Repair tack for bodily tissue

• US 4,976,715 A
• Filed: 01/30/1990
• Issued: 12/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Linvatec Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Concept, Inc. (Bristol-Myers Squibb Company)
• Inventors: Bays, F. Barry, Marchand, Sam R., Trott, Arthur F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/472,298
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 411/392, 411/395, 411/510, 411/358, 606/77, 606/213, 606/219, 606/220
• US Class Current: 606/77
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0646 for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/48 for special purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/5091 for operating on wing nuts, hooks, eye hooks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/06 with barbs, e.g. for metal parts; Drive screws

Abstract

An apparatus for repairing in vivo torn cartilaginous or other bodily tissue, particularly torn meniscus tissue during arthroscopic surgery, employs a repair tack of biodegradable material chosen to have a degradation time in excess of the required healing time for the tissue. The repair tack has a shaft portion with a longitudinal bore and a grip portion adapted for releasable engagement by a hollow applicator. In one embodiment the grip portion of the tack is a cross bar, at the proximal end of the shaft, which fits into an open-sided slot at the forward end of the applicator.

Claims

1. A tack for holding together tissue to permit healing in vivo comprising

a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a substantially cylindrical bore extending longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end to allow a needle to pass freely entirely through said shaft to extend from said distal end for penetration in the tissue;

and

a plurality of barbs disposed along said shaft, said barbs including a distal barb tapering to terminate at a sharp circular edge at said distal end of said shaft, said sharp circular edge having a diameter substantially the same as said bore to facilitate penetration and imbedding of said barbs in the tissue,

entirely of said tack being made of a biodegradable material having a degradation time selected to be at least as long as the required healing time for the tissue.

2. A tack as recited in claim 1 wherein said distal barb has an axial length greater than the axial length of the other barbs.

3. A tack as recited in claim 1 wherein said barbs have rear surfaces facing said proximal end and disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of said shaft.

4. A tack as recited in claim 1 wherein said barbs each have a frusto-conical configuration.

5. A tack as recited in claim 1 wherein said barbs each have a truncated pyramidal configuration.

6. A tack as recited in claim 5 wherein said barbs has a generally rectangular transverse cross-section.

7. A tack as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said barbs has a generally rectangular transverse cross-section.

8. A tack as recited in claim 1 wherein the tack in its entirety is an integrally-molded plastic unit.

9. A tack as recited in claim 1 wherein said barbs are formed of a continuous helical barb extending about said shaft over a portion of the length of said shaft.

10. A tack for holding tissue to permit healing in vivo comprising

a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a bore extending longitudinally through said shaft from said proximal end to said distal end for allowing a needle to pass through said shaft to extend from said distal end for penetrating the tissue;

and

a distal barb terminating at a sharp circular edge at said distal end of said shaft, said sharp circular edge having a diameter substantially the same as said bore to facilitate penetration and imbedding of said barb in the tissue.

11. A tack as recited in claim 10 wherein the entirety of said tack is made of a biodegradable material.

12. A tack as recited in claim 11 and further comprising at least one additional barb disposed on said shaft between said distal barb and said proximal end.

13. A tack as recited in claim 10 and further comprising at least one additional barb disposed on said shaft between said distal barb and said proximal end.

14. A tack for insertion in the body to hold tissue for healing comprising

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with a bore extending longitudinally through said shaft from said proximal end to said distal end, said distal end having a sharp circular edge of substantially the same diameter as said bore,

the entirety of said tack being made of biodegradable material as an integral unit.