SUTURE ANCHOR WITH RELIEF MECHANISM

• US 20080033486A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Mitek Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ohira, Makoto, Lizardi, Jose E., Whittaker, Gregory R., Ziniti, Donald, Ranucci, Kevin J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,788,825 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 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• 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 2017/0409 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 2017/0424 the separate member staying in the anchor after placement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/045 snug fit within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for attaching soft tissue to bone. In general, a deployment device, insertion assembly, and suture anchor are provided. The insertion assembly is coupled between the deployment device and the suture anchor to allow the deployment device to deploy the suture anchor into bone. Each of the various components disclosed herein can be used alone, in combination with one another, or in combination with various other devices.

Claims

1. A suture anchor device, comprising:

an insert having a sidewall extending between leading and trailing ends and defining an inner lumen extending through the insert, and at least one bore formed in the sidewall and configured to receive a suture therethrough; and

an outer sleeve disposable over the insert and configured to lock a suture between the outer sleeve and the insert;

wherein the insert and the outer sleeve include a snap-lock engagement mechanism formed there between for locking the insert and the outer sleeve together.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the snap-lock engaging mechanism comprises at least one pin formed on at least one of the insert and the outer sleeve, and at least one complementary bore formed in the other one of the insert and the outer sleeve.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an alignment mechanism formed between the insert and the outer sleeve and configured to rotationally align the insert and the outer sleeve during insertion of the outer sleeve over the insert.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises at least one protrusion formed on at least one of the insert and the outer sleeve, and at least one complementary detent formed in the other one of the insert and the outer sleeve.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the insert includes a plurality of detents formed adjacent to the leading end of the insert, and wherein the outer sleeve includes a plurality of protrusions formed adjacent to a trailing end of the outer sleeve and configured to sit within the plurality of detents formed on the insert for rotationally aligning the insert and outer sleeve.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the trailing end of the insert is flared and is configured to frictionally engage a trailing end of the outer sleeve.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the trailing end of the insert includes a notch formed therein and configured to receive a corresponding protrusion formed on an inserter shaft for rotationally aligning the insert with the inserter shaft.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the insert and the outer sleeve have a modulus of elasticity that is substantially the same as one another.

9. A suture anchor assembly, comprising:

a hollow insert having at least one bore formed therein and configured to receive a suture therethrough;

an outer sleeve disposable over the insert and configured to lock a suture between the outer sleeve and the insert;

an inserter shaft having a distal end extending through the insert and removably mated to the outer sleeve.

10. The suture anchor assembly of claim 9, wherein the inserter shaft includes a pusher slidably disposed thereon and configured to abut against a proximal end of the insert to allow the pusher and inserter shaft to be moved relative to one another to position the outer sleeve over the hollow.

11. The suture anchor assembly of claim 10, wherein the proximal end of the insert and a distal end of the pusher include an alignment mechanism formed there between and configured to rotationally align the insert with the pusher.

12. The suture anchor assembly of claim 9, wherein the insert and the outer sleeve include a snap-lock engagement mechanism formed there between the locking the insert and the outer sleeve together.

13. The suture anchor assembly of claim 12, wherein the snap-lock engaging mechanism comprises at least one pin formed on at least one of the insert and the outer sleeve, and at least one complementary bore formed in the other one of the insert and the outer sleeve.

14. The suture anchor assembly of claim 9, wherein the trailing end of the insert is flared and is configured to frictionally engage a trailing end of the outer sleeve.

15. A method for anchoring suture in bone, comprising:

inserting a suture anchor coupled to a distal end of an inserter shaft into bone such that a suture coupled to an insert of the suture anchor extends from the bone;

moving the inserter shaft and a pusher slidably disposed around the inserter shaft relative to one another to position a sleeve of the suture anchor around the insert to lock the suture there between, the insert and sleeve locking together using a snap-lock connection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein locking the insert and the sleeve comprises positioning at least one protrusion formed on at least one of the insert and the sleeve within at least one corresponding bore formed in the other one of the insert and the sleeve to snap-lock the insert and sleeve together.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the pusher is maintained in a fixed position as the inserter shaft is retracted relative to the pusher.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the inserter shaft is maintained in a fixed position as the pusher is advanced relative to the inserter shaft.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising, prior to moving the inserter shaft and pusher, tensioning the suture extending from the bone.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein tensioning the suture comprises coupling the suture extending from the bone to a suture tensioning assembly to tension the suture between the suture tensioning assembly and the insert.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the tension applied to the suture is maintained at a substantially fixed tension when the sleeve is positioned over the insert.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein a flared portion on a trailing end of the insert frictionally engages a trailing end of the sleeve.