BRACE FOR TISSUE REPAIRS

• US 20150025552A1
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Stoll, Marc
• Application Number:
  US14/333,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20150025552A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments

Abstract

Fixation of tissue such as bone or ligament is performed using a flexible material (for example, a suture net or brace or sling) with a portion having an expanded footprint to provide a sling or net or meshing for treatment of bone fractures, or for holding bone graft material and/or biologic material allowing precise placement of such bone grafts and/or biologic material at a repair site (for example, soft tissue or bone fracture repair site). The flexible material may have any shape and geometry that provides holding/supporting between the material and the tissue/bone to be fixated. The mesh or netting may be formed of a woven/braided/knitted/interlinked material (for example, a suture tape or any flexible material that can be knitted, woven, linked, braided, etc.).

Claims

1. A tissue reinforcement construct, comprising:

a flexible material in the form of a mesh or netting; and

a plurality of flexible strands attached to the flexible material.

2. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is removably attached to the plurality of flexible strands.

3. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is permanently affixed to the plurality of flexible strands.

4. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is provided along a length of the plurality of flexible strands and supported by the flexible strands.

5. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material comprises a plurality of eyelets, and wherein the plurality of flexible strands attach to the eyelets.

6. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is in the form of a woven ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene core with a braided jacket of polyester and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

7. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is in the shape of a rectangle or square.

8. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible strands comprises at least one strand selected from the group consisting of suture, suture tape, suture cord, suture chain and nitinol strand.

9. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material further comprises a biological component selected from the group consisting of platelet-rich plasma, autologous conditioned plasma and bone marrow aspirate.

10. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is a flat tape and the plurality of flexible strands consists of two swedged suture tapes.

11. The tissue reinforcement construct of claim 1, wherein the tissue is bone, ligament or soft tissue.

12. A reinforcement construct for a bone fracture, the reinforcement construct consisting essentially of a pad of flexible material provided along a length of a material strand.

13. The reinforcement construct of claim 12, wherein the pad is in the form of a rectangle or a square.

14. The reinforcement construct of claim 12, wherein the pad is provided along and around the length of material strand.

15. The reinforcement construct of claim 12, wherein the pad is formed of resorbable or non-resorbable material.

16. The reinforcement construct of claim 12, wherein the material strand is a suture, a nitinol strand, a yarn, a filament, a fiber strand, a suture tape, a suture tape or a suture chain.

17. The reinforcement construct of claim 12, wherein the pad is provided with a plurality of eyelets or openings.

18. The reinforcement construct of claim 12, wherein the pad is in the form of a woven ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene core with a braided jacket of polyester and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

19. The reinforcement construct of claim 12, wherein the pad is positioned around the bone fracture to aid in supporting fractured bones of the bone fracture.

20. A method of reducing fracture segments of a fractured bone and holding bone graft at a fracture site, comprising the steps of:

providing a reinforcement construct comprising a flexible material in the form of a mesh or netting, and a plurality of flexible strands attached to the flexible material;

passing the flexible strands around the fractured bone so that the flexible material is positioned over and in contact with the fractured bone; and

securing the flexible material at the fracture site.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of providing bone graft material between the flexible material and the fractured bone, so that the bone graft material is held by the flexible material.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of providing ACP between the flexible material and the fractured bone.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the fractured bone is humerus, clavicle or ankle.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of providing a biological material to the flexible material.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the biological material is selected from the group consisting of blood, blood components, bone marrow aspirate, platelet rich plasma, autologous conditioned plasma, proteins, growth factors and hormones.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of securing the flexible material at the fracture site further comprises tying at least one knot with the flexible strands over the fractured bone.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of attaching the flexible strands to a knotless fixation device by threading the flexible strands through an eyelet of the knotless fixation device, and then securing the knotless fixation device adjacent the fracture site.