Fixation device

• US 7,465,308 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Sikora, George, Brown, Charles H. Jr., Hecker, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Pedro
• Application Number:
  US10/410,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 606/232, 606/233, 606/224, 606/225, 606205-209, 606/148, 606/151, 606/144, 606/139, 606/222, 606/223
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M

Abstract

A medical device that attaches to tissue without requiring stitching includes a tissue fixation device having a first sub-loop and a second sub-loop, and an assisting member disposed through the first sub-loop and through the second sub-loop. The tissue fixation device includes an adjustable, flexible member formed by inserting one end portion of the flexible member through another end portion of the flexible member, and first and second sub-loops formed by crossing a portion of the flexible member over a different portion of the flexible member.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a first adjustable suture including a first sub-loop and a second sub-loop forming a figure eight configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough, each of the first sub-loop and the second sub-loop having a circumference, and the first adjustable suture having only one end configured to be pulled to decrease the circumference of the first sub-loop and the second sub-loop to fixate the first adjustable suture onto the length of tissue;

a second adjustable suture separate from the first adjustable suture and including at least one sub-loop; and

an assisting member disposed through the first sub-loop and through the second sub-loop of the figure eight of the first adjustable suture and disposed through the at least one sub-loop of the second adjustable suture.

2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the assisting member comprises a medical grasping device.

3. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the assisting member comprises a cannula.

4. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the second adjustable suture includes a first sub-loop and a second sub-loop, and

wherein the assisting member is disposed through the first sub-loop of the second adjustable suture and through the second sub-loop of the second adjustable suture.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the first adjustable suture further comprises a third sub-loop configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough.

6. The medical device of claim 5 wherein the second sub-loop and the third sub-loop form a figure eight.

7. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the first adjustable suture consists of the first sub-loop, the second sub-loop, and the third sub-loop.

8. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of adjustable sutures, each suture of the plurality of adjustable sutures including at least two sub-loops forming a figure eight through which the assisting member is disposed.

9. The medical device of claim 1,

wherein the second adjustable suture includes a third sub-loop and a fourth sub-loop forming a second figure eight configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough,

wherein the assisting member is disposed through the third sub-loop and through the fourth sub-loop, and

wherein each of the third sub-loop and the fourth sub-loop has a circumference, and the second adjustable suture has only one end configured to be pulled to decrease the circumference of the third sub-loop and the fourth sub-loop.

10. A tissue fixation device comprising,

a first suture thread having one portion of the suture thread adjustably inserted through an opening defined within another portion of the first suture thread, and including a first sub-loop and a second sub-loop forming a figure eight configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough;

a second suture thread separate from the first suture thread and including at least one sub-loop; and

an assisting member disposed through the first sub-loop and through the second sub-loop of the figure eight of the first suture thread and disposed through the at least one sub-loop of the second suture thread wherein the first sub-loop and the second sub-loop are configured to fixate onto tissue.

11. The tissue fixation device of claim 10 wherein the sub-loops are configured to fixate on ligament or tendon tissue.

12. The tissue fixation device of claim 10 wherein the first suture thread further comprises a third sub-loop.

13. The tissue fixation device of claim 10 wherein the suture thread is a first adjustable second suture thread includes a first sub-loop and a second sub-loop.

14. The medical device of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of adjustable sutures, each suture of the plurality of adjustable sutures including at least two sub-loops forming a figure eight through which the assisting member is disposed.

15. The medical device of claim 12, wherein the first suture thread consists of the first sub-loop, the second sub-loop, and the third sub-loop.

16. A medical device comprising:

a first adjustable suture member, consisting of a first sub-loop, a second sub-loop, and a third sub-loop, each sub-loop configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough, the first sub-loop and the second sub-loop being joined such that, when following the first suture member along the first sub-loop and along the second sub-loop and back along the first sub-loop, the first suture member forms a first figure eight, and the first sub-loop and the third sub-loop forming a second figure eight;

a second adjustable suture member separate from the first adjustable suture member and including at least one sub-loop; and

a cannula disposed through the sub-loops of the figure eights of the first adjustable suture member and disposed through the at least one sub-loop of the second adjustable suture member.

17. The medical device of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of adjustable sutures, each suture of the plurality of adjustable sutures including at least two sub-loops forming a figure eight through which the cannula is disposed.

18. The medical device of claim 16,

wherein the second adjustable suture member consists of a fourth sub-loop, a fifth sub-loop, and a sixth sub-loop, each sub-loop configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough, the fourth sub-loop and the fifth sub-loop being joined such that, when following the second suture member along the fourth sub-loop and along the fifth sub-loop and back along the fourth sub-loop, the second suture member forms a third figure eight, and the fourth sub-loop and the sixth sub-loop forming a fourth figure eight, and

wherein the cannula is disposed through the sub-loops of the figure eights of the first adjustable suture member and the sub-loops of the figure eights of the second adjustable suture member.

19. A medical device comprising:

a first adjustable suture thread having one portion of the first adjustable suture thread adjustably inserted through an opening defined within another portion of the first adjustable suture thread, and including a first sub-loop and a second sub-loop forming a figure eight configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough, each of the first sub-loop and the second sub-loop having a circumference, and the adjustable suture thread having only one end configured to be pulled to decrease the circumference of the first sub-loop and the second sub-loop to fixate the adjustable suture thread onto the length of tissue;

a second adjustable suture thread separate from the first adjustable suture thread and having one portion of the second adjustable suture thread adjustably inserted through an opening defined within another portion of the second adjustable suture thread, and including at least one sub-loop; and

an assisting member disposed through the first sub-loop and through the second sub-loop of the figure eight of the first adjustable suture thread, and through the at least one sub-loop of the second adjustable suture thread.

20. A medical device comprising:

a first adjustable suture thread having one portion of the first adjustable suture thread adjustably inserted through an opening defined within another portion of the first adjustable suture thread, consisting of a first sub-loop, a second sub-loop, and a third sub-loop, each sub-loop configured to receive a length of tissue therethrough, the first sub-loop and the second sub-loop being joined such that, when following the first adjustable suture thread along the first sub-loop and along the second sub-loop and back along the first sub-loop, the first adjustable suture thread forms a first figure eight, and the second sub-loop and the third sub-loop forming a second figure eight;

a second adjustable suture thread separate from the first adjustable suture thread and including at least one sub-loop; and

a cannula disposed through the sub-loops of the figure eights of the first adjustable suture thread and disposed through the at least one sub-loop of the second adjustable suture thread.