Toggle anchor and tool for insertion thereof

• US 20040172063A1
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Linvatec Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Linvatec Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Lehmann K., Corrao, Ernie
• Granted Patent: US 7,041,120 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 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0435 the barbs being separate elements mechanically linked to the anchor, e.g. by pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0888 Anchor in or on a blind hole or on the bone surface without formation of a tunnel

Abstract

A method for delivering an anchor member into biological tissue comprising: accessing and preparing an insertion site for the anchor member; holding the anchor member at a distal end of an insertion tool; providing the anchor member to the site with the insertion tool; causing a rotational movement of the anchor member about a first axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool whereby the anchor member engages the tissue at the site by moving about the first axis from a first position substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis to a second position at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis; and withdrawing the insertion tool from the site, leaving the anchor member secured at the site.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an anchor member into biological tissue comprising:

accessing and preparing an insertion site for the anchor member;

holding the anchor member at a distal end of an insertion tool;

providing the anchor member to the site with the insertion tool;

without requiring rotation of the insertion tool about a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool, causing a rotational movement of the anchor member about a first axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool whereby the anchor member engages the tissue at the site by moving about the first axis from a first position substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis to a second position at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis;

the step of causing a rotational movement of the anchor member about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion tool comprising pushing the anchor member with a pusher member disposed concentrically in an outer tubular member of the insertion tool, the pusher member maintaining engagement with the anchor member during the step of causing the rotational movement; and

withdrawing the insertion tool from the site, leaving the anchor member secured at the site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second position includes positions ranging from a position defined by an acute angle to the longitudinal axis to a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising preforming a borehole at the site to receive the anchor member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the anchor member is initially at least partly disposed in the outer tubular member and further comprising ejecting the anchor member using the pusher member from the outer tubular member and wherein the step of causing a rotational movement comprises using a pusher member having an angled distal surface conforming to an angled surface of the anchor member when the anchor member is at least partly in the outer tubular member.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing the pusher member and the anchor member in the outer tubular member of the insertion tool, moving the pusher member relative to the outer tubular member to eject the anchor member into a borehole in the tissue at the site with further relative movement of the pusher member causing the rotational movement.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising after withdrawing the insertion tool, causing further rotational movement of the anchor member whereby the anchor member attains a position substantially perpendicular to the borehole.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a tug to a suture connected to the anchor member to ensure that the anchor member is secured in the borehole.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said anchor member as a rotational member having at least one cutting edge for cutting into the borehole.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the anchor member has two cutting edges on opposite sides of a central hub about which the rotational movement occurs.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the anchor member as two anchor member portions, each anchor member portion rotating about a central hub and each having at least one cutting edge.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each anchor member portion has two cutting edges each on opposite sides of the central hub.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the anchor member as a member formed by slicing a cylinder along two parallel planes disposed at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the cylinder, thereby forming two parallel surfaces having sharp edges.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the pusher member has a rounded distal end, further comprising engaging the anchor member with the rounded distal end and causing the rotational movement.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the pusher member has an angled surface at a distal end thereof, further comprising holding the anchor member in a fixed orientation in the outer tubular member with the angled surface prior to ejection of the anchor member from the outer tubular member.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the outer tubular member has a shoulder defining a portion of a wall of the outer tubular member of decreased thickness further comprising inserting the portion of the wall of decreased thickness into the borehole with the shoulder defining a stop for the insertion of the insertion tool into the borehole.

4. A method for delivering an anchor member into biological tissue comprising:

accessing and preparing an insertion site for the anchor member;

holding the anchor member at a distal end of an insertion tool;

providing the anchor member to the site with the insertion tool;

without requiring rotation of the insertion tool about a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool, causing a rotational movement of the anchor member about a first axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool whereby the anchor member engages the tissue at the site by moving about the first axis from a first position substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis to a second position at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis;

the step of causing a rotational movement of the anchor member about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion tool comprising providing a biasing force to the anchor member to cause the rotational movement; and

withdrawing the insertion tool from the site, leaving the anchor member secured at the site.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of providing a biasing force comprises using a spring to apply a biasing force to the anchor member to cause the anchor member to engage the tissue at the site.

15. A method for delivering an anchor member into biological tissue comprising:

accessing and preparing an insertion site for the anchor member;

holding the anchor member at a distal end of an insertion tool;

providing the anchor member to the site with the insertion tool;

without requiring rotation of the insertion tool about a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool, causing a rotational movement of the anchor member about a first axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool whereby the anchor member engages the tissue at the site by moving about the first axis from a first position substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis to a second position at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis;

withdrawing the insertion tool from the site, leaving the anchor member secured at the site; and

further comprising providing a looped suture about a central hub of the anchor member.