LATCHING ANCHOR DEVICE

• US 20110046648A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Life Sciences III LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoTract, Inc. (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wallin, Ashley K., Haller, Christian L., Wei, Micahel, Braymer, Ryan R., Paul, Ralph S., Claude, Eric J., Cheng, Floria, Catanese, Joseph III, McLean, Matthew, Lamson, Theodore C., Johnston, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,668,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• 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 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/042 plastically deformed during insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture

Abstract

An anchor that secures to a connector as part of an anchor assembly is disclosed. The proximal anchor includes a pair of spaced apart prongs which join together at a slot inception. The prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to define a catch or latching structure. The prongs are configured to capture and deform the suture between the protrusions and prevent the suture from disengaging from the slotted anchor device once engaged.

Claims

1. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture the connector therebetween and a latching structure configured to maintain an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein the latching structure includes a frictionally engaging tab formed on one prong and a complementary recess formed in another prong.

2. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the prongs can assume an open position and a closed position and deform the connector in the closed position.

3. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the latching structure defines a mushroom shaped tab.

4. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal anchor is defined by a tubular member.

5. The anchor assembly of claim 1, the proximal anchor including a first prong and a second prong, the second prong having a greater length than the first prong.

6. The anchor assembly of claim 1, the distal anchor comprising a laterally oriented tail.

7. The anchor assembly of claim 6, the distal anchor further comprising a tubular portion which is generally perpendicular to a tail portion.

8. The anchor assembly of claim 7, wherein the tubular portion includes affixing tabs for affixing the distal anchor to the connector.

9. The anchor assembly of claim 5, the proximal anchor further comprising a slot inception, the slot inception is stepped and sized to accept and deform the connector.

13. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor is defined by a solid member.

14. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor is defined by a tubular member.

15. The anchor assembly of claim 1, the anchor including a first prong and a second prong, the second prong having a greater length than the first prong.

10. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture and deform the connector therebetween and a latching structure configured to maintain an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein the latching structure is formed by a pair of crossing prongs.

11. The anchor assembly of claim 10, wherein each prong of the pair of crossing prongs includes a cut-out, the slots arranged to receive a portion of an opposing prong.

12. The anchor assembly of claim 10, wherein a first prong has a first length and the second prong has a second length, the first length being greater than the first length.

16. The anchor assembly of claim 10, further comprising a slot inception, the slot inception is stepped and sized to accept and deform the connector.

17. The anchor assembly of claim 10, the distal anchor comprising a laterally oriented tail.

18. The anchor assembly of claim 17, the distal anchor further comprising a tubular portion which is generally perpendicular to a tail portion.

19. The anchor assembly of claim 18, wherein the tubular portion includes tabs for affixing the distal anchor to the connector.

20. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture and deform the connector therebetween and a latching structure configured to maintain an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein the latching structure is defined by a slot formed in a first prong, the slot configured to lockingly receive a second prong.

21. The anchor assembly of claim 20, wherein the proximal anchor is defined by a solid member.

22. The anchor assembly of claim 20, wherein the proximal anchor is defined by a tubular member.

23. The anchor assembly of claim 20, the anchor including a first prong and a second prong, the second prong having a greater length than the first prong.

24. The anchor assembly of claim 20, the proximal anchor further comprising a slot inception, the slot inception is stepped and sized to accept and deform the connector.

25. The anchor assembly of claim 20, distal anchor comprising a laterally oriented tail.

26. The anchor assembly of claim 25, the distal anchor further comprising a tubular portion which is generally perpendicular to a tail portion.

27. The anchor assembly of claim 26, wherein the tubular portion includes tabs for affixing the distal anchor to the connector.

28. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture the connector therebetween and a latching structure configured to maintain an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein the proximal anchor includes a body and an extension configured to be folded laterally across the body.

29. The anchor assembly of claim 28, wherein a terminal end of the extension includes structure for lockingly engaging with the body.

30. The anchor assembly of claim 28, wherein the proximal anchor is defined by a solid member.

31. The anchor assembly of claim 28, wherein the proximal anchor is defined by a tubular member.

32. The anchor assembly of claim 28, the anchor including a first prong and a second prong, the second prong having a greater length than the first prong.

33. The anchor assembly of claim 28, the proximal anchor further comprising a slot inception, wherein the slot inception is stepped and sized to accept and deform the connector.

34. The anchor assembly of claim 28, distal anchor comprising a laterally oriented tail.

35. The anchor assembly of claim 34, the distal anchor further comprising a tubular portion which is generally perpendicular to a tail portion.

36. The anchor assembly of claim 35, wherein the tubular portion includes tabs for affixing the distal anchor to the connector.

37. A method involving at least one anchor assembly, the method comprising:

positioning an anchor at an interventional site, the anchor including prongs and a latching structure; and

configuring the anchor to lockingly engage and deform suture by deflecting the prongs and causing the latching structure to maintain an engagement between the prongs.

38. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture and deform the connector therebetween and a latching means for maintaining an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein the latching means includes a first prong having a slot or recess configured to receive a second prong.

39. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture the connector therebetween and a latching means configured to maintain an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein the latching means includes an extension configured to be laterally foldable across the prongs.

40. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture the connector between there and a latching means for maintaining an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein the latching means includes scissor structure.

41. An anchor assembly, comprising:

a distal anchor, a connector and a proximal anchor, the proximal anchor comprising;

a back end; and

a pair of spaced prongs extending from the back end, the prongs being joined together at a slot inception, and wherein the prongs are shaped and sized of a configuration to provide deflection of the prongs;

wherein the prongs include inwardly facing structure configured to capture the connector between there and a latching means for maintaining an engagement with the connector between the prongs;

wherein a first prong of the pair of spaced prongs is longer than a second prong of the pair of spaced prongs, and wherein the first prong is folded over a terminal end of the second prong.