Knot tying accessory

• US 10,405,853 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ceterix Orthopaedics, Inc (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ceterix Orthopaedics, Inc (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Peter, Stephen J., Quitugua, Victoria C., Hirotsuka, Mark Y., Murillo, Michael, Fasman, Jennifer B., Bender, Christopher P., Chan, Sarah-Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Yabut, Diane D
• Application Number:
  US15/283,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20170119372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 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 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• 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 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0462 One way system, i.e. also tensioning the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks for applying suture anchors A61B2017/0409; for applying wound clamps A61B17/10; for applying ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/128

Abstract

Devices for easily and quickly tying complex suture knots are disclosed. The knot tying accessories described herein provide a means for introducing a complex knot pattern into a bight of suture using a device body and a guide thread. The device body includes system for maintaining the guide thread and suture in a convoluted pathway, either with the use of channels, protrusions, or a combination of both within its interior, on its exterior, or both. The guide thread may include a coupler at one end for holding a suture end while the guide thread leads the suture through the convoluted path defined within the guide body. Pull tabs may also be included to aid with exchanging the guide thread for the suture ends.

Claims

1. A knot tying accessory comprising:

a device body that is openable to expose an interior space, wherein the interior space defines a convoluted pathway within the interior space such that the convoluted pathway crosses over itself at multiple locations within the device body;

a guide thread with a capture loop at a first end of the guide thread wherein the guide thread is threaded into the convoluted path of the device body such that a first end of the capture loop is situated at a first location at a first opening outside of and adjacent to the device body and able to receive a first end of a suture;

a first pull tab coupled to an intermediate position on the guide thread that extends out of the device body at a second location at a second opening on the device body;

a third opening at a third location on the device body wherein when the capture loop has exited the device body at the second location, the capture loop is pulled to the third opening and wherein the capture loop is able to receive a second end of a suture; and

a second pull tab at a second end of the guide thread, wherein the second end extends out of the device body at a fourth location from a fourth opening on the device body.

2. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the convoluted pathway is essentially planar.

3. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the convoluted pathway comprising a series of connected curves, the series of connected curves having angles that are greater than 90 degrees.

4. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the device body further comprising a series of channels that define the convoluted pathway.

5. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the capture loop comprising a sliding knot for coupling to a suture end.

6. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the capture loop comprising a coupler for coupling to the suture end.

7. The knot tying accessory of claim 6, wherein the coupler for coupling to the suture end is a clip.

8. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the capture loop has an open state such that a bight of suture may be threaded through;

and a closed state, such that the capture loop is able to maintain the bight of suture as it travels the convoluted pathway through the interior of the device body.

9. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the capture loop and the guide thread comprising a material having a low frictional coefficient.

10. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the capture loop and the guide thread comprising a material having a frictional coefficient of 0.1 or less.

11. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the capture loop and the guide thread comprising a material having a frictional coefficient of 0.5 or less.

12. The knot tying accessory of claim 1, wherein the overall dimensions of the first and the second pull tabs are greater than the second and the third opening on the device body, such that the first and the second pull tabs cannot be pulled into the interior space of the device body.