CANNULATED SUTURE ANCHOR

• US 20100185238A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Mitek Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Mitek Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Cauldwell, Nathan, Wolf, Eugene, Howe, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,597,328 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 17/0487 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 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/888 the driver bit acting on the central region of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0403 Dowels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0427 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from the anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• 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 2017/0459 Multiple holes in the anchor through which the suture extends and locking the suture when tension is applied
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0619 thermoplastic, e.g. for bonding, welding, fusing or cutting the suture by melting it

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for anchoring suture to bone. In one exemplary embodiment, a cannulated suture anchor is provided and it includes a suture-engaging member formed therein and configured to receive a suture therearound such that trailing ends of the suture can extend through the suture anchor. The present invention also provides exemplary sutures and 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. An apparatus for anchoring tissue to bone, comprising:

a suture anchor having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends thereof, the distal end including opposed cut-outs formed in opposed sidewalls thereof and a suture-engaging member extending between the opposed sidewalls and adjacent to the opposed cut-outs such that a suture can extend around the suture-engaging member and trailing ends of the suture can extend through the inner lumen of the suture anchor; and

a driver having an elongate shaft and a distal end adapted to be received within and to engage a proximal portion of the inner lumen of the suture anchor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongate shaft includes an inner lumen extending therethrough for receiving a suture extending through the inner lumen of the suture anchor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the elongate shaft includes opposed cut-outs formed therein for allowing a suture extending from the suture anchor to extend externally along the elongate shaft of the driver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the elongate shaft has a hexagonal cross-sectional shape, and wherein at least a proximal portion of the inner lumen the suture anchor has a complementary hexagonal cross-sectional shape.

5. A method for anchoring suture to bone, comprising:

coupling a suture to a suture anchor such that the suture extends around a suture-engaging member formed in a distal end of the suture anchor and trailing ends of the suture extend through an inner lumen extending through the suture anchor;

inserting a driver into the proximal end of the suture anchor, the trailing ends of the suture extending through an inner lumen formed in the driver; and

actuating the driver to insert the suture anchor into bone to anchor the suture to the bone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the suture includes first and second suture strands that extend around the suture-engaging member and that have trailing ends that extend through the inner lumen of the suture anchor and through the inner lumen of the driver.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the suture anchor includes threads formed thereon and wherein actuating the driver comprises rotating the driver to thread the suture anchor into bone.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the suture anchor includes threads formed thereon and wherein actuating the driver comprises impacting the driver to push the suture anchor into bone.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising rotating the driver to remove the suture anchor from the bone.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the threads extend from a proximal end of the suture anchor to a distal end of the suture anchor such that the suture anchor is fully threaded into bone.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the suture anchor includes surface features formed thereon and wherein actuating the driver comprises impacting the driver to advance the suture anchor into bone.