Apparatus and method for anchoring sutures

• US 8,021,390 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edwin C. Bartlett
• Original Assignee: Edwin C. Bartlett
• Inventors: Bartlett, Edwin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Vy Q
• Application Number:
  US11/638,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 606/232, 606/132, 606/72, 606/73, 606/139, 623/13.14, 128/898
• 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 2017/00862 elastic or resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0416 Packages or dispensers for suture anchors or for anchor applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material

Abstract

A suture anchor having a conical surface and a bore in which an end of an insertion tool is inserted. The insertion end of the insertion tool is made of material having elastic properties. The bore and base of the suture anchor are angled with respect to the central axis of the suture anchor and preferably are parallel to each other. During insertion, the suture anchor is reoriented to fit into the hole, thereby bending the elastic end of the insertion tool. When the suture anchor is within cancellous bone tissue, the elastic properties of the insertion tool deploys the suture anchor to an orientation in which the suture anchor cannot fit through the bone hole, thereby firmly anchoring the suture anchor in the human bone.

Claims

1. A method of anchoring a suture to live human bone through a substantially cylindrical bone hole having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an insertion tool comprising a main body and a flexible insertion end having elastic properties for returning the insertion end to an initial configuration;

providing a substantially rigid suture anchor of human femur cortical bone having at least one generally conical surface and a central axis and a bore at an angle to the central axis, and a substantially planar base oblique to the central axis;

securing a suture to the suture anchor by threading the suture through the bone;

positioning the insertion end of the insertion tool through the bore;

advancing the insertion tool towards the bone hole with the main body parallel to the longitudinal axis and the insertion end in the initial configuration, wherein the suture anchor, as oriented on the insertion end, is too large to fit through the bone hole;

advancing the insertion tool and the suture anchor into the bone hole, causing the suture anchor to reorient by bending on the insertion end of the insertion tool; and

advancing the insertion tool into the bone hole until the insertion tool end having elastic properties is able to return to an initial configuration, thereby reorienting the suture anchor to the orientation prior to insertion into the bone hole.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of securing the suture to the suture anchor further includes the step of inserting the suture through the bore in which the insertion end is inserted.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the suture anchor further comprises an accessory bore, and the step of securing the suture to the suture anchor further comprises the step of inserting the suture through the accessory bore.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of pulling the suture away from the bone hole after the suture anchor has been reoriented inside the bone hole, to thereby further secure the suture anchor in the bone hole.