Knotted cable attachment apparatus formed of braided polymeric fibers

• US 5,628,756 A
• Filed: 07/29/1996
• Issued: 05/13/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Surgical Technology Incorporated (Surgalign Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Richards Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Lange, Eric, Barker, Boyd T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US08/681,697
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 623/13, 623/17, 623/228, 623/1, 623/66, 606/224, 606/228, 606/139
• US Class Current: 606/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06 Needles ; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials puncturing needles A61B17/34; hypodermic needles A61M5/32 ; sewing needles D05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7062 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral processes, vertebral facets or ribs rib fixation devices A61B17/8076; Tools for such devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/82 for bone cerclage apparatus for manipulating wires or straps A61B17/8861; wires, bands or straps other than cerclage A61B17/842
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/842 Flexible wires, bands or straps A61B17/72, A61B17/82, A61B17/86 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00902 transparent or translucent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06085 having a blunt tip blunt dissectors A61B2017/320044
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30739 Devices connected to the proximal part of an endoprosthetic femoral shaft for reinforcing or replacing the trochanters, e.g. the greater trochanter proximal parts of endoprosthetic femoral shafts A61F2/367; non-prosthetic trochanteric devices A61B17/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/367 Proximal or metaphyseal parts of shafts trochanteric devices connected to said proximal parts A61F2/30739
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3877 Patellae or trochleae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30622 Implant for fusing a joint or bone material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4092 Clavicular components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/04 Non-resorbable materials

Abstract

A surgical, orthopaedic cable attachment apparatus and method for the surgical repair or fusion of orthopaedic anatomical structures is constructed from a length of flexible cable formed of a braided polymeric material having a first and second end portion. A first loop is formed in the first end portion of the cable with a second loop is formed, being placed around or through the bone parts to be tied. After the second loop is place around the selected bone parts, the free cable end is passed through the first loop and pulled tight to define a tightened position. The free cable end can have a needle. The free end is then secured to the cable by splicing for example, to hold the cable in the tightened position.

Claims

1. A surgical cable apparatus for surgically securing and fusing vertebral bone segments together, wherein each of the vertebral bone segments having an irregular outer surface, comprising:

a) a flexible surgical cable member having first and second free end portions;

b) a needle attached to the first of one of said free end portions, the flexible cable being formed of a plurality of polymeric fibers;

c) the flexible cable being of a diameter of between one and three (1-3) millimeters along the entire length thereof including said first and second free end portions;

d) said cable having sufficient inherent flexibility for enabling the cable to be wrapped around the irregular outer surface of the vertebral bone segments and in close conformity with the irregular outer surfaces of the vertebral segments;

e) a splice connection for joining the cable end portions together after the cable has been wrapped around the bone segments to be fused, said splice connection including a woven interconnection of the cable end portions wherein the first end portions weaves between individual fiber strands of the second end portion; and

f) wherein the flexible cable can transfer sufficient compressive force to the bone segments to hold them in position while the bone heals and fuses together over time.

2. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cable is an olefin.

3. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 2 wherein the cable is comprised of a plurality of fibers of an ultra high molecular weight olefin.

4. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cable is formed of a plurality of groups of fibers that are woven together.

5. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 1 wherein the splice connection includes an interwoven interface that includes two interwoven sections of the flexible cable.

6. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 5 wherein the needle is spaced away from the splice correction upon completion of the splice connection.

7. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cable is flexible enough to conform to bony prominences of the vertebral bone segments.

8. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second flexible surgical cable.

9. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 8 wherein the needle includes a leader and a branch that carries the pair of cables.

10. The surgical cable of claim 1 further comprising a second cable and a second needle attached to an end portion of the second cable and wherein the two needle portions are removably connected together so that a surgeon can pass the pair of needles and a corresponding pair of cables through selected tissue or through spaces in between selected tissue.

11. The cable attachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein the polymeric fibers formed of a high strength, biocompatible, and organic polymer.

12. A surgical cable apparatus for surgically securing and fusing bone segments together, wherein each of the bone segments having an irregular outer surface, comprising:

a) a flexible surgical cable member having first and second free end portions;

b) the flexible cable being formed of a plurality of polymeric fibers;

c) the flexible cable being of a diameter of between one and three (1-3) millimeters along the entire length thereof including said first and second free end portions;

d) said cable having sufficient inherent flexibility for enabling the cable to be wrapped around the irregular outer surface of the bone segments and in close conformity with the irregular outer surfaces of the segments;

e) a connection for joining the cable end portions together after the cable has been wrapped around the bone segments to be fused; and

f) wherein the flexible cable can transfer sufficient compressive force to the bone segments to hold them in position while the bone heals and fuses together over time.

13. The cable attachment device of claim 12 wherein the polymeric fibers formed of a high strength, biocompatible, organic polymer.

14. The cable attachment of claim 12 wherein the polymer is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

15. The cable attachment device of claim 12 wherein one of the cable ends includes a needle.

16. A surgical cable apparatus for surgically securing bone segments together while they fuse, wherein at least one of the bone segments having an irregular outer surface, comprising:

a) a flexible surgical cable member having first and second free end portions;

b) the flexible cable being formed of a plurality of polymeric fibers;

c) the flexible cable being of a diameter of between one and three (1-3) millimeters along the entire length thereof including said first and second free end portions;

d) the cable being flexible enough so that a user can form multiple knots at selected positions along the length thereof;

e) said cable having sufficient inherent flexibility for enabling the cable to be wrapped around the irregular outer surface of the bone segments and in close conformity with the irregular outer surfaces of the segments;

f) a connection for joining the cable end portions together after the cable has been wrapped around the bone segments to be fused; and

g) wherein the flexible cable can transfer sufficient compressive force to the bone segments to hold them in position while the bone heals and fuses together over time.

17. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 16 wherein the cable is an olefin.

18. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 17 wherein the cable is comprised of a plurality of fibers of an ultra high molecular weight olefin.

19. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 16 wherein the cable is formed of a plurality of groups of fibers that are woven together.

20. The surgical cable apparatus of claim 16 wherein the cable is flexible enough to conform to bony prominences of the vertebral bone segments.

21. The cable attachment apparatus of claim 16 wherein the polymeric fibers formed of a high strength, biocompatible, and organic polymer.

22. The cable attachment of claim 16 wherein the polymer is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.