Surgical anchor and method for using the same

• US 5,571,104 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitek Surgical Products, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Mitek Surgical Products, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Li, Lehmann K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRIS, SONYA C
• Application Number:
  US08/468,053
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 606/72, 606/73, 606/74, 606/75, 606/76, 606/77, 606/219, 606/220, 606/232
• US Class Current: 606/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0437 the barbs being resilient or spring-like
• 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 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• 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: Y10S 606/911 Memory material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/916 Tool for installing or removing orthopedic fastener

Abstract

An anchor for attaching an object within a tunnel extending through a workpiece such as a bone or a bone-like structure, and a method for using the same. The anchor includes a body and a plurality of barbs located in circumferentially spaced relation about the body. The barbs are formed of a material which may be elastically deformed from a normal configuration wherein the outer ends of the barbs extend radially outwardly of the body toward a configuration wherein the barbs are located generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. A diametrical opening in the front portion of the anchor is provided for engagement by a length of cord-like material such that the anchor may be pulled into a bone tunnel, and an opening in the rear portion of the anchor is provided for attaching either a ligament, tendon or the like to the anchor, or for grasping a bone plug or similar rigid object attached to a free end of the ligament, tendon or the like.

Claims

1. A surgical anchor for fixedly locating a free end of a ligament, tendon or a similar elongated, non-rigid member formed from natural or artificial materials or both having a substantially rigid object attached to at least one free end thereof within a piece of bone or bone-like material defining a substantially symmetrical tunnel therein, comprising:

a body adapted for longitudinal insertion into said tunnel, and a plurality of barbs;

said body having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface, a front end, a rear end, a front portion adjacent said front end, a rear portion adjacent said rear end, connection means associated with said front portion, and attachment means associated with said rear portion, said connection means being adapted to connect said anchor to anchor pulling means, and said attachment means being adapted to connect said rigid object to said anchor, said attachment means comprising a first section of said rear portion defining a first wall and a second section of said rear portion defining a second wall, said first and second walls being located in facing parallel relation so as to together define a diametrical slot extending through said body from said rear end to said front portion, at least one of said first and said second sections being pivotally movable relative to said front portion of said body; and

said barbs each comprising an outer end and an inner end, said inner end being attached to said body, and each said barb being formed and connected to said body so that said outer end is normally disposed outwardly beyond an axial projection of the maximum transverse cross-section of said body, but each said barb being elastically deformable so that said outer end may be disposed inwardly of an axial projection of the maximum transverse cross-section of said body.

2. The surgical anchor of claim 1 wherein said first and second walls each define at least one inwardly facing tine extending therefrom at an acute angle pointed in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of intended forward movement of the anchor in said tunnel.

3. The surgical anchor of claim 1 wherein said front portion of said body defines a bore extending transversely therethrough and includes a first part, a second part and a hollow pin;

said hollow pin being located within said bore such that said first part and said second part are pivotally movable relative to each other about said hollow pin; and

wherein each of said first and second sections of said rear portion of said body is attached to a separate one of said parts of said front portion of said body.

4. The surgical anchor of claim 1 wherein said barbs are formed of wire.

5. The surgical anchor of claim 4 wherein said wire is made of a pseudoelastic shape memory alloy.

6. The surgical anchor of claim 1 wherein said body defines a plurality of identical longitudinal channels located substantially adjacent said rear end of said body, said channels being located in circumferentially spaced relation to each other about said outer surface, each said channel including a forward end lying in the same plane transverse to said longitudinal axis;

and

one of said plurality of barbs extends outwardly and rearwardly from a forward end of each of said channels.

7. The surgical anchor of claim 6 wherein three of said longitudinal channels are located adjacent said rear end on the outer surface of the first and second sections of the rear portion of the body, respectively.

8. A method of affixing a rigid object attached to a free end of a ligament, tendon or similar elongate, non-rigid object formed of natural or artificial material within a piece of bone or bone-like material defining a substantially symmetrical tunnel therein, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a body adapted for longitudinal insertion into said tunnel, and a plurality of barbs;

said body having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface, a front end, a rear end, a front portion adjacent said front end, a rear portion adjacent said rear end, connection means associated with said front portion, and attachment means associated with said rear portion, said connection means being adapted to connect said anchor to anchor pulling means, and said attachment means being adapted to connect said rigid object to said anchor, said attachment means comprising a first section of said rear portion defining a first wall and a second section of said rear portion defining a second wall, said first and second walls being located in facing parallel relation so as to together define a diametrical slot extending through said body from said rear end to said front portion, and at least one of said first and said second sections being pivotally movable relative to said front portion of said body;

said barbs each comprising an outer end and an inner end, said inner end being attached to said body, and each said barb being formed and connected to said body so that said outer end is normally disposed outwardly beyond an axial projection of the maximum transverse cross-section of said body, but each said barb being elastically deformable so that said outer end may be disposed inwardly of an axial projection of the maximum transverse cross-section of said body;

(b) connecting a length of suture or suture-like material to said connecting means;

(c) attaching said rigid object between said first and said second walls of said attachment means;

(d) threading the free ends of said suture or suture-like material through said tunnel in said bone or bone-like material; and

(e) pulling on the free ends of said suture or suture-like material extending through said tunnel to thereby draw said anchor and the end of said ligament, tendon or similar elongate non-rigid object attached to said rigid object into said tunnel to a desired depth.