Reattachment of tissue to base tissue

• US 20030120309A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Sikora, George, Colleran, Dennis, Gabriel, Stefan, Trail, Ian, Dye, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 7,867,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/232
• 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 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0427 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from the anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0437 the barbs being resilient or spring-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0438 slotted, i.e. having a longitudinal slot for enhancing their elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0456 Surface features on the anchor, e.g. ribs increasing friction between the suture and the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures

Abstract

An anchor includes an anchor body configured to be retained within base tissue. The anchor body includes a unidirectional mechanism to selectively restrict passage of a flexible member through the anchor. The flexible member includes a loop to enable attachment of candidate tissue to base tissue without the use of knots.

Claims

1. A flexible member anchor comprising:

a flexible member including a loop; and

a body having;

a channel through which the flexible member is disposed, the channel including a unidirectional mechanism configured to allow movement of the flexible member through the channel in a first direction and to restrict movement of the flexible member through the channel in a second direction; and

an anchoring mechanism configured to anchor the body in base tissue.

2. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the anchoring mechanism further comprises ridges disposed on an outer surface of the body.

3. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the anchoring mechanism further comprises ridges disposed peripherally body.

4. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the anchoring mechanism further comprises ridges comprising an edge angled towards an end of the body.

5. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the channel further comprises an entrance port and an exit port disposed in an end of the body.

6. The flexible member anchor of claim 5 further comprising a conical shaped feature disposed at another end of the body located opposite the end including the entrance port and the exit port.

7. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the flexible member comprises a suture.

8. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the loop comprises a preformed loop.

9. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the unidirectional mechanism further comprises a constricting mechanism to constrict the flexible member when traveling in the second direction.

10. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the unidirectional mechanism further comprises:

a portion of the channel including a transverse cross section having a tapered diameter; and

ridges disposed adjacent the portion of the channel, the ridges configured to direct the flexible member towards a widest portion of the tapered diameter of the portion of the channel when the flexible member travels in the first direction and towards a narrowest portion of the tapered diameter of the portion of the channel when the flexible member travels in the second direction.

11. The flexible member anchor of claim 10 wherein the portion of the channel is linear.

12. The flexible member anchor of claim 11 wherein the ridges are further disposed parallel to each other.

13. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

14. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein an end of the body is conical in shape.

15. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 further comprising an insertion feature configured to accept a tool that enables an operator to apply force to the flexible member anchor to insert the flexible member anchor into base tissue.

16. The flexible member anchor of claim 15 wherein the insertion feature further comprises a bore.

17. The flexible member anchor of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a substantially rigid material.

18. The flexible member anchor of claim 17 wherein the body comprises a biocompatible metal.

19. The flexible member anchor of claim 17 wherein the body comprises a biocompatible polymer.

20. The flexible member anchor of claim 17 wherein the base tissue comprises bone.

21. A flexible member anchor comprising:

a body including an axial member having a distal end and a proximal end, the axial member comprising a channel through which flexible member passes, the channel comprising;

a linear channel portion including a tapered transverse cross section having a wide portion and a narrow portion, and

a first plurality of ridges forming a portion of the linear channel portion, the first plurality of ridges oriented from the wide portion to the narrow portion and not parallel to the tapered transverse cross section; and

a second plurality of ridges disposed peripherally on the axial member.

22. The flexible member anchor of claim 21 where the distal end of the axial member comprises a conical shaped element.

23. The flexible member anchor of claim 22 wherein the second plurality of ridges further comprises ridges having an angled surface, the angled surface extending from the distal end towards the proximal end.

24. The flexible member anchor of claim 22 wherein the channel further comprises an entrance port and an exit port disposed at the proximal end of the axial member.

25. The flexible member anchor of claim 24 further comprising an insertion feature defining a cavity disposed at the proximal end of the axial member.

26. The flexible member anchor of claim 24 further comprising a flexible member disposed through the channel.

27. The flexible member anchor of claim 26 wherein the flexible member comprises a suture.

28. The flexible member anchor of claim 24 further comprising a flexible member disposed through the channel, the flexible member comprising a loop.

29. The flexible member anchor of claim 28 wherein the loop comprises a preformed loop.

30. The flexible member anchor of claim 24 wherein the body comprises a substantially rigid material.

31. The flexible member anchor of claim 30 wherein the body comprises a biocompatible metal.

32. The flexible member anchor of claim 30 wherein the body comprises a biocompatible polymer.

33. The flexible member anchor of claim 21 wherein the first plurality of ridges are further disposed substantially parallel to each other.

34. A surgical method comprising:

attaching a flexible member to candidate tissue using a loop;

inserting the flexible member into a flexible member anchor,

attaching the flexible member anchor to base tissue;

pulling the flexible member through the flexible member anchor to adjust spacing between the base tissue and the candidate tissue; and

maintaining the spacing using a unidirectional mechanism of the flexible member anchor.

35. The surgical method of claim 34 wherein inserting is performed subsequent to attaching the flexible member anchor to base tissue.

36. The surgical method of claim 34 wherein attaching the flexible member to the candidate tissue further comprises:

generating a hole in the candidate tissue;

passing a portion of the flexible member through the hole to position the loop on one side of the hole and a second end of the flexible member on an opposite end of the hole; and

passing the second end of the flexible member through the loop.

37. The surgical method of claim 36 wherein passing the second end of the flexible member through the loop is performed external to a patient'"'"'s body.

38. The surgical method of claim 36 wherein passing a portion of the flexible member through the hole and passing the second end of the flexible member through the loop are performed subsequent to inserting the flexible member into the flexible member anchor.

39. The surgical method of claim 38 wherein passing the second end of the flexible member through the loop further comprises passing the second end of the flexible member including the flexible member anchor through the loop.

40. The surgical method of claim 38 wherein generating a hole further comprises puncturing the candidate tissue using the flexible member anchor.

41. The surgical method of claim 34 further comprising forming a loop at an end of the flexible member.

42. The surgical method of claim 34 wherein the flexible member comprises suture.

43. The surgical method of claim 34 wherein the flexible member comprises a preformed loop.

44. The surgical method of claim 34 wherein the base tissue comprises bone.