Knotless suture anchoring using two awl shafts

• US 10,639,026 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medos International Sarl (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Medos International Sarl (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Gustafson, Adam, Gabriel, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eastwood, David C
• Application Number:
  US15/661,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20190029663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 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 17/1604 Chisels; Rongeurs; Punches; Stamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8888 at its central region
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• 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 2017/0448 Additional elements on or within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0456 Surface features on the anchor, e.g. ribs increasing friction between the suture and the anchor

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for securing tissue to bone. A surgical system can include a driver having a proximal handle and a driver shaft extending therefrom, a distal awl shaft, a proximal awl shaft separate from the distal awl shaft and movable with respect to the distal awl shaft, a suture anchor, and a dilator feature distal to the suture anchor. The distal and proximal awl shafts are receivable in at least part of a lumen of the driver. In a bone forming configuration of the system, in which the distal awl shaft is driven into bone, a distal end of the proximal awl shaft abuts a proximal end of the distal awl shaft. The proximal awl shaft can be moved proximally, such as by activating an awl handle coupled thereto, with respect to the distal awl shaft to move the system in a suture anchor insertion configuration.

Claims

1. A method of performing a surgical repair, comprising:

advancing a distal end of a distal awl shaft into a bone to form a bone hole, a proximal end of the distal awl shaft abutting a distal end of a proximal awl shaft such that the proximal awl shaft applies a load to the proximal end of the distal awl shaft;

after the bone hole has been formed, moving the proximal awl shaft to a retracted configuration such that the distal end of the proximal awl shaft is spaced apart from the proximal end of the distal awl shaft; and

with the proximal awl shaft in the retracted configuration, driving a suture anchor having a suture coupled thereto distally into the bone hole and thereby securing the suture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the proximal awl shaft to the retracted configuration comprises activating a handle coupled to a proximal portion of the proximal awl shaft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the distal awl shaft extends through an implantable dilator feature, through the suture anchor positioned proximal to the dilator feature, and through a portion of a driver shaft, and wherein driving the suture anchor distally into the bone hole comprises driving the suture anchor distally towards the dilator feature.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying tension on a terminal end portion of the suture while the proximal awl shaft is moved to the retracted configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal end portion of the suture is passed through a suture retaining feature of the distal awl shaft, through a lumen of the suture anchor, and through at least a portion of a suture retaining feature of the driver shaft, the terminal end portion extending from the driver shaft.