A suture anchor is a small orthopedic implant used to attach tendons and soft tissue to bone. This article summarizes anchor types, materials and applications.
What does a suture anchor do?
Suture anchors are used when a torn or detached tendon or ligament needs to be re-attached to bone. The anchor is placed into the bone, while the high-strength suture on it holds the soft tissue to create a stable fixation. The most common use is rotator cuff repair and labral repair in the shoulder.
In the traditional approach, soft tissue was secured with sutures passed through tunnels drilled in the bone. Anchor-based fixation instead places the implant directly into the bone, which is designed to facilitate work through arthroscopic — that is, minimally invasive — techniques. The choice of surgical technique always rests with the relevant healthcare professional.
Types of suture anchors
Anchors fall into several groups by material and design:
- Titanium anchors: offer high pull-out strength. E.g. Helix TI Screw Anchor.
- PEEK anchors: radiolucent, reducing imaging artefacts. E.g. Helix 3.5mm PEEK anchor.
- All-suture (soft) anchors: made entirely of suture, requiring a smaller tunnel. E.g. Sensitiva Soft Anchor.
- Knotless anchors: eliminate the surgical knot-tying step. E.g. Titanium Peek Knotless Pushlock.
Screw-in and push-in designs
Anchors also differ by how they are inserted. Screw-in anchors are advanced into the bone by rotation and hold through their thread geometry. Push-in anchors are seated directly into a prepared socket and are generally designed to require fewer surgical steps. Both approaches offer different advantages across different bone structures.
Which diameter should be chosen?
Diameter selection depends on the joint and bone structure. Smaller joints may use 2.9–3.5 mm, while larger structures such as the shoulder may use 4.5–5 mm anchors. The choice of diameter and material rests with the surgeon, based on surgical technique.
Alongside diameter, the number of sutures carried by the anchor and the suture material are also considered. High-strength braided sutures directly affect the strength of the repair construct, which is why the anchor and suture are evaluated together as a system.
Areas of application
- Shoulder: rotator cuff and labral repair, acromioclavicular joint applications.
- Knee: sports surgery applications requiring ligament and tendon fixation.
- Ankle: lateral ligament repair and syndesmosis applications.
- Small joints of the hand and foot: soft tissue fixation with small-diameter anchors.
These headings describe what the products are designed for; the indication decision for any given case rests with the healthcare professional.
What is considered in anchor fixation?
The performance of a suture anchor cannot be reduced to a single number. The main considerations are how the anchor holds within the bone, how the suture locks onto the anchor, and the strength of the repair construct as a whole. Bone quality directly affects this picture: in bone of lower density, designs offering a larger contact surface or all-suture anchors may come into consideration.
For this reason, anchor selection is not made by looking at one catalogue specification, but by evaluating the joint, the bone structure, the planned surgical technique and the surgeon's experience together. Our products are designed to offer options to the healthcare professionals making that evaluation.
Packaging, sterilization and traceability
Suture anchors are single-use implants. Packaging and sterilization information is stated on the product label, and every product is recorded traceably with a lot number. These records form part of the traceability required by the ISO 13485 quality management system and document the whole chain from raw material intake to shipment.
Maxx Global Medical suture anchors
Maxx Global Medical manufactures titanium, PEEK and all-suture anchors at its Ankara facility using CNC technology under an ISO 13485 quality management system. Explore all suture anchor models.
You may also read our article PEEK vs Titanium Suture Anchors, where we compare the materials in more detail.
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Contact our team for anchor models, diameter options and packaging details.