Suture anchors and methods of use

• US 7,981,139 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evalve, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Evalve, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Martin, Brian B., Thornton, Troy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ou; Jing Rui
• Application Number:
  US11/403,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/1, 606/53, 606/60, 606/76, 606/78, 606/99, 606139-158, 606222-233, 241/29.R, 241/29.B, 241/29.D
• US Class Current: 606/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• 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 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0416 Packages or dispensers for suture anchors or for anchor applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2442 Annuloplasty rings or inserts for correcting the valve shape; Implants for improving the function of a native heart valve

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatuses, systems, methods and kits for fastening sutures or similar devices used in medical surgical procedures. In particular, the present invention is suitable for use with percutaneous or minimally invasive procedures in which sutures are placed with catheter-based devices wherein the tying of knots is particularly challenging. Suture fasteners of the present invention provide for fastening the sutures together in a fixed position at any location along the suture strands. In addition, the fasteners are adjustable to allow repositioning of the fastener after placement to a new desired location along the suture strands. Similarly, such fasteners may be used to hold a single suture strand for various applications.

Claims

1. A suture fastening system for adjustably holding suture, said system comprising:

one or more suture strands; and

a tubular fastening element of unitary construction having a hollow central channel, the fastening element comprised of a shape memory alloy or a spring temper steel, said fastening element comprising at least one pair of discrete through holes in a sidewall thereof, at least one of said one or more suture strands at least partially received through said at least one pair of discrete though holes, wherein the fastening element has a tensioned shape-recovery position in which the discrete through holes of said at least one pair of discrete through holes are concentrically aligned to allow for sliding of the fastening element relative to the suture strands and a relaxed shape-recovery position in which the discrete through holes of said at least one pair of discrete through holes are misaligned for holding the strands in a fixed position relative to the element or to each other, and wherein the fastener is adjustable between the tensioned shape-recovery position and the relaxed shape-recovery position to allow repositioning of the fastener to a new desired location along the suture strands after holding the strands in a fixed position, and wherein the at least one pair of discrete through holes comprises at least one first discrete through hole and at least one second discrete through hole, the at least one suture strand passing directly from the at least one first discrete through hole to the at least one second discrete through hole, and wherein the at least one pair of discrete through holes are bounded on all sides in both the tensioned position and the relaxed position,

wherein the fastening element holds the suture strands along a tortuous path in the relaxed shape-recovery position,

wherein the tortuous path has a circumferentially offset form.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fastening element holds the suture strands along a substantially straight path in the tensioned shape-recovery position.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of discrete through holes comprises at least two pair of discrete through holes disposed along the length of the fastening element.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fastening element has a first edge having the at least one first discrete through hole adjacent thereto and a second edge having the at least one second discrete through hole adjacent thereto.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein at least part of the first edge overlaps at least part of the second edge when the fastening element is in the tensioned shape-recovery position.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fastening element is transitionable from the tensioned shape-recovery position to the relaxed position by release of a force on the fastening element.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fastening element is transitionable from the tensioned shape-recovery position to the relaxed position by a change in temperature of the fastening element.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein the tubular fastening element has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the fastening element has first and second edges substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis, the first edge having the at least one first discrete through hole adjacent thereto and the second edge having the at least one second discrete through hole adjacent thereto, wherein the at least one first discrete through hole is concentrically aligned with the at least one second discrete through hole when the fastening element is in the tensioned shape-recovery position, and the at least one first discrete through hole is misaligned with the at least one second discrete through hole when the element is in the relaxed shape-recovery position.

9. A suture fastening system for adjustably holding suture, said system comprising:

one or more suture strands; and

a tubular fastening element of unitary construction having a hollow central channel, said fastening element including at least one pair of discrete through holes through a sidewall of the fastening element, each of said discrete through holes being bounded on all sides, at least one of said one or more suture strands at least partially received through said at least one pair of discrete through holes, wherein the fastening element has a tensioned shape-recovery position in which the discrete through holes of said at least one pair of discrete through holes are concentrically aligned to allow for sliding of the fastening element relative to the suture strands and a relaxed shape-recovery position in which the discrete through holes of said at least one pair of discrete through holes are misaligned for holding the strands in a fixed position relative to the element or to each other, and wherein the fastener is adjustable between the tensioned shape-recovery position and the relaxed shape-recovery position to allow repositioning of the fastener to a new desired location along the suture strands after holding the strands in a fixed position, and wherein the at least one pair of discrete through holes comprises a first discrete through hole and a second discrete through hole, the at least one suture strand passing directly from the first discrete through hole to the second discrete through hole, and wherein the at least one pair of discrete through holes are bounded on all sides in both the tensioned position and the relaxed position,

wherein the fastening element holds the suture strands along a tortuous path in the relaxed shape-recovery position,

wherein the tortuous path has a circumferentially offset form.