Method and apparatus for attaching connective tissues to bone using a self-locking knotless suture anchoring device

• US 6,520,980 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2000
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Opus Medical, Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Foerster, Seth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoey, Alissa L
• Application Number:
  US09/706,185
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 606/232, 606/72, 606/77, 606/74, 606/75, 606/86, 606/220, 606/73, 606/228, 411/456, 411/508, 411/509, 411/913
• US Class Current: 606/232
• 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 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0829 without deformation of anchor parts, e.g. fixation screws on bone surface, extending barbs, cams, butterflies, spring-loaded pins
• 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 2002/0888 Anchor in or on a blind hole or on the bone surface without formation of a tunnel

Abstract

An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing connective tissue, such as tendons, to bone, which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. Advantageously, the suturing material between the connective tissue and the bone anchor is secured without the need for tying a knot. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a length of suturing material around a self-locking wedge body in the anchor, thereby avoiding an eyelet connection which requires a knot and which concentrates stress on a very small portion of the suturing material. Thus, failure rates are greatly decreased over conventional techniques, and the innovative procedures are significantly easier to perform than conventional techniques.

Claims

1. A bone anchor device for attaching connective tissue to bone, comprising:

a first member having a proximal suture receiving surface;

a second member having a distal suture receiving surface which is adapted for engaging contact with said proximal suture receiving surface;

an axis extending through both of said first and second members; and

a shaft, said first member being fixed to a distal end of said shaft and said second member being disposed on said shaft, proximally of said first member;

wherein one of said first and second members is axially movable relative to the other of said first and second members to clamp suturing material disposed between said proximal and distal suture receiving surfaces.

2. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 1, wherein said second member is movable along said shaft, relative to said first member.

3. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 1, wherein said proximal suture receiving surface comprises a curved surface.

4. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 3, wherein said proximal suture receiving surface comprises a concave surface.

5. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 1, wherein said distal suture receiving surface comprises a curved surface.

6. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 5, wherein said proximal suture receiving surface comprises a convex surface which is complementary to said distal suture receiving surface.

7. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 1, wherein said proximal suture receiving surface is a sloping surface.

8. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 1, wherein said distal suture receiving surface is a sloping surface.

9. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 1, wherein said proximal and distal suture receiving surfaces are sloping surfaces, the slopes of each of said suture receiving surfaces being complementary to one another.

10. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 9, wherein each of said proximal and distal suture receiving surfaces has a slope of between zero and about twenty degrees from said axis.

11. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 9, wherein each of said proximal and distal suture receiving surfaces has a slope of about twelve degrees from said axis.

12. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said suture receiving surfaces includes a suture receiving groove.

13. The bone anchor device as recited in claim 12, wherein each of said suture receiving surfaces comprises a suture receiving groove having a concave portion and a convex portion.

14. A method for securing connective tissue to bone, comprising:

securing a first end of a length of suture to a portion of soft tissue to be attached to a portion of bone;

threading a second end of the length of suture about a suture receiving wedge body which forms a part of a suture anchoring device;

placing said wedge body in a blind hole disposed in said portion of bone; and

pulling the second end of the length of suture proximally, so that the suture travels about the suture receiving wedge body and draws the first end of the length of suture toward the bone anchor device, thereby securing the portion of soft tissue snugly to the portion of bone;

wherein when the tension on the first end of the length of suture increases, as the portion of soft tissue is bound to the portion of bone, the suture receiving wedge body and a proximally disposed wedge seat member are moved relative to one another to engage one another, to thereby clamp a portion of the length of suture between the suture receiving wedge body and the proximally disposed wedge seat member.