Button and continuous loop for fixation of ligaments

• US 20080046009A1
• Filed: 08/16/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Hallett, Brian, Schaneville, Tara, Albertorio, Ricardo
• Granted Patent: US 9,101,461 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 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0817 Structure of the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0847 Mode of fixation of anchor to tendon or ligament
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0876 Position of anchor in respect to the bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone

Abstract

A technique and reconstruction system for ligament repair employing a continuous loop/button construct. The button has an oblong configuration and is provided with at least one inside eyelet that allows the passage of the continuous loop, preferably a suture loop. The continuous loop/button construct of the present invention may be used for fixation of bone to bone, or of soft tissue to bone.

Claims

1. A suture loop/button construct, comprising:

at least one suture loop; and

a button attached to the at least one suture loop.

2. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the button comprises at least one opening configured to allow the suture loop to pass through it.

3. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the suture loop is a continuous suture loop.

4. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the suture loop is formed of a suture material comprising ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

5. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the button has an oblong configuration.

6. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the button has a length of about 10 to about 20 mm.

7. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the button has a width that is less than about 1 mm narrower than the width of a tunnel through which the button is inserted and passed through.

8. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of suture loops.

9. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the suture loop has a first portion having a single suture strand and a second portion having a plurality of single suture strands.

10. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the button is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloy, polyethylene, PEEK and PLLA.

11. A continuous suture loop/button assembly, comprising:

a button comprising a body and two eyelets extending through opposing surfaces of the body;

a continuous suture loop attached to the two eyelets; and

a suture strand attached to one of the two eyelets.

12. The continuous suture loop/button assembly of claim 11, wherein the suture loop comprises strands of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene and the button is formed of titanium or titanium alloy.

13. The continuous suture loop/button assembly of claim 11, wherein the suture loop has a stitched region.

14. The continuous suture loop/button assembly of claim 11, wherein the suture loop is coated with an elastomer.

15. A method of positioning tissue within the body, comprising the steps of:

providing a suture loop/button construct having a button with at least one eyelet and a continuous suture loop attached to the at least one eyelet;

providing the suture loop/button construct in the vicinity of tissue to be positioned; and

attaching the tissue to be positioned to the suture loop/button construct.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of attaching the tissue further comprises folding the tissue over the continuous suture loop.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

pulling the suture loop/button construct with the attached tissue through a socket or a tunnel in a bone;

positioning the attached tissue within the socket or the tunnel in the bone; and

securing the button on a surface of the bone.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the tissue to be positioned is biological or non-biological tissue.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the tissue to be positioned is selected from the group consisting of ligament, tendon, bone and cartilage.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the tissue to be positioned is soft tissue graft or BTB graft.

21. A method of conducting arthroscopic surgery, comprising the steps of:

forming a bone tunnel or socket;

providing a suture loop/button construct in the vicinity of the bone tunnel or socket, the suture loop/button construct comprising a button having at least one eyelet, and a continuous suture loop attached to the at least one eyelet;

attaching a graft to the suture loop/button construct; and

subsequently securing the graft within the bone tunnel or socket.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of inserting the graft attached to the suture loop/button construct into the bone tunnel or socket, and passing the suture loop/button construct through the bone tunnel or socket.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of securing the button to a bone cortex abutting the bone tunnel or socket.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the graft is soft tissue graft or BTB graft.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the bone tunnel or socket is a femoral or tibial bone tunnel or socket.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the bone tunnel or socket is formed in a retrograde manner using a rotary drill cutter.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the rotary drill cutter is a dual-sided rotary drill cutter.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the rotary drill cutter comprises two opposed sides and is provided with cutting surfaces on both sides, such that the rotary drill cutter is configured for cutting in two directions.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the suture loop is formed of a suture material comprising ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the button has an oblong configuration.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the button has a length of about 10 to about 20 mm.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the button has a width that is less than about 1 mm narrower than a width of the bone tunnel or socket.

33. A method of ligament reconstruction, comprising the steps of:

forming a first socket in a first bone by conducting a first action using a rotary drill cutter, the first bone articulating in a predetermined manner with a second bone;

forming a second socket in the second bone by conducting a second action using the rotary drill cutter;

providing a suture loop/button construct in the vicinity of the first and second sockets, the suture loop/button construct comprising a button with at least one eyelet and a continuous suture loop attached to the at least one eyelet;

attaching a graft to the suture loop of the suture loop/button construct;

pulling the suture loop/button construct with the attached graft through the first socket;

securing the button of the suture loop/button construct to a bone cortex abutting the first socket; and

securing the graft within the second socket.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first bone is tibia and the second bone is femur.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first bone is femur and the second bone is tibia.