Method and apparatus for securing a suture
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of selecting a suture of a known size and strength, connecting the selected suture with at least a portion of the body tissue, tensioning the selected suture with a first force which is a function of the known size and strength of the selected suture, positioning a suture retainer relative to the selected suture and the body tissue, transmitting a second force which is a function of the known size and strength of the selected suture between the suture retainer and the body tissue, and interconnecting the selected suture and the suture retainer while tensioning the selected suture with the first force and while transmitting force from the suture retainer to the body tissue.
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Abstract
An improved method is provided to secure a suture relative to body tissue. A suture retainer is moved along first and second sections of a suture toward the body tissue. When a predetermined minimum force is being transmitted between the suture retainer and the body tissue, the first and second sections of the suture are gripped with the suture retainer by plastically deforming material of the suture retainer. The material of the suture retainer cold flows under the influence of force applied against the surface areas on the suture retainer. One or more bends are formed in each of the sections of the suture to increase the holding action between the suture retainer and the sections of the suture. The bends may be formed by wrapping a turn of the suture around a portion of the suture retainer. During movement of the suture retainer toward the body tissue, the bends are moved along the first and second sections of the suture.
555 Citations
43 Claims
- 1. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of selecting a suture of a known size and strength, connecting the selected suture with at least a portion of the body tissue, tensioning the selected suture with a first force which is a function of the known size and strength of the selected suture, positioning a suture retainer relative to the selected suture and the body tissue, transmitting a second force which is a function of the known size and strength of the selected suture between the suture retainer and the body tissue, and interconnecting the selected suture and the suture retainer while tensioning the selected suture with the first force and while transmitting force from the suture retainer to the body tissue.
- 14. A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a suture retainer, selecting a suture of known size and strength, positioning the suture retainer relative to the body tissue, tensioning the suture with a first force which is a function of the known strength of the suture, transmitting a second force between the suture retainer and the body tissue, and interconnecting the suture and the suture retainer while tensioning the suture with the first force and while transmitting force from the suture retainer to the body tissue.
Specification