Method of using ultrasonic vibration to secure body tissue
First Claim
1. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a suture retainer having first and second openings, providing a suture having first and second sections, positioning the suture relative to body tissue with the first and second sections of the suture extending from the body tissue, positioning the first section of the suture in the first opening in the suture retainer, positioning the second section of the suture in the second opening in the suture retainer, transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer, and gripping the first and second sections of the suture with the suture retainer by plastically deforming material of the suture retainer to close the first opening and to close the second opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A suture and a suture retainer are positioned relative to body tissue. Ultrasonic vibratory energy is utilized to heat the suture retainer and effect a bonding of portions of the suture retainer to each other and/or to the suture. Portions of the body tissue may be pressed into linear apposition with each other and held in place by cooperation between the suture and the suture retainer. The suture retainer may include one or more passages through which the suture extends. The suture retainer may include sections which have surface areas which are bonded together. If desired, the suture may be wrapped around one of the sections of the suture retainer. The suture retainer may be formed with a recess in which the suture is received. If desired, the suture retainer may be omitted and the sections of the suture bonded to each other.
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Citations
150 Claims
- 1. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a suture retainer having first and second openings, providing a suture having first and second sections, positioning the suture relative to body tissue with the first and second sections of the suture extending from the body tissue, positioning the first section of the suture in the first opening in the suture retainer, positioning the second section of the suture in the second opening in the suture retainer, transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer, and gripping the first and second sections of the suture with the suture retainer by plastically deforming material of the suture retainer to close the first opening and to close the second opening.
- 8. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture having first and second sections relative to body tissue, providing a suture retainer which has first and second recesses, positioning the first section of the suture in the first recess and outside of the second recess, positioning the second section of the suture in the second recess and outside of the first recess, transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the first section of the suture is in the first recess and is outside of the second recess and the second section of the suture is in the second recess and is outside of the first recess, bonding the first section of the suture and the suture retainer together while the first section of the suture is in the first recess and is outside of the second recess, and bonding the second section of the suture and the suture retainer together while the second section of the suture is in the second recess and is outside of the first recess.
- 17. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, inserting the suture through a passage which extends through a suture retainer and completely encloses a portion of the suture disposed in the passage, and collapsing the passage while the suture extends through the passage by transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer.
- 25. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of forming a first loop in the suture with the first loop extending around a portion of a suture retainer, forming a second loop in the suture with the second loop extending around a portion of the suture retainer, and gripping the first and second loops with the suture retainer by deforming material of the suture retainer, said step of deforming material of the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer.
- 39. A method of securing a suture to layers of body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to the layers of body tissue with the layers of body tissue disposed in engagement with each other, positioning a suture retainer relative to the suture with the suture extending through the suture retainer, tensioning the suture with a first predetermined force which is a function of the strength of the suture while the suture extends through the suture retainer, transmitting a second predetermined force from the suture retainer to the body tissue while the suture extends through the suture retainer, the second predetermined force being transmitted to the suture retainer without being transmitted as tension in the suture, pressing the first and second layers of body tissue together under the influence of the first and second predetermined forces, and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer to grip the suture with the suture retainer while the suture is tensioned with the first predetermined force and the second predetermined force is transmitted from the suture retainer to the body tissue.
- 42. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, wrapping the suture around a portion of a suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning the suture in engagement with surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around the portion of the suture retainer includes forming a loop in the suture without including body tissue within the loop, and heating the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the suture is disposed in engagement with the surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer.
- 62. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, wrapping the suture around a portion of a suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning the suture in engagement with surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, the suture retainer includes first and second sections, said step of wrapping the suture around the portion of the suture retainer includes positioning a portion of the suture between the first and second sections of the suture retainer, and heating the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the suture is disposed in engagement with the surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes urging the first and second sections of the suture retainer toward each other with a portion of the suture disposed between the first and second sections of the suture retainer.
- 80. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, wrapping the suture around a portion of a suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning the suture in engagement with surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning a first portion of the suture in a groove in the suture retainer and positioning a second portion of the suture in a passage which extends through the suture retainer, and heating the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the suture is disposed in engagement with the surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes plastically deforming material of the suture retainer to press a side surface of the groove against the first portion of the suture and to press a side surface of the passage against the second portion of the suture.
