Self-locking suture anchor

• US 6,527,794 B1
• Filed: 08/10/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Caspari, Richard, McDevitt, Dennis, Halbrecht, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): VRETTAKOS, PETER J
• Application Number:
  US09/371,411
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 606/104, 606/232, 606/72-75, 606/80
• 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 2017/00862 elastic or resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0403 Dowels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0408 Rivets
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0424 the separate member staying in the anchor after placement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0427 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from the anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0438 slotted, i.e. having a longitudinal slot for enhancing their elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/045 snug fit within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0459 Multiple holes in the anchor through which the suture extends and locking the suture when tension is applied
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone

Abstract

A tissue anchor having a length of filament held so that an applied force greater than a threshold force will cause the filament to move longitudinally, while an applied force less than the threshold force will not move the filament, and methods of attaching soft tissue to bone using such an anchor.

Claims

1. A device for anchoring a filament to tissue or bone, comprising:

an anchor member adapted to be embedded in bone, the anchor having a cavity therein; and

a filament having a first and a second portion extending from the cavity, the filament being held in the cavity by interference fit,

the filament substantially not moving in response to a tensional force less than a threshold force applied to any of the first mad second portion,

the filament moving longitudinally in response to a tensional force greater than the threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion,

wherein the filament has a breaking tension greater than the threshold force.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the threshold force is in a range 25-35 pounds.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least two sections of the filament, disposed between the first and second portions, pass through the anchor member, so that a loop segment is defined between the sections.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the loop segment can be tightened by pulling any of the first and second portions of filament with a tension greater than the threshold tension.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the loop segment can be loosened by pulling the loop segment with a tension greater than twice the threshold tension.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the anchor member is adapted to be embedded in a tunnel in bone.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the anchor member comprises a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, steel, poly-l-lactide and lactide-gylicolide compositions.

3. A device for anchoring a filament to tissue or bone, comprising:

an anchor member adapted to be embedded in bone, the anchor having a cavity therein, wherein the anchor member comprises, an anchoring element for insertion into a hole in tissue, the anchoring element including an axial channel extending between proximal and distal ends thereof, the anchoring element being slidably mounted on an insertion stem,

the insertion stem including a portion having a greater outer diameter than an inner diameter of the axial channel, that portion being referred to herein as the portion of the greater diameter,

the insertion stem being adapted to move proximally in the axial channel to cause the portion of greater diameter to move at least partially through that channel and, thereby, to cause the anchoring element to expand to a pressure fit with the bone hole; and

a filament having a first and second portion extending from the cavity, the filament being held in the cavity by interference fit,

the filament substantially not moving in response to a tensional force less than a threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion, the threshold force being less an the breaking tension of the filament,

the filament moving longitudinally in response to a tensional force greater than the threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion.

4. The device of claim 3, where the cavity is formed by and disposed between a surface of the anchoring element and a surface of the insertion stem.

10. A device for anchoring soft tissue to bone, comprising:

an anchor member adapted to be embedded in a bone tunnel and having a cavity therein; and

a filament having a first and a second portion extending from the cavity, the filament being held in the cavity by interference fit,

the filament substantially not moving in response to a tensional force less than a threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion,

the filament moving longitudinally in response to a tensional force greater than the threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion, whereby the filament can be used to secure soft tissue,

wherein the filament has a breaking tension greater than the threshold force.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the threshold force is in a range 25-35 pounds.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein at least two sections of the filament, disposed between the fist and second portions, pass through the anchor member, so that a loop segment is defined between the sections.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the loop segment can be tightened by pulling any of the first and second portions of filament with a tension greater than the threshold tension.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the soft tissue can be secured by passing it through the loop segment, and then tightening the loop segment.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the loop segment can be loosened by pulling the loop segment with a tension greater than twice the threshold tension.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the anchor member comprises a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, steel, poly-l-lactide and lactide-glycolide compositions.

12. A device for anchoring soft tissue to bone, comprising:

an anchor member adapted to be embedded in a bone tunnel and having a cavity therein, wherein the anchor member comprises, an anchoring element for insertion into a hole in tissue, the anchoring element including an axial channel extending between proximal and distal ends thereof, the anchoring element being slidably mounted on an insertion stem,

the insertion stem including a portion having greater outer diameter than an inner diameter of the axial channel, that portion being referred to herein as the portion of greater diameter,

the insertion stem being adapted to move proximally in the axial channel to cause the portion of greater diameter to move at least partially through that channel and, thereby, to cause the anchoring element to expand into a pressure fit with the bone hole; and

a filament having a first and second portion extending from the cavity, the filament being held in the cavity by interference fit,

the filament substantially not moving in response to a tensional force less than a threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion,

the filament moving longitudinally in response to a tensional force greater than the threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion,

whereby the filament can be used to secure soft tissue.

13. The device of claim 12, where the cavity is formed by and disposed between a surface of the anchoring element and a surface of the insertion stem.

19. A method of anchoring soft tissue to bone, comprising:

embedding an anchor member in a bone tunnel, the anchor member comprising a cavity, a filament having a first and a second portion extending from the cavity, the filament being held in the cavity by interference fit,

the filament substantially not moving in response to a tensional force less than a threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion,

the filament moving longitudinally in response to a tensional force greater than the threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion; and

using the filament to attach soft tissue to the bone,

wherein the filament has a breaking tension greater than the threshold tension.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein using the filament to attach soft tissue to the bone comprises:

passing a portion of the filament through at least one aperture in the soft tissue; and

tightening the filament by applying a force greater than the threshold force to one portion of the filament, thereby causing it to move longitudinally.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the threshold tension is in a range 25-35 pounds.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the soft tissue is selected from the group consisting of a tendon, a ligament, a meniscus, and artificial soft tissue.

23. A method of anchoring soft tissue to bone, comprising:

embedding an anchor member in a bone tunnel, the anchor member comprising a cavity, wherein the anchor member comprises, an anchoring element for insertion into a hole in tissue, the anchoring element including an axial channel extending between proximal and distal ends thereof, the anchoring element being slidably mounted on an insertion stem,

the insertion stern including a portion having a greater outer diameter than an inner diameter of the axial channel, that portion being referred to herein as the portion of greater diameter,

the insertion stem being adapted to move proximally in the axial channel to cause the portion of greater diameter to move at least partially through that channel and, thereby, to cause the anchoring element to expand into a pressure fit with the bone hole;

a filament having a first and second portion extending from the cavity, the filament being held in the cavity by interference fit,

the filament substantially not moving in response to a tensional force less than a threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion, the threshold force being less than the breaking tension of the filament,

the filament moving longitudinally in response to a tensional force greater than the threshold force applied to any of the first and second portion; and

using the filament to attach soft tissue to bone.