Apparatus and method for securing suture to bone

• US 6,923,824 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tornier Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Axya Medical, Inc. (Tornier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fenton, Thomas N., Morgan, Daniel E., Fenton, Paul V. Jr., Novak, Vincent P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/952,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 606/72, 606/73, 606/232, 606/75
• 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 2017/0412 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 lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0448 Additional elements on or 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 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061

Abstract

A suture anchor for securing soft tissue to bone, including a body and a continuous suture loop. The body extends along a longitudinal axis between opposing first and second ends, and has an external threaded portion extending coaxial with the axis, and a bore extending from the second end towards the first end. The continuous suture loop is secured within the bore of the body so that at least a portion of the loop extends from the second end of the body to form an eyelet.

Claims

1. A suture anchor for securing soft tissue to bone, comprising:

A) a rigid body extending along a longitudinal axis between opposing first and second ends, and having,

an external threaded portion extending coaxially with the axis,

a bore extending from the second end towards the first end; and

B) a flexible eyelet fixedly attached to said body and formed by a continuous suture loop that has no knot and is secured within the bore of the body, wherein at least a portion of the loop extends from the second end of the body, and forms said flexible eyelet, and wherein the suture loop is captively held in the bore by a retainer secured to the body and traversing the bore and extending through the loop generally laterally with respect to the axis.

2. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the suture loop is bonded to an inner surface of the bore of the body.

3. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the loop is movable between the body and the retainer.

4. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the retainer is unitary with the body.

5. A suture anchor according to claim 4, wherein the body and the retainer are formed about the suture loop from at least two longitudinal portions.

6. A suture anchor according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal portions of the body are ultrasonically bonded.

7. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the continuous suture loop is braided.

8. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the body further includes a drive head at the second end.

9. A suture anchor according to claim 8, wherein the drive head has a hexagonal engagement surface facing laterally outwardly from the axis.

10. A mature anchor according to claim 1, wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-tapping threads.

11. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-drilling tip at the first end of the body.

12. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein the external threaded portion extends from the first end of the body.

13. A suture anchor according to claim 1, wherein said continuous suture loop has a substantially constant diameter.

14. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the suture loop is bonded to an inner surface of the bore of the body.

15. A suture anchor according to claim 14, wherein the bore includes a shoulder facing towards the first end and the retainer contacts the shoulder.

16. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein the loop is movable between the body and the retainer.

17. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein the retainer is unitary with the body.

18. A suture anchor according to claim 17, wherein the body and the retainer are formed about the suture loop from at least two longitudinal portions.

19. A suture anchor according to claim 18, wherein the longitudinal portions of the body are ultrasonically bonded.

20. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein the continuous suture loop is braided.

21. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein the body further includes a drive head at the second end.

22. A suture anchor according to claim 21, wherein the drive head has a hexagonal engagement surface facing laterally outwardly from the axis.

23. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-tapping threads.

24. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-drilling tip at the first end of the body.

25. A suture anchor according to claim 13, wherein the external threaded portion extends from the first end of the body.