Suture anchors

• US 7,588,587 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Barbieri, Thomas J., Martinek, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Erezo; Darwin P
• Application Number:
  US11/371,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20060276841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 606/232, 606/300, 606/302
• 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 for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• 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 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0448 Additional elements on or within the anchor
• 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

Abstract

A suture anchor includes an outer sleeve having a longitudinal throughbore and defining leading and trailing ends and an insert positionable within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve. The insert defines at least one suture track for slidably supporting a suture whereby opposed free ends of the suture extend from the at least one suture track through the longitudinal throughbore to extend beyond the trailing end of the outer sleeve to be tensioned and secured relative to the tissue. The outer sleeve may include an external thread for threaded rotation and advancement into the tissue.

Claims

1. A suture anchor, which comprises:

an outer sleeve having a longitudinal throughbore and defining leading and trailing ends;

an insert positionable within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve, the insert having a shaft and at least one suture track extending radially outward from the shaft, the at least one suture track having a leading edge; and

a suture wrapped around the leading edge of the at least one suture track, whereby opposed free ends of the suture extend from the at least one suture track through the longitudinal throughbore to extend beyond the trailing end of the outer sleeve to be tensioned and secured relative to the tissue.

2. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the outer sleeve includes an external thread.

3. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert includes a pair of suture tracks for supporting a pair of sutures.

4. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert is operatively connected to the outer sleeve whereby rotation of the outer sleeve causes corresponding rotation of the insert.

5. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert includes a shaft and a relatively enlarged leading tip, the shaft being receivable within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve, the leading tip having a dimension greater than a corresponding dimension of the longitudinal throughbore to be external of the outer sleeve.

6. The suture anchor according to claim 5 wherein the leading tip of the insert defines a conical portion.

7. The suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein the insert is entirely positioned within the longitudinal throughbore of the outer sleeve.

8. The suture anchor according to claim 7 wherein the outer sleeve has at least one longitudinal slot at a distal end thereof such that the insert is positionable within the throughbore and the slot.

9. A suture anchor system, which comprises:

a suture anchor including;

an outer sleeve having trailing and leading ends and an external thread;

an insert at least partially positioned within the outer sleeve, the insert having a shaft and a pair of suture tracks extending radially outward from the shaft, each of the air of suture tracks having a leading edge; and

a air of sutures each suture wrapped around the leading edge of one of the suture tracks and having suture end portions extending through the outer sleeve and out the trailing end thereof; and

an anchor driver for installing the suture anchor in tissue, the anchor driver including a driver shaft and a driver tip, at least the driver shaft having a pair of longitudinal recesses defined in an outer surface thereof for reception of respective suture end portions extending from the outer sleeve, the driver tip being operatively engageable with the outer sleeve of the suture anchor whereby rotational movement of the anchor driver causes corresponding rotational movement of the outer sleeve and advancement of the suture anchor into the tissue.

10. The suture anchor system according to claim 9 wherein the insert of the suture anchor includes a longitudinal bore extending therethrough for reception and passage of a guide wire.

11. The suture anchor system according to claim 10 wherein the anchor driver includes a longitudinal bore therethrough for reception and passage of a guide wire.

12. The suture anchor system according to claim 9 including a guide wire punch for facilitating entry of a guide wire into the tissue, the guide wire punch including a punch shaft defining a longitudinal bore for reception and passage of a guide wire and an impactor cap mountable to the punch shaft, the impactor cap having an internal pin dimensioned to be received within the longitudinal bore of the punch shaft when the impactor cap is mounted to the punch shaft whereby advancement of the impactor cap onto the punch shaft causes the internal pin to engage and drive the guide wire into the tissue.

13. The suture anchor system according to claim 12 wherein the impactor cap is tethered to the punch shaft with a tether line.

14. The suture anchor system according to claim 13 wherein the impactor cap and the tether line are formed of a polymeric material.