Anchor and method for securement into a bore

• US 6,129,762 A
• Filed: 11/05/1996
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Linvatec Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Li Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Lehmann K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snow, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US08/741,000
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 623/13.11, 623/16.11, 606/95, 606/72, 606/73, 606/60, 606/62, 606/63, 411/24, 411/25, 411/26, 411/55, 411/80
• US Class Current: 623/13.11
• 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 17/2909 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0403 Dowels other bone dowels A61B17/68; dowels for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30433
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• 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 lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/042 plastically deformed during insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0424 the separate member staying in the anchor after placement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter
• 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 2/30723 Plugs or restrictors for sealing a cement-receiving space tools for inserting plugs A61F2/4614; sealing collars for use during cementing A61B17/8808
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0835 with deformation of anchor parts, e.g. expansion of dowel by set screw
• 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: F16B 13/08 with separate or non-separate gripping parts moved into their final position in relation to the body of the device without further manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/908 : Bioabsorbable material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/91 : Polymer

Abstract

An anchor and method for securement into a bore in a medium. The anchor has a first generally hollow cylindrical section having a first plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers and a second generally hollow cylindrical section having a second plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers. The first and second sections are arranged opposed to each other with the fingers of each section being interdigitated with the fingers of the other section. The first and second sections are adapted to receive a compression force moving the two sections relatively toward each other, whereby at least some of the fingers move outwardly so as to secure the two sections in the bore in the medium.

Claims

1. A medical anchor for securement into a substantially cylindrical bore formed in a living body, the bore defined by a bore sidewall and an opening into the bore, the anchor comprising:

a first generally hollow biocompatible section having a plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers pointed proximally toward the opening when positioned in the bore, the fingers having free ends;

a second biocompatible section proximally disposed with respect to the first section and having a plurality of cam surfaces for engagement with proximally extending surfaces of the plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers of the first section;

the first and second sections being arranged opposed to each other with the fingers of the first section being arranged opposed respective cam surfaces of the second section;

an elongated body mechanically engaged with the first section;

the first and second sections being adapted to receive a compression force provided at least in part by the elongated body without rotational movement of the elongated body, the compression force moving the two sections relatively toward each other, the first and second sections having a combined longitudinal size such that they are entirely received within the bore after the compression force is applied, the first section being relatively longitudinally movable with respect to the second section with the fingers of said first section being urged to move outwardly by respective ones of the cam surfaces during the relative longitudinal movement, the free ends of the fingers of the first section being adapted to penetrate into the bore sidewall to secure the first section in the bore without anchoring the elongated body at the opening into the bore;

the elongated body extending in the longitudinal direction of the fingers with the free ends of the fingers pointing toward the elongated body;

at least one of the first and second sections being slidable along the elongated body without relative rotational movement of the elongated body and the at least one section.

2. The anchor recited in claim 1, wherein the elongated body is releasably connected to the first section.

3. The anchor recited in claim 1, wherein each of the fingers have tips, the tips being tapered to facilitate movement of the fingers outwardly.

4. The anchor recited in claim 1, wherein the two sections comprise a biocompatible metal.

5. The anchor recited in claim 1, wherein the sections comprise a biocompatible plastic.

6. The anchor recited in claim 1, further comprising a suture connected to at least one of the two sections.

7. A medical anchor for securement into a bore formed in a living body, the bore defined by a bore side wall and an opening into the bore, the anchor comprising:

a first generally hollow biocompatible section having a first plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers pointed toward the opening;

a second generally hollow biocompatible section having a second plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers;

the first and second sections being arranged opposed to each other with the fingers of each section being interdigitated with the fingers of the other section;

the first and second sections being adapted to receive a compression force moving the two sections relatively toward each other, said two sections being relatively longitudinally movable with one plurality of fingers moving outwardly and the other plurality of fingers moving inwardly during the relative longitudinal movement, the outwardly moving fingers being adapted to penetrate into the bore side wall to secure the two sections in the bore, the inwardly moving fingers being adapted to grip an elongated body disposed concentrically in at least one of the sections.

8. The anchor recited in claim 7, wherein the fingers of each plurality of fingers have tips, the tips being tapered to facilitate movement of the fingers respectively outwardly or inwardly.

9. The anchor recited in claim 7, wherein each section has a rim portion between fingers, the rim portion being tapered to facilitate movement of the fingers respectively outwardly or inwardly.

10. The anchor recited in claim 9, wherein the tips of the fingers are tapered toward or away from the hollow center of a respective section.

11. The anchor recited in claim 7, wherein the two sections comprise a biocompatible metal.

12. The anchor recited in claim 7, wherein the sections comprise a biocompatible plastic.

13. The anchor recited in claim 7, further comprising a suture connected to at least one of the two sections.

14. A method for securing a medical anchor in a bore formed in a living body, the bore defined by a bore side wall and an opening into the bore, the method comprising:

providing a first generally hollow biocompatible section having a first plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers pointed toward the opening;

providing a second generally hollow biocompatible section having a second plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers;

arranging the first and second sections opposed to each other with the fingers of each section interdigitated with the fingers of the other section;

applying a compression force to the first and second sections to move the two sections relatively toward each other, said two sections being relatively longitudinally movable with one plurality of fingers moving outwardly and the other plurality of fingers moving inwardly during the relative longitudinal movement, the outwardly moving fingers being adapted to penetrate into the bore side wall to secure the two sections in the bore, the inwardly moving fingers being adapted to grip an elongated body disposed concentrically in at least one of the sections.

15. The method for securing an anchor recited in claim 14, wherein the fingers of each plurality of fingers have tips, and further comprising tapering the tips to facilitate movement of the fingers respectively outwardly or inwardly.

16. The method for securing an anchor recited in claim 14, wherein each section has a rim portion between fingers, and further comprising tapering the rim portion to facilitate movement of the fingers respectively outwardly or inwardly.

17. The method for securing an anchor recited in claim 16, further comprising tapering the tips of the fingers toward or away from the hollow center of a respective section.

18. The method for securing an anchor recited in claim 14, wherein the steps of providing the two sections comprise providing sections made of biocompatible metal.

19. The method for securing an anchor recited in claim 14, wherein the steps of providing the sections comprises providing sections made of biocompatible plastic.

20. The method for securing an anchor recited in claim 14, further comprising connecting a suture to at least one of the two sections.