Method and apparatus for coupling soft tissue to a bone

• US 10,154,837 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stone, Kevin T., Denham, Gregory J., Harper, Ryan, Kaiser, Ryan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dornbusch, Dianne
• Application Number:
  US14/983,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20160106414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00858 high friction or non-slip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0805 Implements for inserting tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0829 without deformation of anchor parts, e.g. fixation screws on bone surface, extending barbs, cams, butterflies, spring-loaded pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 : Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone

Abstract

A method and apparatus for surgically repairing a tear in soft tissue is disclosed. A plurality of collapsible tubes are positioned about the suture. The collapsible tubes are pushed through soft tissue and orthopedic mesh on opposite sides of a tear in soft tissue. When tension is applied to the suture, the tubes are compressed to fix the suture to the soft tissue and draw the soft tissue portions together.

Claims

1. A suture anchor assembly for anchoring suture to bone, the suture anchor assembly comprising:

a suture having a first free end and a second free end; and

a deformable tube having a first tube end and a second tube end, the deformable tube slidably received on the suture with the first free end of the suture extending away from the first tube end and the second free end of the suture extending away from the second tube end, the deformable tube deformable from a first condition to a second condition, the first condition of the deformable tube permitting advancement of the deformable tube in a first direction through a tunnel formed in bone from a first end of the tunnel toward a second end of the tunnel, the second condition of the deformable tube forming an anchoring mass for contacting bone in the tunnel for inhibiting movement of the deformable tube back through the tunnel in a second direction opposite the first direction,

wherein the deformable tube, when in the first condition, is folded along a middle section of the deformable tube so that when the deformable tube in the first condition is advanced through the tunnel in the first direction the middle section can lead the deformable tube through the tunnel with the first tube end and the second tube end trailing the middle section through the tunnel and with the first free end and the second free end of the suture remaining outside the tunnel for pulling by a surgeon for converting the deformable tube from the first condition to the second condition,

wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes a plurality of first longitudinal tube sections alternating with a plurality of second longitudinal tube sections, each of the plurality of first longitudinal tube sections being occupied by the suture and permitting longitudinal sliding of the suture through the plurality of first longitudinal tube sections when the deformable tube is in the second condition, each of the plurality of second longitudinal tube sections being unoccupied by the suture and exhibiting a curved shape when the deformable tube is in the second condition.

2. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1 in combination with an inserter, the inserter carrying the suture anchor assembly for inserting the suture anchor assembly into bone.

3. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes at least two first longitudinal tube sections and at least two second longitudinal tube sections.

4. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the suture is a braided suture.

5. The suture anchor assembly of claim 4, wherein the suture is braided of from 8 to 16 fibers.

6. The suture anchor assembly of claim 5, wherein the fibers are made of nylon.

7. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the suture is formed of multiple type of biocompatible fibers having multiple coefficients of friction.

8. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the suture is formed of multiple type of biocompatible fibers having multiple sizes.

9. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformable tube is a polymer tube.

10. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformable tube is formed with a knit, woven, or braided material.

11. The suture anchor assembly of claim 10, wherein the deformable tube is formed with a braided nylon material.

12. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformable tube is formed with a suture material.

13. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformable tube is a braided tube.

14. The suture anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes a first longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the first tube end and a first longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the second tube end.

15. The suture anchor assembly of claim 14, wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes a second longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the first tube end and a second longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the second tube end.

16. A suture anchor assembly for anchoring suture to bone, the suture anchor assembly comprising:

a suture having a first free end and a second free end; and

a deformable tube having a first tube end and a second tube end, the deformable tube coupled to the suture with the first free end of the suture extending away from the first tube end and the second free end of the suture extending away from the second tube end, the deformable tube formed with a knit, woven, or braided material and being deformable from a first condition to a second condition, the first condition of the deformable tube permitting advancement of the deformable tube in a first direction through a tunnel formed in bone from a first end of the tunnel toward a second end of the tunnel, the second condition of the deformable tube forming an anchoring mass for contacting bone in the tunnel for inhibiting movement of the deformable tube back through the tunnel in a second direction opposite the first direction,

wherein the deformable tube, when in the first condition, is folded along a middle section of the deformable tube so that when the deformable tube in the first condition is advanced through the tunnel in the first direction the middle section can lead the deformable tube through the tunnel with the first tube end and the second tube end trailing the middle section through the tunnel and with the first free end and the second free end of the suture remaining outside the tunnel for pulling by a surgeon for converting the deformable tube from the first condition to the second condition,

wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes a plurality of first longitudinal tube sections alternating with a plurality of second longitudinal tube sections, each of the plurality of first longitudinal tube sections being occupied by the suture when the deformable tube is in the second condition, each of the plurality of second longitudinal tube sections being unoccupied by the suture and exhibiting a curved shape when the deformable tube is in the second condition, the suture being slidable co-axially within each of the plurality of first longitudinal tube sections when the deformable tube is in the second condition.

17. The suture anchor assembly of claim 16 in combination with an inserter, the inserter carrying the suture anchor assembly for inserting the suture anchor assembly into bone.

18. The suture anchor assembly of claim 16, wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes at least two first longitudinal tube sections and at least two second longitudinal tube sections.

19. The suture anchor assembly of claim 16, wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes a first longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the first tube end and a first longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the second tube end.

20. The suture anchor assembly of claim 19, wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes a second longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the first tube end and a second longitudinal tube section situated between the middle section and the second tube end.