Flexible Anchors for Tissue Fixation

• US 20110264141A1
• Filed: 07/06/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Denham, Gregory J., Stone, Kevin T., Palese, Chris, Norton, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,652,172 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 2017/0403 Dowels other bone dowels A61B17/68; dowels for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30433
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• 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

Abstract

An anchor for securing tissue to bone can include a flexible first tubular member, a flexible second tubular member, and a first suture member. The first tubular member can include a first wall defining a first passage between first and second ends. The second tubular member can include a second wall defining a second passage between first and second ends. The first suture member can couple the first tubular member and the second tubular member. The first suture member can pass through the first wall and the first passage and the second wall and the second passage. The first tubular member and the second tubular member can engage each other and deform to form an anchoring mass upon tensioning the first suture member. A method of preparing an anchor for securing tissue to bone and a method of securing a tissue to a bone are also provided.

Claims

1. An anchor for securing tissue to bone, comprising:

a flexible first tubular member including a first wall defining a first passage between first and second ends;

a flexible second tubular member including a second wall defining a second passage between first and second ends; and

a first suture member coupling the first tubular member and the second tubular member, the first suture member passing through the first wall and the first passage and the second wall and the second passage,

wherein the first tubular member and the second tubular member engage each other and deform to form an anchoring mass upon tensioning the first suture member.

2. The anchor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first suture member passes through the first wall and first passage and the second wall and the second passage a plurality of times to form a first loop and a second loop,

the first loop couples the first end of the first tubular member and the first end of the second tubular member, and

the second loop couples the second end of the first tubular member and the second end of the second tubular member.

3. The anchor according to claim 2, further comprising a second suture member passing through the first wall and the first passage, and overlapping the first suture member within the first passage.

4. The anchor according to claim 1, wherein the first tubular member and the second tubular member have a braided construction.

5. The anchor according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring mass has a locking configuration.

6. The anchor according to claim 1, further comprising a second suture member coupling the first tubular member and the second tubular member, wherein:

the first suture member passes through the first wall and first passage and the second wall and the second passage to form a first loop coupling the first end of the first tubular member and the first end of the second tubular member, and

the second suture member passes through the first wall and first passage and the second wall and the second passage to form a second loop coupling the second end of the first tubular member and the second end of the second tubular member.

7. The anchor according to claim 1, wherein the first tubular member and the second tubular member each deform from a first shape to a second shape upon tensioning the first suture member.

8. The anchor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first suture member intersects first sections of the first tubular member and second sections of the second tubular member, and

the first sections engage the second sections upon tensioning the first suture member.

9. The anchor according to claim 1, wherein the first tubular member extends substantially parallel to the second tubular member.

10. An anchor for securing tissue to bone, comprising:

a flexible first tubular member including a wall defining a passage extending along an axis between first and second ends; and

a first suture member passing through the wall and the passage a plurality of times to create a plurality of intersecting sections and at least one loop section coupling the plurality of intersecting sections,

wherein each of the intersecting sections extends between a first aperture in the wall through which the first suture member enters the passage and a second aperture in the wall through which the first suture member exits the passage, and wherein at least two of the plurality of intersecting sections move towards each other and deform a section extending between them upon tensioning the first suture member.

11. The anchor according to claim 10, wherein:

the first suture member passes through the wall a plurality of times to create a first pair of nested loop sections, a second pair of nested loop sections disposed adjacent the first pair of nested loop sections, and a third loop section coupling the first pair of nested loop sections and the second pair of nested loop sections, and

the first pair of nested loop sections, the second pair of nested loop sections, and the third loop section move the at least two of the intersecting sections towards each other.

12. The anchor according to claim 10, wherein the first suture member passes through the wall between a first side and a second side a plurality of times.

13. The anchor according to claim 10, wherein:

the first suture member couples the first tubular member and a flexible second tubular member, and

the first tubular member and the second tubular member engage each other and deform to form an anchoring mass upon tensioning the first suture member.

