SUTURE ANCHOR AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20150012015A1
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Berelsman, Brian K., Stone, Kevin T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,572,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/144
• 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 2017/0409 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 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• 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 2017/0461 with features cooperating with special features on the suture, e.g. protrusions on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue

Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing soft tissue to bone can include loading a suture through an eyelet of a suture anchor. The suture anchor can have a longitudinal axis and a distal tip. An anchor inserter assembly can be positioned in contact with the suture anchor. The anchor inserter assembly can include a sleeve portion and an impacting portion. The suture can be engaged with a suture engaging member on the suture inserter assembly at a location adjacent to the eyelet. The sleeve portion can be translated relative to the impacting portion from an alignment position to an insertion position thereby moving the suture a first distance offset from the eyelet in a direction away from the distal tip. The anchor insert assembly can be advanced to a driven position thereby advancing the suture anchor into the bone. The suture engaging member can be released from the suture.

Claims

1. A method for securing soft tissue to bone, the method comprising:

loading a suture through an eyelet of a suture anchor, the suture anchor having a longitudinal axis and a distal tip;

positioning an anchor inserter assembly in contact with the suture anchor, the anchor inserter assembly including a sleeve portion and an impacting portion;

engaging the suture with a suture engaging member on the suture inserter assembly at a location adjacent to the eyelet;

translating one of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion relative to the other of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion from an alignment position to an insertion position thereby moving the suture a first distance offset from the eyelet in a direction away from the distal tip;

advancing the anchor insert assembly to a driven position thereby advancing the suture anchor into the bone; and

releasing the suture engaging member from the suture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein subsequent to translating one of the sleeve portions and impacting portion to the impacting position:

applying a desired amount of tension on the suture; and

advancing the suture anchor into the bone a second distance, the first and second distances being substantially equivalent such that the desired amount of tension on the suture is substantially constant from the insertion position to the driven position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein translating one of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion comprises threadably advancing one of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion relative to the other of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein translating one of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion causes the suture engaging member to slidably engage the suture while the suture engaging member moves from the alignment position to the insertion position.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein in the alignment position, a hook of the suture engaging member is aligned with the eyelet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein releasing the suture engaging member comprises:

rotating the sleeve relative to the impacting portion around a longitudinal axis of the anchor inserter assembly.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein engaging the suture with the suture engaging member comprises:

engaging a first portion of the suture extending out of one side of the eyelet with the suture engaging member; and

confirming a second portion of the suture extending out of an opposite side of the eyelet has a desired amount of tension.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein advancing the suture anchor into the bone comprises:

impacting an impacting plate of the impacting portion causing an impacting force to be transferred from the impacting portion to the suture anchor.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein positioning the anchor inserter assembly comprises:

advancing a proximal stem of the suture anchor into a blind bore of the impacting portion; and

contacting a terminal proximal end of the proximal stem with an engaging surface of the blind bore.

13. The suture securing assembly of claim 1 wherein the strike plate is configured to engage the sleeve portion at the insertion position thereby inhibiting further relative translation of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion.

10. A suture securing assembly for use in securing a suture relative to bone, the assembly comprising:

an impacting portion extending along a first longitudinal axis, the impacting portion having a strike plate and a shaft portion that defines a suture anchor engaging surface;

a sleeve portion movably coupled to the impacting portion, the sleeve portion having a central passage that receives the impacting portion therethrough, the sleeve portion having a suture engaging member formed at a distal end; and

an anchor having an anchor body that includes a distal tip portion and an impactor engaging surface, wherein the anchor body defines an eyelet, the proximal stem portion configured to be slidably received by the suture anchor engaging surface;

wherein the sleeve portion is configured to translate relative to the impacting portion along the first longitudinal axis from an alignment position where the suture engaging member is aligned with the eyelet to an insertion position where the suture engaging member moves the suture to a location offset a distance from the eyelet in a direction away from the distal tip.

11. The suture securing assembly of claim 10 wherein the sleeve portion is coupled to the impacting portion and wherein rotation of one of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion about the first longitudinal axis causes the one of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion to translate relative to the other of the sleeve portion and the impacting portion.

12. The suture securing assembly of claim 10 wherein the suture engaging member comprises a hook.

14. The suture securing assembly of claim 10 wherein the anchor body includes a solid anchor portion and a porous anchor portion.

15. The suture securing assembly of claim 14 wherein the eyelet is defined by the solid anchor portion.

16. A suture anchor for securing a suture relative to bone, the suture anchor comprising:

an anchor body that extends along a longitudinal anchor body axis, the anchor body including a distal tip portion and a proximal body portion, wherein the anchor body defines an eyelet, the anchor body further comprising a solid anchor portion and a porous anchor portion, wherein the eyelet is defined by the solid anchor portion.

17. The suture anchor of claim 16 wherein the anchor body further comprises:

a first and a second longitudinal opening extending from a proximal terminal end surface of the anchor body to the eyelet, the first and second longitudinal openings defined in the solid anchor portion.

18. The suture anchor of claim 17 wherein the first and second longitudinal openings are parallel to the longitudinal anchor body axis.

19. The suture anchor of claim 16 wherein the anchor body further comprises:

at least one flexible wing portion extending outwardly from the anchor body, the flexible wing portion configured to contract during insertion into bone and provide a radially outwardly biasing force onto surrounding bone subsequent to insertion.

20. The suture anchor of claim 17 wherein the eyelet is formed through the anchor body from a first opening at the proximal terminal end surface of the anchor body to a second opening through an outer cylindrical wall of the anchor body.

21. The suture anchor of claim 20 wherein the anchor body further comprises first and second flexible wings formed on diametrically opposed portions of the suture anchor, wherein the first opening is defined through the first flexible wing.

22. The suture anchor of claim 16, further comprising an insertion tool that selectively and removably couples with the suture anchor for driving the suture anchor into bone.

23. The suture anchor of claim 22 wherein the insertion tool comprises a distal tip that selectively keys with a central opening of the anchor body.

24. The suture anchor of claim 23 wherein the distal tip defines longitudinal slits formed therealong configured to permit suture to pass through.

25. The suture anchor of claim 23 wherein the distal tip creates a friction fit with the central opening of the anchor body.

26. The suture anchor of claim 24 wherein the distal tip comprises at least one of an increased outer diameter portion and an o-ring.