Suture anchor with apertures at tip

• US 20050222619A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Dreyfuss, Peter J., Benavitz, William C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,579,940 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 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot

Abstract

A suture anchor includes a threaded anchor body having a bore for receiving a driver, and at least two distal passageways extending from the bore to corresponding apertures at the distal end of the suture anchor. The apertures are provided as pairs with a corresponding groove formed between the apertures of the pair. Suture strands can be inserted into the suture anchor through the apertures, the distal portion of the sutures seated in the grooves between the apertures being protected from abrasion during installation of the suture anchor.

Claims

1. A suture anchor comprising:

an anchor body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a central bore extending from an opening at the proximal end of the anchor body through a portion of the length thereof; and

at least two apertures located at the distal end of the anchor body and in communication with the central bore.

2. The suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the two apertures are connected to respective passageways that extend through the anchor body substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the anchor body.

3. The suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the centers of the two apertures are spaced apart from each other by about 0.05 to about 0.08 inches.

4. The suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the two apertures are connected by a groove at the distal end of the anchor body.

5. The suture anchor according to claim 4, further comprising at least one strand of suture passing through the groove at the distal end of the anchor body and through the two apertures.

6. The suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the suture anchor comprises four apertures.

7. The suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the anchor body is threaded.

8. The suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the central bore has a hexagonal cross-sectional shape.

9. The suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the central bore has a cross-sectional shape so as to accommodate a driver head for driving the suture anchor.

10. A suture anchor assembly for attachment of tissue to bone, the suture anchor assembly comprising:

a suture anchor comprising an anchor body having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis, an outer surface and a central bore located at the proximal end;

at least two suture apertures located at the distal end of the anchor body; and

at least one suture strand attached to the suture anchor and passing slidingly through the two suture apertures.

11. The suture anchor assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the two suture apertures is connected to a respective distal passage comprising a proximal passage end and a distal passage end, the proximal passage end being in communication with the central bore, and the distal passage end being in communication with an aperture located at a most distal surface of the anchor body.

12. The suture anchor assembly of claim 11, wherein the aperture is connected to a groove at the distal end of the anchor body.

13. The suture anchor assembly of claim 12, wherein the suture strand passes through the groove at the distal end of the anchor body.

14. The suture anchor assembly of claim 11, wherein the anchor body comprises a plurality of thread flights extending from the outer surface of the anchor body.

15. A suture anchor assembly for attachment of tissue to bone, the suture anchor assembly comprising:

a suture anchor comprising a body member having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis, an outer surface, a socket having a shape for receiving a suture anchor driver, and at least two suture passages communicating with the socket, the two suture passages being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; and

at least one suture strand attached to the suture anchor and extending through the socket and through the two suture passages.

16. The suture anchor assembly of claim 15 further comprising at least one suture groove at a most distal surface of the body member, said suture groove being connected to two apertures connected to respective ones of said suture passages.

17. The suture anchor assembly of claim 15, wherein the length of the suture passages is about one third the length of the body member.