Devices, systems and methods for retracting, lifting, compressing, supporting or repositioning tissues or anatomical structures

• US 7,815,655 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Life Sciences Limited (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NeoTract, Inc. (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Welch, Jacqueline Nerney, Nagpurkar, Amik, Collinson, Michael, Vidal, Claude, Catanese, Joseph III, Redmond, Russell J., Makower, Joshua, Walke, Amrish Jayprakash, Lamson, Theodore Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US11/833,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 606/151, 606/153, 606/232, 606300-331, 623/13.14
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• 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 17/0467 Instruments for cutting sutures surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0625 the needle being specially adapted to interact with the manipulator, e.g. being ridged to snap fit in a hole of the manipulator A61B17/06109 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/42 Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods ligaturing clamps or clips for the umbilical cord A61B17/122; curettage A61B17/320708; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00792 Plastic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00796 Breast surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 : H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/042 : plastically deformed during insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0451 : Cams or wedges holding the suture by friction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 : the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0456 : Surface features on the anchor, e.g. ribs increasing friction between the suture and the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 : Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0462 : One way system, i.e. also tensioning the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 : for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 : Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks for applying suture anchors A61B2017/0409; for applying wound clamps A61B17/10; for applying ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 : for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 : Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 : with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 : Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/041 : Bile ducts

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for retracting, lifting, compressing, supporting or repositioning tissues, organs, anatomical structures, grafts or other structures within the body of human or animal subjects for the purpose of treating a diseases or disorders and/or for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes and/or for research and development purposes or other purposes.

Claims

1. A suture-anchoring member assembly comprising:

an elongate suture member having a proximal end and a distal end;

a distal anchor attached on the distal end of the suture, said anchor comprising an elongate bar that is initially disposable in a first orientation where the elongate bar is substantially coaxial with an adjacent portion of the suture and a second orientation where the elongate bar is substantially perpendicular to an adjacent portion of the suture; and

a proximal anchor with a length substantially greater than its width that is slidable over and attachable to the suture member at a desired location a spaced distance from the distal anchor to define an operational length such that the suture member is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis along the length of the proximal anchor, the proximal anchor including an opening in a wall of the proximal anchor configured to receive the suture member, the opening being located about midway along the length of the proximal anchor and defined by walls extending along the length and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the proximal anchor;

wherein the proximal anchor includes a hollow tube sized to receive a lock pin;

wherein an H-shaped slot is formed in the hollow tube;

wherein the H-shaped slot creates an outward opening flap and an inwardly opening wedge tab.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hollow tube further includes a locking tab.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the lock pin includes a locking slot sized to receive the locking tab.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lock pin defines a hollow wedging element.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the hollow wedging element is cut to a desired length during assembly.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the proximal anchor includes a plurality of shape memory arms configured to collapse about the suture.

7. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

the distal anchor comprises a tubular bar having an open proximal end, an open distal end, a lumen extending from the open proximal end to the open distal end and a slot formed in one side of the tubular bar, said slot extending from the proximal end of the tubular bar to a location between the proximal and distal ends of the bar;

said suture extending through the lumen and out of the open distal end of the elongate bar, the distal end of the suture having an enlargement formed thereon that prevents the distal end of the suture form being pulled in the proximal direction back into the lumen of the tubular bar.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein:

when the distal anchor is in its first orientation, the suture extends coaxially through the lumen of the tubular bar and out of its open proximal end; and

when the distal anchor is in its second orientation, the suture extends coaxially through the lumen of the tubular bar from its distal end to a location between its proximal and distal ends and then diverges laterally out of the slot.

9. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the proximal anchor comprises a member having a hollow passageway extending through such that the suture member may extend through said hollow passageway and a locking member for locking the proximal anchor on the suture member at the desired location.

10. An assembly according to claim 9 wherein the locking member is initially positionable in a non-locking position that allows the second anchor to be advanced over the suture material to the desired position and is subsequently moveable to a locking position where it locks the proximal anchor on the suture member.

11. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the proximal anchor additionally comprises apparatus for cutting a residual proximal portion of the suture member.

12. As assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lock pin includes a tapering proximal tip.

13. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hollow tube includes a locking crimp which prevents the lock pin from projecting through a distal end of the hollow tube.

14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein the hollow tube defines a locking tube configured to fit in a locking slot formed in the lock pin.