Method and apparatus for anchoring a suture
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus which is at least partially received in body tissue, said apparatus comprising a first anchor section, a second anchor section, a connector integrally formed as one piece with and extending between said first and second anchor sections, said connector having a cross sectional area which is substantially less than a cross sectional area of said first anchor section and a cross sectional area of said second anchor section, and a suture adapted to extend into the body tissue and at least part way through said first and second anchor sections, said suture being tensionable with said first and second anchor sections at least partially in the body tissue to deform said connector section and move said first anchor section relative to said second anchor section from a first position in which a central axis of said first anchor section is disposed in a first orientation relative to a central axis of said second anchor section to a second position in which the central axis of said first anchor section is disposed in a second orientation relative to a central axis of said second anchor section.
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Abstract
A tubular anchor may have a polygonal cross-sectional configuration with flat outer side surfaces areas connected by a plurality of outer corner portions. A passage through the anchor may be formed by flat inner side surfaces interconnected by inner corner portions. A suture is inserted through the passage. A concentrated force may be applied against a limited area on a trailing end of the anchor to rotate the anchor to move an outer corner portion of the anchor into engagement with body tissue. The suture may engage an inner corner portion of the anchor. The suture may be inserted through a plurality of anchors and the anchors moved through a tubular member into the body tissue under the influence of force transmitted from a trailing anchor to a leading anchor. When the leading anchor is moved into the body tissue, it is rotated under the influence of force applied against a trailing end of the leading anchor. If desired, two anchors may be interconnected. A groove may advantageously be provided along the leading end and side of an anchor to receive the suture.
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Citations
33 Claims
- 1. An apparatus which is at least partially received in body tissue, said apparatus comprising a first anchor section, a second anchor section, a connector integrally formed as one piece with and extending between said first and second anchor sections, said connector having a cross sectional area which is substantially less than a cross sectional area of said first anchor section and a cross sectional area of said second anchor section, and a suture adapted to extend into the body tissue and at least part way through said first and second anchor sections, said suture being tensionable with said first and second anchor sections at least partially in the body tissue to deform said connector section and move said first anchor section relative to said second anchor section from a first position in which a central axis of said first anchor section is disposed in a first orientation relative to a central axis of said second anchor section to a second position in which the central axis of said first anchor section is disposed in a second orientation relative to a central axis of said second anchor section.
- 8. A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor device having a first anchor section with a first passage, a second anchor section with a second passage and a connector interconnecting said first and second anchor sections, inserting a suture into the passages in the first and second anchor sections, moving at least the first anchor section into body tissue with the suture in the passages in the first and second anchor sections, said step of moving the first anchor section into body tissue including transmitting force from the second anchor section to the first anchor section through the connector to move the first and second anchor sections in a first direction, and deforming the connector with the first anchor section in the body tissue by moving the first anchor section in a second direction transverse to the first direction.
- 13. A method of anchoring a suture in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of inserting a tubular member into the body tissue, providing an anchor having first and second sections interconnected by a connector and having passages extending through the first and second sections of the anchor, inserting a suture through the passages in the first and second sections of the anchor, inserting the anchor into the tubular member with the first section of the anchor leading and with the suture extending from a location outside of the tubular member, through the passages in the first and second sections of the anchor, and into engagement with an end of the first section of the anchor, applying force against the second section of the anchor, moving the first section of the anchor and the connector through an open end of the tubular member to a location disposed in the body tissue with the suture in engagement with the end of the first section of the anchor, and deforming the connector to move the first section of the anchor and the portion of the suture which engages the end of the first section of the anchor to a location offset to a first side of the tubular member, said step of deforming the connector includes tensioning the suture to apply force against the end of the first section of the anchor.
- 16. A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having first and second sections interconnected by a connector, inserting a suture through a passage in the anchor, moving at least the first section of the anchor into body tissue with the suture extending through the passage in the anchor, and changing the orientation of the first section of the anchor relative to the second section of the anchor by deforming the connector with the first section of the anchor in the body tissue.
- 25. A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having a first section with first and second end portions, a second section with first and second end portions, and a connector which connects the second end portion of the first section with the first end portion of the second section, said first section of the anchor having a passage which extends between the first and second end portions of the first section of the anchor, said second section of the anchor having a passage which extends between the first and second end portions of the second section, inserting a suture through the passages in the first and second sections of the anchor, said step of inserting a suture through the passages in the first and second sections of the anchor includes positioning the suture across the connector, thereafter, moving the first and second sections of the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end portion of the first section of the anchor leading and with the second end portion of the second section of the anchor trailing, and deforming the connector by tensioning the suture, said step of deforming the connector includes moving the first section of the anchor relative to the second section of the anchor and the body tissue to press the anchor against the body tissue.
- 31. A method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having first and second sections interconnected by a connector, a first end of the anchor being disposed on the first section of the anchor and a second end of the anchor being disposed on the second section of the anchor, the anchor having a first passage which extends through the first section of the anchor and a second passage which extends through the second section of the anchor, inserting a suture through the first and second passages in the first and second sections of the anchor, moving at least a portion of the anchor into body tissue with the suture extending through the first and second passages in the first and second sections of the anchor and with the first end of the anchor leading and the second end of the anchor trailing, and thereafter, changing the orientation of at least the first section of the anchor relative to the body tissue by simultaneously applying force against the second end of the anchor and tensioning at least a portion of the suture to apply force against the first end of the anchor, said step of changing the orientation of at least the first section of the anchor relative to the body tissue includes deforming the connector under the influence of the force applied against the first and second ends of the anchor.
Specification