Anchoring to soft tissue

• US 20040122474A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Morin, Armond A., Gellman, Barry N., Slanda, Jozef
• Granted Patent: US 8,562,646 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 17/06066 Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations making needles B21G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• 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 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular suture extending inside a hollow needle A61B2017/06052; hollow sutures A61B2017/06185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals

Abstract

Soft tissue anchors can be used in various surgical procedures, including pelvic floor reconstruction procedures. The anchors have one position that allows passage through the body and another position that inhibits passage of the anchors back through the soft tissue when a pull-back force is applied to the anchors by an implant, such as a surgical sling used for support of the urethra.

Claims

1. A soft tissue anchor, comprising:

a. a central body element comprising a proximal portion for receiving an implant; and

b. a plurality of support members radially disposed about the central body element, each of the support members movable between a first position that permits passage of the anchor through the soft tissue and a second position that inhibits passage of the soft tissue anchor back through the soft tissue when a force is applied to the anchor by the implant.

2. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of support members is cantilevered with the first position being laterally inward proximate to the central body element and the second position being laterally outward from the central body element.

3. The soft tissue anchor of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of support members is biased in the second position.

4. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein the plurality of support members are collapsible and expandable structures with the second position being the collapsed position.

5. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein the central body element further comprises a distal portion that tapers to a point for penetrating soft tissue.

6. The soft tissue anchor of claim 5 wherein the distal portion of the central body element is prevented from contacting soft tissue when each of the plurality of support members is in the second position.

7. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein the central body element defines an aperture and a passageway through its center.

13. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein the proximal portion includes a structure for receiving the implant, the structure selected from the group consisting of an aperature, an eyelet, a lumen, and a groove.

14. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein at least some of the proximal portion includes threads.

15. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein the implant is selected from the group consisting of a surgical mesh, a surgical sling, and at least one suture.

16. The soft tissue anchor of claim 1 wherein the soft tissue anchor is made of at least one bio-compatible material.

17. The soft tissue anchor of claim 16 wherein the at least one bio-compatible material is selected from the group consisting of a metal and a polymer.

8. A soft tissue anchor, comprising:

a. a central body element comprising a proximal portion for receiving an implant; and

b. one or more support members disposed about the central body element, each of the support members movable between a first position wherein the support member is wrapped around the central body element to permit passage of the soft tissue anchor through the soft tissue, and a second position wherein the support member is projected outward from the central body element to inhibit passage of the soft tissue anchor back through the soft tissue when a force is applied to the anchor by the implant.

9. The tissue anchor of claim 8 wherein each of the one or more supports is biased in the second position.

10. A soft tissue anchor, comprising:

a. a distal portion comprising one or more coils that, when acted upon by a restraining force, can adopt a shape that permits passage of the anchor through soft tissue, and, upon removal of the restraining force, can return to the coiled shape which inhibits passage of the soft tissue anchor back through the soft tissue when a force is applied to the anchor by the implant; and

b. a proximal portion extending from the distal portion and for receiving an implant.

11. The soft tissue anchor of claim 10 wherein a plane defined by the coiled distal portion is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the proximal portion.

12. The soft tissue anchor of claim 10 wherein a plane defined by the coiled distal portion is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the proximal portion.