Rotating tendon anchor

• US 20030176865A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert S. Supinski
• Original Assignee: Robert S. Supinski
• Inventors: Supinski, Robert S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,875,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/72
• 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 2002/0858 Fixation of tendon or ligament between anchor and bone, e.g. interference screws, wedges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/908 Bioabsorbable material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/909 Bone

Abstract

The present invention provides a tendon anchor for attaching a tendon to at least one bone without sutures within a bore drilled into at least one bone. The tendon anchor includes a first tendon anchor adapted for insertion into a bore of a first bone. The first tendon anchor has a channel provided therein for receiving and holding a central portion of a tendon during insertion and when in final position in the bore of the first bone. Opposite ends of the tendon extend out of the singular bore. A first securing mechanism (preferably a screw) which is associated with the first tendon anchor moves at least a part of the first tendon anchor radially outward to securely engage the first tendon anchor and the central portion of the tendon to the first bone by urging at least a part of the first tendon anchor against a cylindrical wall portion of said bore in said first bone. Thus, an anchor is provided without the need for sutures and the anchor may be inserted through a singular bore in the bone. In many cases, a second tendon anchor will also be utilized to attach the tendon to two different bones.

Claims

1. A tendon anchor for attaching a tendon to at least one bone without sutures within a bore drilled into said at least one bone comprising:

a first tendon anchor adapted for insertion into said bore of a first bone, said first tendon anchor having a channel provided therein for receiving and holding a central portion of a tendon during insertion and when in final position in the bore of said first bone with opposite ends of the tendon extending out of the singular bore; and

a first securing means associated with said first tendon anchor for moving at least a part of the first tendon anchor radially outward to securely engage the first tendon anchor and the central portion of the tendon to the first bone by urging at least a part of the first tendon anchor against a cylindrical wall portion of said bore in said first bone.

2. A tendon anchor according to claim 1 wherein said first tendon anchor is generally cylindrical in shape with a cylindrical outer wall and has a crescent shaped recess therein, said recess extending longitudinally along a cylindrical wall portion thereof from one end portion of the first tendon anchor to a location at least two-thirds of the distance toward an opposite end portion thereof.

3. A tendon anchor according to claim 2 wherein said first securing means is a first tapered screw adapted to be received between a cylindrical wall of the bore in said first bone and said threaded recess, whereby tightening said first screw causes one side of the first screw to embed itself into a cylindrical wall of the bore and an opposite side of the first screw urges a portion of the first tendon anchor opposite said crescent shaped recess and the entire tendon anchor radially outward against an opposite cylindrical wall of the bore.

4. A tendon anchor according to claim 2 wherein said cylindrically outer wall portion of said first anchor means is provided with outward projections thereon to aid in engaging said outer wall portion of the first tendon anchor to the cylindrical wall of the bore.

5. A tendon anchor according to claim 2 wherein said cylindrically shaped first tendon anchor has a transverse hole therein which forms said channel, said transverse hole extending from opposite cylindrical walls and positioned transversely to the crescent shaped recess and wherein said tendon is threaded through said transverse hole whereby a central portion thereof is positioned within said transverse hole.

6. A tendon anchor according to claim 1 further comprising:

a second tendon anchor adapted for insertion into a bore drilled into a second bone; and

a second securing means associated with said second tendon anchor for moving at least a part of the second tendon anchor radially outward to securely engage the second tendon anchor and the end portions of the tendon to the second bone by urging at least a part of the second tendon anchor against a cylindrical wall portion of said bore in said second bone.

7. A tendon anchor according to claim 6 wherein said second tendon anchor is generally cylindrical in shape with a cylindrical outer wall and has a crescent shaped recess therein, said recess extending longitudinally along an entire cylindrical wall portion thereof from one end portion of the second tendon anchor to an opposite end portion thereof.

8. A tendon anchor according to claim 7 wherein said second securing means is a second tapered screw adapted to be received between a cylindrical wall of the bore in said second bone and said threaded recess, whereby tightening said second screw causes one side of the second screw to embed itself into a cylindrical wall of the bore in the second bone and an opposite side of the second screw urges a portion of the second tendon anchor opposite said crescent shaped recess and the entire second tendon anchor radially outward against an opposite cylindrical wall of the bore in said second bone.

9. A tendon anchor according to claim 7 wherein said cylindrically outer wall portion of said second anchor means is provided with outward projections thereon to aid in engaging said outer wall portion of the second tendon anchor to the cylindrical wall of the bore of the second bone.

10. A tendon anchor according to claim 7 wherein said cylindrically shaped second tendon anchor has notches therein to receive the opposite ends of said tendon and said ends of said tendon are compressed and held in place between the cylindrical wall of the bore of the second bone and said cylindrical outer wall of the second tendon anchor.

11. A tendon anchor according to claim 1 wherein said first tendon anchor has a generally elongated rectangular shape with opposite ends thereof having engaging portions thereon adapted to engage into the cylindrical wall of the bore in the first bone, said first tendon anchor having a securing means in the form of a transverse hole therein adapted to receive a central portion of said tendon, said hole also constituting said channel, said hole being closer to one end of the first tendon than the other anchor and closer to one side of the tendon anchor than the other, whereby said first tendon anchor with a tendon threaded into said hole therein is inserted in the bore in the first bone longitudinally and upon exerting force upon the ends of the tendon, said first tendon anchor rotates to a partially transverse position within the bore thus forcing said engaging portions into the cylindrical bore in the first bone thereby securing the tendon in said first bone.

12. A tendon anchor according to claim 1 wherein said first tendon anchor is formed of a first elongated member and a second elongated member, said first and second members each having an engaging portion on at least one end thereof adapted to engage into the cylindrical wall of the bore in the first bone, said first and second members having a channel provided in one end thereof for receiving and holding a central portion of a tendon during insertion and when in final position in the bore in said first bone, said first and second elongated members engaging one another at a locating intermediate the end portions thereof and adapted to move relative to one another in a scissor like fashion whereby said members are inserted into the bore of the first bone in a substantially closed scissor position with the central portion of the tendon engaged and held in the channel of each member and whereby exerting force upon the ends of the tendon causes the members to move to an open scissor position forcing the engaging portion of each member into the cylindrical bore in the first bone thereby securing the tendon in said first bone.

13. A tendon anchor according to claim 12 wherein exerting greater force on the tendon ends caused said engaging portion to embed more deeply into the cylindrical bore in the first bone thereby more securely holding the tendon in said first bone.