Method for anchoring suture to bone

• US 5,046,513 A
• Filed: 11/20/1989
• Issued: 09/10/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitek Surgical Products, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Mitek Surgical Products, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: O'Leary, James, Nicholson, James E., Gatturna, Roland F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/439,452
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 606/232, 606/72, 606/74, 606/144, 606/220
• US Class Current: 128/898
• 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 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• 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 2017/0437 the barbs being resilient or spring-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0805 Implements for inserting tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0829 without deformation of anchor parts, e.g. fixation screws on bone surface, extending barbs, cams, butterflies, spring-loaded pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0864 Fixation of tendon or ligament between anchor elements, e.g. by additional screws in the anchor, anchor crimped around tendon
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0888 Anchor in or on a blind hole or on the bone surface without formation of a tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/00 Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 Composed of particular material or coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/908 Bioabsorbable material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/911 : Memory material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/916 : Tool for installing or removing orthopedic fastener

Abstract

A method for anchoring suture to bone, wherein the method comprises the steps of (1) providing a suture anchor of the sort comprising (a) a coupling member, (b) at least one barb, said barb having a first end and a second end and being curved in its normal unstressed state and being capable of being elastically deformed to a substantially straight configuration, said barb being attached to said coupling member so that said second end of said barb is substantially displaced from said coupling member when said barb is in its normal unstressed state but is aligned with said coupling member when said barb is deformed to a substantially straight configuration, and (c) attachment means for attaching the suture to the suture anchor, (2) deforming the barb to a substantially straight configuration and retaining the barb in its deformed condition, and attaching a suture to the suture anchor, and forming a hole in a bone to which the suture is to be anchored, (3) inserting the suture anchor with its deformed barb into the hole in the bone, and (4) releasing the barb from its deformed condition while the suture anchor is disposed in the hole, whereby the barb will restore itself to its normal curved state so as to fix the suture anchor and hence the suture to the bone.

Claims

1. A method for anchoring one end of a suture in bone, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a suture anchor comprising (1) a coupling member, and (2) a barb made of a resilient, elastic material, said barb having a first end and a second end and having a curved configuration in its normal unstressed state, said barb also being capable of being elastically deformed to a substantially straight configuration, said barb being attached to said coupling member so that said second end of said barb is substantially displaced from said coupling member when said barb is in its normal unstressed state but is capable of being aligned with said coupling member when said barb is deformed to a substantially straight configuration;

(b) deforming said barb to a substantially straight configuration and retaining said barb in said deformed configuration;

(c) attaching one end of a length of suture to said coupling member so that the opposite end of said length of suture is free for use in attaching an object to a bone when said suture anchor is anchored in the bone;

(d) forming a hole in a bone which is to have said object attached thereto;

(e) inserting said suture anchor with deformed barb into said hole; and

(f) releasing said barb while said suture anchor is disposed in said hole, whereby said barb will restore itself to its normal curved state so as to fix said suture anchor to said bone;

with step (d) occurring before or after step (c).

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one barb is made of a nickel titanium alloy.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) is accomplished by inserting said suture anchor in a hollow tube.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said suture anchor is loaded into a hollow tubular suture anchor loader to place it in its deformed state, said hollow tubular suture anchor loader in inserted into a hollow insertion cannula, said hollow insertion cannular is inserted into a hole in a bone, and a plunger member is inserted into said tubular suture anchor loader and moved relative to said tubular suture anchor loader so as to discharge said suture anchor from said tubular suture anchor loader and insert it into said hole.

5. A method for anchoring one end of a piece of suture in bone, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a suture anchor comprising (a) a coupling member, (b) at least one barb, said barb having a first end and a second end and being curved in its normal unstressed state and being capable of being elastically deformed to a substantially straight configuration, said barb being attached to said coupling member so that said second end of said barb is substantially displaced from said coupling member when said barb is in its normal unstressed state but is aligned with said coupling member when said barb is deformed to a substantially straight configuration, and (c) attachment means for attaching one end of a suture to said suture anchor;

(2) deforming said barb to a substantially straight configuration and retaining said barb in its deformed condition, and attaching a suture having a first end and a second end to said attachment means at said first end of said suture so that said second end of said suture is free for use in attaching objects to a bone when said suture anchor is anchored in said bone, and forming a hole in a bone which is to have said object attached thereto;

(3) inserting said suture anchor with deformed barb into said hole in said bone; and

(4) releasing said barb from its deformed condition while said suture anchor is disposed in said hole, whereby said barb will restore itself to its normal curved state so as to fix said suture anchor and said first end of said suture to said bone.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said barb is deformed and restrained by inserting said suture anchor into a hollow tube, and said barb is released from its deformed condition by separating said suture anchor from said hollow tube.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said barb is released by mechanically forcing said suture anchor out of said tube.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein the deformation of said barb to a substantially straight configuration occurs before said suture is attached to said coupling member.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein the deformation of said barb to a substantially straight configuration occurs after said suture is attached to said coupling member.