Method and apparatus for positioning an anchor member

• US 20050240227A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bonutti Skeletal Innovations LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bonutti Skeletal Innovations LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Application Number:
  US11/169,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240227A1
• 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 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3431 being collapsible, e.g. made of thin flexible material A61B17/3423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• 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 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3486 Balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0024 Expandable catheters or sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0089 Single injection needle protruding axially, i.e. along the longitudinal axis of the catheter, from the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0095 being one or more needles protruding from the distal tip and which are not used for injection nor for electro-stimulation, e.g. for fixation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0084 being one or more injection needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/06 Body-piercing guide needles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes

Abstract

A method for positioning an anchor member relative to body tissue is provided. The method includes positioning an end portion of a tubular member relative to the body tissue with the end portion being in a closed condition at least partially blocking a passage in the tubular member, moving the tubular member into the body tissue by piercing the body tissue with the end portion of the tubular member, and moving an anchor member along the passage in the tubular member with a suture disposed in engagement with the anchor member. The method also includes operating the end portion of the tubular member from the closed condition to an open condition, moving the anchor member through the end portion of the tubular member into the body tissue while the end portion of the tubular member is in the open condition, and expanding hydrophilic material of the anchor member.

Claims

1. A method of positioning an anchor member relative to body tissue, the method comprising:

positioning an end portion of a tubular member relative to body tissue with the end portion of the tubular member in a closed condition at least partially blocking a passage in the tubular member;

moving the tubular member into body tissue by piercing the body tissue with the end portion of the tubular member;

moving an anchor member along the passage in the tubular member with a suture disposed in engagement with the anchor member;

operating the end portion of the tubular member from the closed condition to an open condition;

moving the anchor member through the end portion of the tubular member into the body tissue while the end portion of the tubular member is in the open condition; and

expanding hydrophilic material of the anchor member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material of the anchor member expands when exposed to body fluid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tubular member includes a plurality of wires which extend along a passage in the tubular member.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein moving the anchor member along a passage in the tubular member includes sliding the anchor member along the wires and moving the anchor member out of the passage in the tubular member into the body tissue.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising expanding at least a portion of the passage in the tubular member by transmitting force from a leading end portion of the anchor member to the tubular member while moving the anchor member along the passage in the tubular member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of piercing the body tissue includes forming an opening in the body tissue at a location which is free of naturally occurring openings.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising expanding at least a portion of the passage in the tubular member by resiliently stretching material which forms at least a portion of the tubular member.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving segments of the end portion of tubular member which pierced the body tissue from an closed position in which portions of the segments of the end portion of the tubular member are disposed in engagement with each other to an open position in which the portions of the segments of the end portion of the tubular member are spaced apart from each other.

9. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of covering indicia on the tubular member with body tissue as the tubular member is inserted into the body tissue, and interrupting insertion of the tubular member into body tissue in response to covering of indicia corresponding to a desired depth of insertion of the tubular member into body tissue.

10. A method of positioning an anchor member relative to a patient'"'"'s body tissue, said method comprising:

providing an anchor member having a suture disposed in engagement therewith, the anchor member including hydrophilic material;

providing a tubular member;

moving the anchor member along a passage in the tubular member with the suture disposed in engagement with the anchor member;

moving the anchor member out of the passage in the tubular member into the patient'"'"'s body tissue with the suture disposed in engagement with the anchor member, and

expanding the hydrophilic material of the anchor member.

11. The method of claim 10, further including the step of expanding at least a portion of the passage in the tubular member by transmitting force from an expansion member to the tubular member while moving the anchor member along the passage in the tubular member without transmitting force from the anchor member to the tubular member and expanding at least a portion of the tubular member under the influence of the force transmitted from the expansion member to the tubular member.

12. The method of claim 11, further including the step of expanding at least a portion of the passage in the tubular member by resiliently stretching material which forms at least a portion of the tubular member without transmitting force from the anchor member to the tubular member.

13. The method of claim 10, further including the step of forming an opening in the patient'"'"'s body tissue by piercing the patient'"'"'s body tissue with an end portion of the tubular member, said step of moving the anchor member out of the passage in the tubular member includes moving the anchor member through an opening in the end portion of the tubular member which pieced the patient'"'"'s body tissue.

14. The method of claim 13, further including the step of expanding at least a portion of the passage in the tubular member without transmitting force from the anchor member to the tubular member.

15. The method of claim 10, further including the step of moving segments of the tubular member from an initial position in which portions of the segments of the tubular member are disposed in engagement with each other to an extended position in which the portions of the segments of the tubular member are spaced apart from each other without transmitting force from the anchor member to the tubular member.

16. The method of claim 10, further including the step of providing an inner member, said step of moving the anchor member along the passage in the tubular member is performed with the anchor member enclosed by the inner member and spaced from the tubular member.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of expanding at least a portion of the passage in the tubular member by applying force against the tubular member with the inner member while the anchor member is enclosed by the inner member and is spaced from the tubular member.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of moving the anchor member along a passage in the tubular member is performed with at least a portion of the anchor member enclosed by an inner member, the method further includes the step of expanding at least a portion of the passage in the tubular member and transmitting force from the inner member to the tubular member while moving the inner member and the suture anchor formed of body tissue together along the passage in the tubular member.

19. The method of claim 10, further including the steps of inserting the tubular member into the patient'"'"'s body tissue, covering indicia on the tubular member with body tissue as the tubular member is inserted into the patient'"'"'s body tissue, and interrupting the step of inserting the tubular member into the patient'"'"'s body tissue in response to covering of indicia corresponding to a desired depth of insertion of the tubular member into the patient'"'"'s body tissue.