Method for Tissue Fixation

• US 20080065114A1
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• 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: Stone, Kevin, Denham, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,905,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/139
• 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 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• 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 2017/0427 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from the anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0446 Means for attaching and blocking the suture in the suture anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061

Abstract

A method for securing a strand to a fixation member for arthroscopic fixation, wherein the fixation member includes an aperture therethrough. The method includes passing a strand having first and second ends through a flexible sleeve, passing the sleeve through the aperture of the fixation member in a first direction, tensioning the strand, and pulling the sleeve in a second direction different than the first direction to secure the sleeve to the fixation member without tying the strand on the fixation member.

Claims

1. A method for securing a strand to at least one fixation member for a surgical procedure, the at least one fixation member having an aperture therethrough, the method comprising:

passing a strand having first and second ends through a flexible sleeve such that the first and second ends are outside the flexible sleeve;

passing the sleeve through the aperture of the fixation member in a first direction;

tensioning the strand; and

moving the sleeve in a second direction different than the first direction to secure the sleeve to the fixation member without tying the strand on the fixation member.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

folding the sleeve into a first configuration;

pushing the sleeve through the aperture of the fixation member in the first direction; and

changing the sleeve to a second configuration that cannot pass through the aperture of the fixation member by pulling the sleeve in the second direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sleeve has first and second ends and the first and second ends of the strand exit the sleeve from corresponding first and second openings intermediate the first and second ends of the sleeve.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein moving the sleeve in a second direction different than the first direction presses first and second end portions of the sleeve against the fixation member.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the sleeve through the aperture comprises:

loading the sleeve on an inserter;

pushing the inserter through the aperture in the first direction; and

removing the inserter.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the fixation member in bone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making a hole in bone; and

inserting the fixation member in the hole.

8. A method for securing a strand to a plurality of anchors for a surgical procedure, the method comprising:

inserting a plurality of anchors into a bone;

passing a flexible strand having first and second ends through a plurality of flexible sleeves serially coupled on the strand;

passing each sleeve in a first configuration into and through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first direction;

deforming each sleeve to a second configuration; and

tying a single knot at the first and second ends of the strand.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein passing each sleeve in a first configuration includes:

folding the sleeve in a substantially U-shape; and

pushing each sleeve through the aperture of the corresponding fixation member.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein deforming each sleeve to a second configuration includes pressing first and second end portions of the sleeve against the corresponding anchor.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein deforming each sleeve to a second configuration includes deforming the sleeve to a bell-like shape.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein passing the sleeve in a first configuration into and through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first direction includes:

forming a loop relative to the sleeve with an auxiliary flexible member having first and second ends;

passing the first and second ends of the auxiliary member through the aperture of the anchor in the first direction; and

pulling the first and second ends of the auxiliary member through the aperture of the anchor until the sleeve passes through the aperture; and

removing the auxiliary flexible member.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein passing the sleeve in a first configuration into and through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first direction is performed before inserting the corresponding anchor into the bone.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein passing the sleeve in a first configuration into and through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first direction is performed after inserting the corresponding anchor into the bone.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising inserting at least one of the anchors in a pre-formed bore in the bone.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising threading at least one of the anchors into the bone.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein tying a single knot at the first and second ends of the strand includes forming an adjustable loop terminating at the knot.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising pulling one end of the strand against the knot and reducing the length of the loop.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the single knot is a slipknot and the method further comprises:

passing the flexible strand through a plurality of locations of a soft tissue adjacent to the bone;

tensioning the flexible strand; and

securing the soft tissue to the bone with the single slipknot.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein passing each sleeve through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first direction comprises one of pulling the sleeve or pushing the sleeve through the aperture in the first direction.

21. A method for securing a strand to a plurality of bone anchors for a surgical procedure comprising:

passing a flexible strand slidably through a plurality of flexible sleeves;

forming a single slipknot on a portion of the strand outside all the sleeves, the slipknot defining a closed loop;

knotlessly securing each sleeve into a corresponding bone anchor; and

reducing a length of the loop.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein knotlessly securing a sleeve includes:

passing the sleeve through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first configuration in a first direction; and

deforming the sleeve to a second configuration that cannot pass through the aperture.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein passing the sleeve through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first configuration includes deforming the sleeve in a folded shape.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein deforming the sleeve to a second configuration that cannot pass through the aperture includes:

allowing the sleeve to return to a flaccid shape;

pulling the sleeve in a second direction opposite to the first direction;

pressing first and second end portions of the sleeve against the corresponding anchor; and

deforming the sleeve to a bell-like shape.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein passing the sleeve through an aperture of a corresponding anchor in a first direction comprises one of pulling the sleeve or pushing the sleeve through the aperture in the first direction.