Z-SHAPED BUTTON FOR TISSUE REPAIR

• US 20110087280A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Albertorio, Ricardo
• Granted Patent: US 8,753,375 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 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone

Abstract

Techniques and reconstruction systems for tissue repairs employing a Z-shaped button with a flexible strand or loop (which may have a fixed or adjustable length). The Z-shaped button has a distinctive Z-shape or an S-shape configuration, that allows a smaller length button to achieve comparable contact area as with a longer length button. The Z-shaped button allows for truncated flipping distance yet permits maximum cortical bone contact. The continuous loop/Z-shaped button construct may be used for fixation of bone to bone, or of soft tissue to bone.

Claims

1. A suture loop/button construct, comprising:

at least one suture loop; and

a Z-shaped button attached to the at least one suture loop.

2. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the Z-shaped button comprises two openings configured to allow the suture loop to pass through it.

3. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the Z-shaped button comprises a body with a longitudinal axis and two opposing sides extending away from the body and forming an angle of about 45 degrees with the longitudinal axis.

4. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the suture loop is a continuous suture loop with a fixed length.

5. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the suture loop is a flexible loop having an adjustable length and two adjustable eyesplices that are interconnected.

6. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, further comprising tissue attached to the suture loop.

7. The suture loop/button construct of claim 6, wherein the tissue is passed through and looped over the suture loop.

8. The suture loop/button construct of claim 6, wherein the tissue is soft tissue, graft, tendon, ligament, synthetic material, biological material, bone, or a combination of such materials.

9. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the suture loop is formed of a suture material comprising ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

10. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the button has a length of about 18.5 mm.

11. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of suture loops.

12. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the suture loop has a first portion having a single suture strand and a second portion having a plurality of single suture strands.

13. The suture loop/button construct of claim 1, wherein the Z-shaped button is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloy, polyethylene, PEEK and PLLA.

14. A continuous suture loop/button assembly, comprising:

a Z-shaped button comprising a body, two opposing sides extending away from the body and forming an angle of about 45 degrees with a longitudinal axis of the body, and two eyelets extending through opposing surfaces of the body;

a continuous suture loop attached to the two eyelets; and

a suture strand attached to one of the two eyelets.

15. The continuous suture loop/button assembly of claim 14, wherein the suture loop comprises strands of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene and the Z-shaped button is formed of titanium or titanium alloy.

16. A method of positioning tissue within the body, comprising the steps of:

providing a suture loop/button construct having a Z-shaped button with at least one eyelet and a continuous suture loop attached to the at least one eyelet;

providing the suture loop/button construct in the vicinity of tissue to be positioned; and

attaching the tissue to be positioned to the suture loop/button construct.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of attaching the tissue further comprises folding the tissue over the continuous suture loop.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

pulling the suture loop/button construct with the attached tissue through a socket or a tunnel in a bone;

positioning the attached tissue within the socket or the tunnel in the bone; and

securing the Z-shaped button on a surface of the bone.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the tissue to be positioned is biological or non-biological tissue.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the tissue to be positioned is selected from the group consisting of ligament, tendon, bone and cartilage.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the tissue to be positioned is soft tissue graft or BTB graft.

22. A method of conducting arthroscopic surgery, comprising the steps of:

forming a bone tunnel or socket;

providing a suture loop/button construct in the vicinity of the bone tunnel or socket, the suture loop/button construct comprising a Z-shaped button having at least one eyelet, and a continuous suture loop attached to the at least one eyelet;

attaching a graft to the suture loop/button construct; and

subsequently securing the graft within the bone tunnel or socket.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of inserting the graft attached to the suture loop/button construct into the bone tunnel or socket, and passing the suture loop/button construct through the bone tunnel or socket.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of securing the Z-shaped button to a bone cortex abutting the bone tunnel or socket.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the graft is soft tissue graft or BTB graft.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the bone tunnel or socket is a femoral or tibial bone tunnel or socket.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the Z-shaped button has a length of about 18.5 mm.

28. A method of tissue reconstruction, comprising:

providing a construct comprising an adjustable button/loop construct having a Z-shaped or S-shaped button and a flexible, adjustable loop connected to the button, the flexible loop having an adjustable length; and

a tissue connected to the flexible, adjustable loop;

inserting the construct within a first bone tunnel and a second bone tunnel; and

adjusting the length of the loop to secure the tissue within the first and second bone tunnels.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

attaching the loop to the Z-shaped or S-shaped button by forming an eyesplice interconnection on the loop and positioning the Z-shaped or S-shaped button over the eyesplice interconnection;

passing the tissue through the loop and looping the tissue over the loop to form a double looped tissue;

advancing the construct through the first bone tunnel so as the Z-shaped or S-shaped button exits the first bone and pivots and engages a cortical surface of the first bone; and

adjusting the length of the loop to position the double looped tissue within the first bone tunnel.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the tissue is soft tissue, graft, tendon, ligament, synthetic material, biological material, bone, or a combination of such materials.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the construct is formed by the steps of:

providing a suture strand having two ends;

attaching one end to a suture passing device;

passing the suture passing device through the center of the suture strand to form a first eyesplice with one of the two ends;

sliding the Z-shaped or S-shaped button over a non-spliced strand so that the Z-shaped or S-shaped button rests over the spliced strand; and

passing the suture passing device through the center of the first eyesplice to form a second eyesplice with the other of the two ends, wherein the first eyesplice is interconnected to the second eyesplice.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the suture passing device is a needle.