14. The anchor according to claim 10, wherein the first suture member:

exits a first aperture formed in the wall at a first rotational position and a first longitudinal position with respect to the axis,

wraps at least partially around a circumference of the first tubular member, and

enters a second aperture formed in the wall at a second rotational position and a second longitudinal position with respect to the axis, wherein the second rotational position is different than the first rotational position and the second longitudinal position is different than the first longitudinal position.

15. The anchor according to claim 10, wherein:

ends of the first suture member separately extend through a pair of apertures in the wall to form a loop section that engages an outer surface of the first tubular member, and

the ends extend together from the loop section through a single aperture in the wall.

16. An anchor for securing tissue to bone, comprising:

a flexible first elongate member having a first end and a second end;

a flexible second elongate member having a first end and a second end; and

a suture member coupling the first elongate member and the second elongate member, the suture member passing through both the first elongate member and the second elongate member a plurality of times,

wherein the first elongate member and the second elongate member engage each other and deform to form an anchoring mass upon tensioning the suture member.

17. The anchor according to claim 16, wherein:

at least one of the first elongate member and the second elongate member includes a tubular construction having a wall defining a passage between the first and second ends, and

the suture member passes through the wall at a plurality of different locations and extends through a length of the passage.

18. The anchor according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first elongate member and the second elongate member has a braided construction.

19. The anchor according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first elongate member and the second elongate member has a substantially solid construction.

20. The anchor according to claim 16, wherein:

the suture member passes through the first elongate member and the second elongate member to form a first loop and a second loop,

the first loop couples the first end of the first elongate member and the first end of the second elongate member, and

the second loop couples the second end of the first elongate member and the second end of the second elongate member.

21. The anchor according to claim 16, wherein the first elongate member extends substantially parallel to the second elongate member.

22. A method of preparing an anchor for securing tissue to bone, comprising:

providing a flexible first tubular member including a first wall defining a first passage between first and second ends;

providing a flexible second tubular member including a second wall defining a second passage between first and second ends; and

passing a suture member through the first wall and the first passage and the second wall and the second passage to couple the first tubular member and the second tubular member.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein passing the suture member includes passing the suture member through the first tubular member and the second tubular member a plurality of times to form a first loop and a second loop, and wherein the first loop couples the first ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member, and the second loop couples the second ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein passing a suture member includes:

passing a first suture member through the first tubular member and the second tubular member to form a first loop that couples the first ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member, and

passing a second suture member through the first tubular member and the second tubular member to form a second loop that couples the second ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein passing the suture member includes:

passing a first suture member through the first tubular member and the second tubular member a plurality of times to form a first loop and a second loop, the first loop coupling the first ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member, and the second loop coupling the second ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member, and

passing a second suture member through the first wall and the first passage in a section of the first tubular member where the first suture member passes through the first passage.

26. A method of securing a tissue to a bone, comprising:

determining an area of the bone to couple an anchor, wherein the anchor includes;

(i) a flexible first tubular member including a first wall defining a first passage between first and second ends, (ii) a flexible second tubular member including a second wall defining a second passage between first and second ends, and (iii) a first suture member passing through the first wall and the first passage and the second wall and the second passage;

positioning the anchor at a position relative to the area; and

tensioning the first suture member until the first tubular member engages the second tubular member, and the first flexible tubular member and the second tubular member deform to form an anchoring mass.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein positioning the anchor relative to the area includes positioning the anchor in an aperture formed in the bone.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein positioning the anchor in the aperture includes coupling an insertion instrument to at least one of the first tubular member or the second tubular member.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

passing the first suture member through the tissue; and

coupling the first suture member to the tissue.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein positioning the anchor relative to the area includes positioning the anchor relative to a major surface of the tissue.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising:

engaging the anchoring mass with the major surface;

passing the first suture member through the tissue; and

coupling the first suture member to the bone.

32. The method according to claim 26, wherein tensioning the first suture member includes pulling on the first suture member adjacent ends of the first suture member.

33. The method according to claim 26, wherein the anchor remains substantially at the position while tensioning the first suture member.