Surgical suture anchors and deployment device

• US 20080221619A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Swain, Christopher Paul, Stefanchik, David, Spivey, James T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,662 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 2017/0406 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 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• 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 2017/0488 Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks for applying suture anchors A61B2017/0409; for applying wound clamps A61B17/10; for applying ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/128
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3916 One-piece

Abstract

A suture anchor is provided which includes a hollow member having an outer surface defining an enclosure therein, the member having a longitudinal axis and a slot through a portion of the outer surface in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the slot providing an opening into the enclosure. The suture anchor further includes a one-way valve positioned within the enclosure at the slot to allow entry of a suture through the slot into the enclosure and to prevent the exit of the suture from the enclosure. A device is provided for deploying the suture anchor. The deployment device includes an elongate hollow member having a suture anchor release zone positioned at the distal end thereof, a launch bar having at least a portion thereof positioned in the release zone, wherein the launch bar is movable within the release zone between a resting position and a launching position and is operatively connected to an actuation member positioned proximally to the elongate member. The hollow elongate member defines a housing for receiving a plurality of suture anchors in tandem along the longitudinal axis of the hollow member, wherein each of the suture anchors is configured for release from the release zone when such suture anchor is positioned within the release zone upon movement of the launch bar from the resting position to the launching position.

Claims

1. A suture anchor for securing a section of a suture to patient tissue, comprising:

a hollow member having an outer surface defining an enclosure, the member having a longitudinal axis and a slot through a portion of the outer surface in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, said slot providing an opening into the enclosure; and

,

a one-way valve positioned within said enclosure at said slot to allow entry of a suture through the slot and to prevent the exit of the suture from said enclosure.

2. The suture anchor recited in claim 1 wherein said one-way valve is a leaf spring biased toward contact with a surface of the enclosure and being positioned to span at least a portion of the slot in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow member.

3. The suture anchor recited in claim 1 wherein the slot is configured such that it forms a cut through said hollow member at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hollow member.

4. The suture anchor recited in claim 3 wherein the slot defines an apex and a pair of end sections.

5. The suture anchor recited in claim 4 wherein said one-way valve is a leaf spring biased toward contact with a surface of the enclosure and being positioned to span the cut of the slot at the apex thereof in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow member.

6. The suture anchor recited in claim 3 wherein said one-way valve is a resilient wire having a first end attached to a first surface of the enclosure and a second free end biased toward contact with a second surface of the enclosure, said second surface of the enclosure facing and being spaced from the first surface of the enclosure, said second free end being positioned to span the slot at the apex thereof in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow member.

7. The suture anchor recited in claim 1 wherein said hollow member is a cylinder.

8. A device for deploying a suture anchor comprising:

an elongate hollow member having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end;

a tip at the distal end of the elongate member;

a suture anchor release zone in said elongate member positioned adjacent to and proximal to the tip;

a launch bar having at least a portion thereof positioned in said release zone, said launch bar being movable within said release zone between a resting position and a launching position and being operatively connected to an actuation member positioned proximally to the elongate member;

said hollow elongate member defining a housing for receiving a plurality of suture anchors in tandem along the longitudinal axis of the hollow member, each said suture anchor being configured for release from said release zone when such suture anchor is positioned within said release zone upon movement of said launch bar from said resting position to said launching position.

9. The device for deploying a suture anchor recited in claim 8 wherein said suture anchor comprises:

a hollow member having an outer surface defining an enclosure therein, said hollow member having a longitudinal axis and a slot through a portion of the outer surface in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, said slot providing an opening into said enclosure; and

,

a one way valve positioned within said enclosure at said slot to allow entry of a suture through the opening into said enclosure and to prevent the exit of the suture from said enclosure.

10. The device for deploying a suture anchor recited in claim 9 wherein the release zone is configured to hold a single suture anchor therein until said launch bar is moved to the launching position.

11. The device for deploying a suture anchor recited in claim 8 wherein the elongate member is a cylinder dimensioned in cross-section to allow the elongate member to pass through a channel leading to an internal site in a patient.

12. The device for deploying a suture anchor recited in claim 8 wherein said tip is conical in shape.

13. The device for deploying a suture anchor recited in claim 8 wherein said release zone is an opening in the elongate member.

14. A method for deploying a suture anchor to a section of suture in tissue not having an associated anchor, the method comprising:

providing a deployment device comprising an elongate hollow member having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end, a tip, a suture anchor release zone in said elongate member positioned adjacent and proximal to the tip, a launch bar having at least a portion thereof positioned in said release zone, said launch bar being movable within said release zone between a resting position and a launching position and being operatively connected to an actuation member positioned proximally to the elongate member, said hollow elongate member defining a housing for receiving a plurality of suture anchors in tandem along the longitudinal axis of the hollow member, each said suture anchor being configured for release from said release zone when such suture anchor is positioned within said release zone upon movement of said launch bar from said resting position to said launching position;

providing a plurality of suture anchors in said housing of said hollow elongate member, each said suture anchor comprising a hollow member having an outer surface defining an enclosure therein, the hollow member having a longitudinal axis and a slot through a portion of the outer surface in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the hollow member, said slot providing an opening into the enclosure, and a one-way valve positioned within said enclosure at said slot to allow entry of a suture through the opening into said enclosure and to prevent the exit of the suture from said enclosure;

advancing the distal end of the deployment device distally to the patient site;

directing the tip of the deployment device under a section of suture and advancing the deployment device distally under the section of suture until the suture is over the slot in the suture anchor positioned in the release zone of the deployment device;

directing the deployment device to a position that slides the section of suture into the slot of the suture anchor, past the one-way valve to position the section of suture within the enclosure of the suture anchor;

moving the launch bar from the resting position to the launching position;

pushing the suture anchor out of the release zone; and

,

moving the deployment device in a proximal direction away from the suture anchor and the section of suture attached thereto.

15. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the step of advancing the deployment device to the patient site comprises inserting the deployment device into the proximal end of a channel leading to the patient site and advancing the deployment device distally through the channel to the patient site.

16. A method comprising:

obtaining a surgical instrument, wherein the surgical instrument comprises;

a suture tag deployment device;

sterilizing the surgical instrument; and

storing the surgical instrument in a sterile container.

17. The method recited in claim 16 wherein said surgical instrument further comprises at least one suture anchor.

18. The method recited in claim 16 wherein said surgical instrument further comprises a plurality of suture anchors.