Suture anchors

• US 20060276841A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Martinek, Jonathan, Barbieri, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,588,587 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 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 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0448 Additional elements on or within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/045 snug fit within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0459 Multiple holes in the anchor through which the suture extends and locking the suture when tension is applied

Abstract

A suture anchor includes an outer sleeve having a longitudinal throughbore and defining leading and trailing ends and an insert positionable within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve. The insert defines at least one suture track for slidably supporting a suture whereby opposed free ends of the suture extend from the at least one suture track through the longitudinal throughbore to extend beyond the trailing end of the outer sleeve to be tensioned and secured relative to the tissue. The outer sleeve may include an external thread for threaded rotation and advancement into the tissue.

Claims

1. A suture anchor, which comprises:

an outer sleeve having a longitudinal throughbore and defining leading and trailing ends; and

an insert positionable within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve, the insert defining at least one suture track for slidably supporting a suture whereby opposed free ends of the suture extend from the at least one suture track through the longitudinal throughbore to extend beyond the trailing end of the outer sleeve to be tensioned and secured relative to the tissue.

2. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the outer sleeve includes an external thread.

3. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert includes a pair of suture tracks for supporting a pair of sutures.

4. The suture anchor according to claim 3 wherein the suture tracks include channels formed in an outer surface of the insert.

5. The suture anchor according to claim 3 wherein the suture tracks include openings extending through the insert.

6. The suture anchor according to claim 5 wherein the openings are spaced in side by side relation.

7. The suture anchor according to claim 5 wherein the openings are longitudinally spaced along the insert.

8. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert is operatively connected to the outer sleeve whereby rotation of the outer sleeve causes corresponding rotation of the insert.

9. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert includes a shaft and a relatively enlarged leading tip, the shaft being receivable within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve, the leading tip having a dimension greater than a corresponding dimension of the longitudinal throughbore to be external of the outer sleeve.

10. The suture anchor according to claim 9 wherein the leading tip of the insert defines a conical portion.

11. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert is entirely positioned within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve.

12. The suture anchor according to claim 11 wherein the outer sleeve has at least one longitudinal slot at a distal end thereof such that the insert is positionable within the throughbore and the slot.

13. A suture anchor system, which comprises:

a suture anchor including;

an outer sleeve having trailing and leading ends and an external thread; and

an insert at least partially positioned within the outer sleeve, the insert having a pair of suture tracks for slidably supporting a pair of sutures whereby the sutures are looped relative to the suture tracks with respective suture end portions extending through the outer sleeve and out the trailing end thereof; and

an anchor driver for installing the suture anchor in tissue, the anchor driver including a driver shaft and a driver tip, at least the driver shaft having a pair of longitudinal recesses defined in an outer surface thereof for reception of respective suture end portions extending from the outer sleeve, the driver tip being operatively engageable with the outer sleeve of the suture anchor whereby rotational movement of the anchor driver causes corresponding rotational movement of the outer sleeve and advancement of the suture anchor into the tissue.

14. The suture anchor system according to claim 13 wherein the insert of the suture anchor includes a longitudinal bore extending therethrough for reception and passage of a guide wire.

15. The suture anchor system according to claim 14 wherein the anchor driver includes a longitudinal bore therethrough for reception and passage of a guide wire.

16. The suture anchor system according to claim 13 including a guide wire punch for facilitating entry of a guide wire into the tissue, the guide wire punch including a punch shaft defining a longitudinal bore for reception and passage of a guide wire and an impactor cap mountable to the punch shaft, the impactor cap having an internal pin dimensioned to be received within the longitudinal bore of the punch shaft when the impactor cap is mounted to the punch shaft whereby advancement of the impactor cap onto the punch shaft causes the internal pin to engage and drive the guide wire into the tissue.

17. The suture anchor system according to claim 16 wherein the impactor cap is tethered to the punch shaft with a tether line.

18. The suture anchor system according to claim 17 wherein the impactor cap and the tether line are formed of a polymeric material.