Suture locking apparatus
First Claim
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1. A suture locking apparatus for use with a suture having a diameter and a plurality of spaced apart protrusions, said suture locking apparatus comprising:
- a base member having a horizontal plane and an aperture therethrough, said aperture having an attachment surface;
a plurality of substantially rigid, triangular-shaped leaves, each of said leaves having a top and bottom surface, each of said triangular-shaped leaves having a base and an apex, and each of said leaves further having an attachment region, adjacent to said base;
wherein, each of said leaves is attached to said base member at the attachment surface of said base member via said attachment region, such that said leaves form a polyhedron with the apex of each leaf immediately adjacent to the apex of the other, thus, said leaves providing a suture opening; and
wherein at least one of said leaves articulates with said base, and with each leaf in an unstressed state having an angle defined by a plane coincident with the top surface of that leaf and said horizontal plane of said base, wherein the angle of each leaf is substantially equal to the angle of the other leaves and the angle of each leaf ranges from at least ten degrees but less than fifty degrees.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A suture locking fastener for surgical procedures. The one piece plastic molded fastener features a plurality of triangular-shaped leaves that are attached to a base. At least one of the leaves is attached to the base using a flexible hinge section thus permitting that leaf to articulate with respect to the base. The leaves are positioned at a predetermined angle relative to the horizontal that is at least 30 degrees, and, preferably, 45 degrees which permits a suture, either a thread or a plastic filament, to be held securely without deforming or cutting into it.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A suture locking apparatus for use with a suture having a diameter and a plurality of spaced apart protrusions, said suture locking apparatus comprising:
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a base member having a horizontal plane and an aperture therethrough, said aperture having an attachment surface; a plurality of substantially rigid, triangular-shaped leaves, each of said leaves having a top and bottom surface, each of said triangular-shaped leaves having a base and an apex, and each of said leaves further having an attachment region, adjacent to said base;
wherein, each of said leaves is attached to said base member at the attachment surface of said base member via said attachment region, such that said leaves form a polyhedron with the apex of each leaf immediately adjacent to the apex of the other, thus, said leaves providing a suture opening; and
wherein at least one of said leaves articulates with said base, and with each leaf in an unstressed state having an angle defined by a plane coincident with the top surface of that leaf and said horizontal plane of said base, wherein the angle of each leaf is substantially equal to the angle of the other leaves and the angle of each leaf ranges from at least ten degrees but less than fifty degrees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of fastening at least two tissue members during a surgical procedure comprising the steps of:
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providing a suture locking fastener with at least one rigid articulated leaf set at a predetermined angle relative to a base of said suture locking fastener when said leaf is in an unstressed state;
tying a series of spaced apart interference knots along a length of the suture;passing said suture through the tissue members; aligning said suture locking fastener to one of the tissue members such that said suture locking fastener is centered over a point defined by said suture exiting that tissue member and such that said can pass through said suture locking fastener when said suture locking fastener contacts that tissue member; tensioning said suture within the tissue members; sliding said suture locking fastener over said suture wherein each knot encountered by said suture locking fastener causes said articulated leaf to articulate; locking said suture locking fastener onto said suture via one of the knots such that said suture locking fastener contacts one of the tissue members and such that one knot of said suture thread firmly engages the leaf of said suture locking fastener whereby the tissue members are stably fastened together. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification