrument to an opposing end at a suture anchor attachment tip;
an inner barrel shaft extending along a length of the inserter instrument within a cavity of the hollow outer barrel shaft, wherein a distal end of the inner barrel shaft extends into a cavity of the suture anchor attachment tip and is configured to engage an implant suture anchor that is received by the suture anchor attachment tip;
a tension sensor directly coupled to a proximal end of the inner barrel shaft, wherein the tension sensor is configured to measure an amount of tension applied to an opposing end of the inner barrel shaft via the implant suture anchor and output an electrical signal indicating a value of the measured tension; and
an electronic display communicatively coupled to the tension sensor and configured to display the value of the measured tension indicated by the electrical signal.