- 91. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, wrapping the suture around a portion of a suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning the suture in engagement with surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning a first portion of the suture in a first groove in the suture retainer and positioning a second portion of the suture in a second groove in the suture retainer, and heating the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the suture is disposed in engagement with the surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes plastically deforming material of the suture retainer to press a side surface of the first groove against the first portion of the suture and to press a side surface of the second groove against the second portion of the suture.
- 98. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a suture retainer having first and second openings, providing a suture having first and second sections, positioning the suture relative to body tissue with the first and second sections of the suture extending from the body tissue, positioning the first section of the suture in the first opening in the suture retainer, positioning the second section of the suture in the second opening in the suture retainer, transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer, and gripping the first and second sections of the suture with the suture retainer by plastically deforming material of the suture retainer to close the first opening and to close the second opening, said step of plastically deforming material of the suture retainer includes applying force against an outer side surface area on the suture retainer during the transmission of ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer.
- 108. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a suture retainer having first and second openings, providing a suture having first and second sections, positioning the suture relative to body tissue with the first and second sections of the suture extending from the body tissue, positioning the first section of the suture in the first opening in the suture retainer, positioning the second section of the suture in the second opening in the suture retainer, transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer, transmitting heat to the suture retainer from a source of heat contemporaneously with performance of said step of transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer, and gripping the first and second sections of the suture with the suture retainer by plastically deforming material of the suture retainer to close the first opening and to close the second opening.
- 118. A method of securing a suture to layers of body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to the layers of body tissue with the layers of body tissue disposed in engagement with each other, positioning a suture retainer relative to the suture with the suture extending through the suture retainer, forming a loop around a portion of the suture retainer with the suture, moving the suture retainer along the suture toward the body tissue, moving the loop along the suture toward the body tissue with the suture retainer, tensioning the suture with a first predetermined force which is a function of the strength of the suture while the suture extends through the suture retainer, transmitting a second predetermined force from the suture retainer to the body tissue while the suture extends through the suture retainer, the second predetermined force being transmitted to the suture retainer without being transmitted as tension in the suture, pressing the first and second layers of body tissue together under the influence of the first and second predetermined forces, and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer to grip the suture with the suture retainer while the suture is tensioned with the first predetermined force and the second predetermined force is transmitted from the suture retainer to the body tissue.
- 135. A method of securing a suture to layers of body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to the layers of body tissue with the layers of body tissue disposed in engagement with each other, positioning a suture retainer relative to the suture with the suture extending through the suture retainer, forming first and second loops around the suture retainer with the suture, moving the suture retainer along the suture toward the body tissue, moving the first and second loops along the suture toward the body tissue with the suture retainer, tensioning the suture with a first predetermined force which is a function of the strength of the suture while the suture extends through the suture retainer, transmitting a second predetermined force from the suture retainer to the body tissue while the suture extends through the suture retainer, the second predetermined force being transmitted to the suture retainer without being transmitted as tension in the suture, pressing the first and second layers of body tissue together under the influence of the first and second predetermined forces, and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer to grip the suture with the suture retainer while the suture is tensioned with the first predetermined force and the second predetermined force is transmitted from the suture retainer to the body tissue.
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148. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, wrapping the suture around a portion of a suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning a portion of the suture in a groove in the suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning the suture in engagement with surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, and heating the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the suture is disposed in engagement with the surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes collapsing the groove with the portion of the suture disposed in the groove.
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149. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, wrapping the suture around a portion of a suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning the suture in engagement with surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, transmitting at least a predetermined force from the suture retainer to the body tissue, tensioning the suture with at least a predetermined tension, and heating the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the suture is disposed in engagement with the surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer.
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150. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, wrapping the suture around a portion of a suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning the suture in engagement with surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of wrapping the suture around a portion of the suture retainer includes positioning a portion of the suture in an opening which extends through the suture retainer, and heating the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the suture is disposed in engagement with the surface areas which are disposed on opposite sides of the portion of the suture retainer, said step of heating the suture retainer includes collapsing the opening which extends through the suture retainer with the portion of the suture in the opening.
Specification