METHODS AND DEVICES FOR TISSUE REPAIR

• US 20070083236A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Sikora, George, Hecker, Aaron, Bojarski, Raymond
• Application Number:
  US11/535,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083236A1
• 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 17/0467 Instruments for cutting sutures surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• 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 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures

Abstract

An apparatus for tissue repair includes first and second fixation members configured to secure tissue together, a flexible coupling member coupling the first and second fixation members, a first flexible pull member attached to the first fixation member but not the second fixation member, and a second flexible pull member attached to the second fixation member but not the first fixation member. A surgical method for repairing a wound in a rotator cuff includes forming a first and second channel through tissue, advancing a first flexible member and a first fixation member coupled thereto through the first channel, advancing a second flexible member and a second fixation member coupled thereto through the second channel, and pulling a third flexible member coupling the first and second fixation members to shorten a length of the third flexible member between the first and second fixation members. A surgical method includes pulling a first implant through soft tissue of a rotator cuff cross a tear in the tissue to position the first implant on a first side of the tear and a second implant, coupled to the first implant by a flexible coupling member, on a second side of the tear with the flexible coupling member traversing the tear, and pulling the flexible coupling member to shorten a length of the flexible coupling member between the first and second implants to move the implants against the soft tissue to close the tear.

Claims

1. An apparatus for tissue repair, comprising:

first and second fixation members configured to secure tissue together;

a flexible coupling member coupling the first and second fixation members;

a first flexible pull member attached to the first fixation member but not the second fixation member; and

a second flexible pull member attached to the second fixation member but not the first fixation member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible coupling member includes a slip knot.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flexible coupling member includes a first closed loop.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second fixation members each define at least one opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first closed loop traverses the opening in one of the fixation members.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a second closed loop of flexible material traversing the opening in the other fixation member and the flexible coupling member being slidably received through the second closed loop.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second flexible pull members comprise closed loops.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible coupling member and the first and second flexible pull members comprise sutures.

9. A surgical method for repairing a wound in a rotator cuff comprising:

forming a first channel through tissue;

advancing a first flexible member and a first fixation member coupled thereto through the first channel;

forming a second channel through tissue;

advancing a second flexible member and a second fixation member coupled thereto through the second channel; and

pulling a third flexible member coupling the first and second fixation members to shorten a length of the third flexible member between the first and second fixation members.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second channels are formed through rotator cuff soft tissue.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second channels are formed through bone tissue.

12. A surgical method, comprising:

pulling a first implant through soft tissue of a rotator cuff across a tear in the tissue to position the first implant on a first side of the tear and a second implant, coupled to the first implant by a flexible coupling member, on a second side of the tear with the flexible coupling member traversing the tear; and

pulling the flexible coupling member to shorten a length of the flexible coupling member between the first and second implants to move the implants against the soft tissue to close the tear.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming a channel through the soft tissue and across the tear.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein pulling the first implant includes pulling a first closed loop of flexible material attached to the first implant through the channel.

15. A method of making a tissue repair device, the method comprising:

passing a flexible material through an opening defined by a first fixation member;

forming the flexible material into a first closed loop;

traversing a flexible member through the first closed loop;

traversing the flexible member through a second fixation member and forming a second closed loop in the flexible member such that the flexible member is coupled to the second fixation member; and

forming a slip knot in the flexible member.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

coupling a first flexible pull member to the first fixation member but not the second fixation member; and

coupling a second flexible pull member to the second fixation member but not the first fixation member.

17. A tissue repair device, comprising:

a closed loop of multifilament flexible material, wherein the loop is knotless and includes a contact portion in which the ends of the multifilament flexible material are formed together; and

a fixation member defining a cavity that receives at least a part of the closed loop.