Bone suturing device

• US 6,328,744 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ams Research Corporation (Endo International PLC)
• Original Assignee: American Medical Systems Incorporated (Endo International PLC)
• Inventors: Harari, Boaz, Beyar, Mordechay, Globerman, Oren
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Pedro
• Application Number:
  US09/476,682
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 606/80, 606/79, 606/81, 606/86, 606/87, 606/96, 606/97, 606/103, 606/180, 606/167, 408/241.R, 408/127, 408/136, 408/146, 811/776, 175/61.75, 175/73, 175/74
• US Class Current: 606/80
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0625 the needle being specially adapted to interact with the manipulator, e.g. being ridged to snap fit in a hole of the manipulator A61B17/06109 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/16 Bone cutting, breaking or removal means other than saws, e.g. Osteoclasts; Drills or chisels for bones; Trepans arthroscopic bone cutters A61B17/320016; dental implant drills potentially for other surgical use A61C8/0089; bone grinders A61F2/4644, A22C17/06; A61B17/1662 takes precedence over all other subgroups except A61B17/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1604 Chisels; Rongeurs; Punches; Stamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1608 the two jaw elements being linked to two elongated shaft elements moving longitudinally relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1642 for producing a curved bore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1796 for holes for sutures or flexible wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/96 Miscellaneous

Abstract

A bone boring device and method wherein the device includes a hinge, a handle coupled to the hinge, and at least one curved needle with a tip. The needle is rotatably mounted on the hinge such that when the tip is placed against bone and the needle is rotated on the hinge, the needle is urged and advanced into the bone.

Claims

1. A bone boring device, comprising:

a hinge;

a handle coupled to said hinge;

at least one curved needle having a tip at one end thereof and rotatably mounted on the hinge, wherein when said tip is placed against bone and said needle is rotated on said hinge, said needle is urged into said bone; and

said at least one curved needle having a rigidity sufficient to withstand resistance in said bone resulting from translational, non-rotational movement of said needle into said bone; and

said at least one curved needle having a hollow bore sized to receive a suture.

2. A device according to claim 1, comprising a resting point adjacent said hinge, which resting point is adapted to be placed against said bone.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said curved needle has a radius of curvature matching a distance of said needle from said hinge.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one needle comprises a first needle and a second needle.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said needles rotate about a same hinge for urging into said bone.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein said needles do not share a hinge.

7. A device according to claim 4, wherein said needles are adapted to meet at their ends, when said needles are rotated around said hinge.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said needles are formed with a conduit therein and wherein, when said needles meet, a continuous conduit is formed along the needles.

9. A device according to claim 8 and comprising a channel substantially contiguous with said bore and adapted for advancing a thread through said channel and along said conduit.

10. A device according to claim 7, wherein said needles meet tip-to-tip.

11. A device according to claim 7, wherein said needles meet side-to-side at their ends.

12. A device according to claim 7, comprising a thread pusher for advancing thread through said bore.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein said thread pusher extends to outside said bone boring device.

14. A device according to claim 7, wherein said first needle is adapted to engage a tip of said second needle.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein said second needle is hollow.

16. A device according to claim 14, wherein said second needle has a grove defined along most of its length.

17. A device according to claim 14, wherein said tip comprises a detachable tip to which the thread is attached.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein said detachable tip comprises an extension to which a thread is attached, which extension is substantially longer than said second needle.

19. A device according to claim 14, wherein said second needle is detachable from said bone boring device.

20. A device according to claim 19, wherein said needles meeting causes said second needle to detach.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein said second needle is adapted for attaching a thread thereto.

22. A device according to claim 14, wherein said first needle defines an aperture at its tip, which aperture is adapted to engage said tip.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein said aperture is an opening to a blind hole.

24. A device according to claim 22, wherein said aperture is an opening to a through hole.

25. A device according to claim 22, wherein said aperture connects to a hollow volume along an axis of said needle.

26. A device according to claim 25, comprising a sharp-tip mandrel that fills said hollow volume.

27. A device according to claim 26, wherein said mandrel is retracted when said needles meet.

28. A device according to claim 22, wherein said aperture connects to a hollow volume oblique to an axis of said needle.

29. A device according to claim 22, wherein said aperture is an opening to a volume extending into said needle and having a substantially constant inner diameter.

30. A device according to claim 22, wherein said aperture is an opening to a volume extending into said needle and having an inner diameter that increases away from the aperture.

31. A device according to claim 22, wherein said aperture is an opening to a slotted volume.

32. A device according to claim 1, wherein said needles and said hinge are comprised in a disposable cartridge, separable from said handle.

33. A method of boring a path in a bone, comprising:

providing at least one curved needle having a tip and an axis;

positioning said needle at a position adjacent the surface of said bone, such that said axis at the tip is not perpendicular to said surface; and

advancing said needle to bore a hole into said bone.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein boring a hole comprises boring a hole without removing bone tissue.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein said at least one needle comprises two needles.

36. A method according to claim 33, wherein said at least one needle is a single needle.