Soft Tissue Repair and Conduit Device

• US 20080027446A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Denham, Gregory, Stone, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/73
• 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 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• 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 2017/0646 for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus

Abstract

A soft tissue repair method. The method includes providing a flaccid tubular member having a longitudinal bore and first and second ends, the tubular member defining first and second portions integral with the tubular member. The method includes coupling the tubular member to a flexible strand, inserting the tubular member from a first side of the soft tissue to a second side of soft tissue, such that a first portion of the tubular member exits the second side of the soft tissue and a second portion of the tubular member remains inside the soft tissue, tensioning the flexible strand, deforming the first portion of the tubular member to an anchoring shape, and forming a vascularization conduit from the second portion of the tubular member.

Claims

1. A soft tissue repair method comprising:

providing a flaccid tubular member having a longitudinal bore, and first and second ends, the tubular member defining first and second portions integral with the tubular member;

coupling the tubular member to a flexible strand;

inserting the tubular member from a first side of the soft tissue to a second side of soft tissue, such that a first portion of the tubular member exits the second side of the soft tissue and a second portion of the tubular member remains inside the soft tissue;

tensioning the flexible strand;

deforming the first portion of the tubular member to an anchoring shape; and

forming a vascularization conduit from the second portion of the tubular member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the tubular member to a flexible strand includes:

passing the flexible strand through the second portion of the tubular member; and

forming a strand loop through the first portion of the tubular member.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the anchoring shape is a ball-like shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vascularization conduit is elongated.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising loading the tubular member on an inserter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein loading the tubular member on an inserter includes passing the inserter through the longitudinal bore of the tubular member.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising traversing a soft tissue defect with the vascularization conduit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising bridging vascular and avascular portions of the soft tissue with the vascularization conduit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein tensioning the flexible strand includes reducing a length of a loop formed by the flexible strand through the first portion of the tubular member.

10. A soft tissue repair method comprising:

inserting a flaccidly deformable tubular member through a meniscus, the tubular member having first and second portions;

traversing a meniscal defect with the second portion; and

anchoring the tubular member to an outer surface of the meniscus with the first portion of the tubular member.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein anchoring the tubular member to an outer surface of the meniscus with the first portion of the tubular member includes deforming the first portion of the tubular member to an anchoring shape.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein deforming the first portion of the tubular member to an anchoring shape includes tensioning a flexible strand, the flexible strand forming a loop of reducible length through the first portion.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein traversing the meniscal defect with the second portion includes forming a vascularization conduit between opposing sides of the meniscal defect.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein traversing the meniscal defect with the second portion includes creating a vascularization path between vascular and avascular portions of the meniscus.

15. A soft tissue repair method comprising:

passing a shaft of an inserter through a longitudinal bore of a flaccidly deformable tubular member;

inserting the deformable tubular member axially through soft tissue until a first portion of the tubular member is outside an outer surface of the soft tissue and a remaining portion of the tubular member extends axially inside the soft tissue; and

deforming the first portion into an anchor on the outer surface of the soft tissue.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein deforming the first portion into an anchor on the outer surface of the soft tissue includes reducing a length of flexible strand looped around the first portion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein reducing the length of flexible strand looped around the first portion includes tensioning the flexible strand.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming a vascularization path through the soft tissue with the remaining portion.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the vascularization path includes bridging vascular and avascular regions of the soft tissue with the remaining portion,

20. The method of claim 15 wherein forming the vascularization path includes traversing a soft tissue defect with the remaining portion.