Cannulated instrument with curved shaft for passing suture through tissue

• US 20050033365A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Courage, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 9,364,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0608 J-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular

Abstract

A surgical instrument for manipulating suture within a patient. The surgical instrument includes a short cannulated handle and a cannulated shaft having a curved configuration. A Nitinol loop is inserted through the cannulation of the instrument for passing and shuttling suture through tissue. The curved shaped of the instrument allows it to be introduced into the shoulder for rotator cuff repair, for example, using the Neviaser Portal.

Claims

1. An arthroscopic instrument for rotator cuff repair, comprising:

a cannulated shaft having a substantially curved region, the substantially curved region having a configuration designed for insertion percutaneously through the rotator cuff, medially to laterally, through the Modified Neviaser Portal; and

a cannulated handle coupled to the cannulated shaft.

2. The arthroscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein the cannulation of the shaft is sized to allow a suture capturing member to pass therethrough and to retain suture.

3. The arthroscopic instrument of claim 2, wherein the suture capturing member comprises a wire loop.

4. The arthroscopic instrument of claim 2, wherein the retained suture is attached to a suture anchor.

5. The arthroscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein the substantially curved region has a length of about 5 cm to about 15 cm.

6. The arthroscopic instrument of claim 5, wherein the substantially curved region has a length of about 10 cm.

7. The arthroscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein the handle is provided with at least one recessed region.

8. The arthroscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein the substantially curved region terminates in a sharp tip.

9. A suture retrieving instrument, comprising:

a cannulated shaft having a curved region and a linear region;

a cannulated handle coupled to the cannulated shaft and surrounding at least a portion of the linear region; and

a wire loop extending through the cannulated shaft.

10. The suture retrieving instrument of claim 9, wherein the wire loop is a Nitinol loop.

11. The suture retrieving instrument of claim 9, wherein the curved region terminates in a sharp tip.

12. The suture retrieving instrument of claim 9, wherein the curved region has a length which is about equal to the length of the linear region.

13. The suture retrieving instrument of claim 9, wherein the handle is provided with at least one recessed region, the at least one recessed region having a plurality of protuberances.

14. A suture passing instrument, comprising:

a cannulated shaft having a substantially curved region terminating in a sharp end; and

a cannulated handle coupled to an end of the cannulated shaft opposite the sharp end, wherein the cannulation of the shaft is sized to allow a suture strand to pass therethrough.

15. The suture passing instrument of claim 14, wherein the suture strand is a FiberStick strand.

16. The suture passing instrument of claim 14, wherein the substantially curved region has a length of about 5 cm to about 15 cm.

17. The suture passing instrument of claim 16, wherein the substantially curved region has a length of about 10 cm.

18. A method of endoscopically retrieving suture disposed within a patient, comprising the steps of:

providing a suture retrieving instrument, the suture retrieving instrument comprising a cannulated shaft having a curved region terminating in a sharp tip, and a handle coupled to an end of the cannulated shaft opposite the sharp tip;

positioning the suture retrieving instrument in the proximity of tissue to be sutured at a surgical site;

advancing the suture retrieving instrument through the tissue;

capturing the suture within a loop passing through the cannulated shaft; and

withdrawing the captured suture from the surgical site.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the loop is a braided Nitinol loop.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the suture is attached to a suture anchor.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the curved region has a length of about 5 cm to about 15 cm.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the curved region has a length of about 10 cm.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the captured suture is withdrawn from the surgical site by simultaneously withdrawing the instrument and the loop passing through the cannulation of the instrument.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the captured suture is withdrawn from the surgical site by first withdrawing the instrument from the surgical site and subsequently withdrawing the loop with the captured suture from the surgical site.