Suture Management System

• US 20080103528A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Mitek Holding Corporation (Johnson & Johnson), Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson), DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Mitek Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Hovis, Jeffrey S., Brunner, Charles S., Zirps, Christopher T., Kilburn-Peterson, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,542 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 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/92 coded with colour
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/94 coded with symbols, e.g. text

Abstract

Assemblies, devices and methods are provided for suture management associated with surgical procedures for anchoring suture to bone. Suture elements mounted to suture anchors are terminated in suture loops or tags, and associated stop members that in combination with visual coding provide suture identification, prevent accidental unmounting of suture from suture anchors, and reduce the number of suture legs requiring active management during complex arthroscopic repairs. The present invention also provides exemplary drivers that can be used with the various methods and devices disclosed herein, or with other methods and devices known in the art.

Claims

1. A surgical repair assembly comprising:

a suture anchor having a suture anchor body with at least one eyelet through at least a portion of the anchor body and configured to enable a suture to be passed therethrough, and at least one fixation feature on the anchor body for engaging bone; and

at least one suture element associated with a respective one of each eyelet, each suture element having a first end, a second end and a suture diameter configured to enable it to pass slidably through the respective eyelet, the first end terminating in a feature having a size and shape different than a size and shape of the second.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further including a stop member positioned substantially adjacent to the feature along the suture element, the stop member preventing the suture element from sliding entirely through the one or more eyelet.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the feature is at least one of a tag and a suture loop.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the feature is a visual indicator having a distinguishing characteristic selected from the group consisting of a color, a pattern, a shape, a tactile feature, and combinations thereof.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the distinguishing characteristic of the feature corresponds to a distinguishing characteristic formed on the second end of the suture element.

6. The assembly of claim 3, wherein a plurality of suture elements are present and each suture element has a different type of feature.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein each feature has a different distinguishing characteristic.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the stop is selected from the group consisting of a knot, a crimp, a bead, heat shrinkable tubing, and a compression fitting.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each stop has a distinguishing characteristic selected from a visually distinguishing characteristic, a tactile characteristic, and combinations thereof.

10. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the feature is a suture loop and the stop is a knot.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the knot is one of a slip knot and a fixed knot.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the knot is spaced from the suture loop.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor body is selected from the group consisting of a one-piece anchor body and a two-piece anchor body.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the fixation feature of the anchor body is selected from the group consisting of screw threads, ridges, barbs, an expandable member, adhesives, and combinations thereof.

15. A method for reattaching soft tissue to a bone, comprising:

providing a suture anchor having a suture eyelet extending therethrough, a suture element positioned slidably through the eyelet, the suture element having a first end and a second end, the first end terminating in a suture loop secured by a knot formed in the suture element, the knot being sized to prevent its passage through the eyelet;

fixing the suture anchor into the bone;

sliding the suture element through the eyelet to position the knot and the loop adjacent to the eyelet;

grasping and pulling the loop to position the suture element for securing the tissue to the bone; and

securing the tissue to the bone using the suture element.

16. A method for reattaching soft tissue to a bone, comprising:

providing a suture anchor having a suture eyelet extending therethrough, a suture element positioned slidably through the eyelet, the suture element having a first end and a second end, the first end terminating in a feature having a size and shape different than a size and shape of the second end;

fixing the suture anchor into the bone such that the second end of each of the suture element extend out of the surgical site while the first end of each suture element remains within the surgical site adjacent to the suture anchor; and

manipulating the suture element to reattach the soft tissue to the bone.