Soft tissue repair device and associated methods

• US 8,292,921 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stone, Kevin T., Kaiser, Ryan A., Sautter, Nathan M., Holst, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Dornbusch, Dianne
• Application Number:
  US13/045,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20110160768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 606/300, 606213-216, 606/233, 606/232, 606/139, 623/13.11, 623/14.12
• 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 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 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0493 Protective devices for suturing, i.e. for protecting the patient's organs or the operator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• 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 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0646 for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 abutting on tissue or skin

Abstract

A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue includes passing a distal portion of an inserter through corresponding longitudinal bores of first and second anchors. The method includes coupling the first and second anchors with a flexible strand, and forming an adjustable knotless loop with the flexible strand.

Claims

1. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue comprising:

passing a distal portion of an inserter through a longitudinal bore of a first anchor;

passing the distal portion of the inserter through a longitudinal bore of a second anchor;

positioning a deploying member having a movable projection within a longitudinal channel of the inserter having an open cross-section along a longitudinal axis of the inserter such that the projection is between the first anchor and the second anchor, the projection movable between a first position protruding transverse to the longitudinal channel against the first anchor for expelling the first anchor and a second position for passing the projection through the longitudinal bore of the second anchor;

coupling first and second anchors with a flexible strand; and

tensioning the flexible strand to reduce the defect.

2. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue comprising:

passing a distal portion of an inserter having a longitudinal channel through a longitudinal bore of a first anchor;

passing the distal portion of the inserter through a longitudinal bore of a second anchor;

positioning a deploying member having a deformable projection within the longitudinal channel;

coupling first and second anchors with a flexible strand; and

tensioning the flexible strand to reduce the defect.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal bore of each of the first and second anchors is keyed to the distal portion of the inserter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the longitudinal bore of each of the first and second anchors is D-shaped.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein positioning the deploying member includes sliding the deploying member within the longitudinal channel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising positioning the deformable projection between the first and second anchors.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the projection is configured to be capable of pushing the first anchor out of the inserter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the projection is configured to be retractable through the longitudinal bore of the second anchor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the projection is configured to be capable of pushing the second anchor out of the inserter.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the projection is configured to be capable of deploying the first and second anchors sequentially.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising passing the flexible strand through an opening of the first anchor and through an opening of the second anchor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the opening of the first anchor is a transverse bore perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first anchor.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising passing the flexible strand through first and second strand loops respectively coupled to the first and second anchors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first strand loop passes through a transverse bore defined in the first anchor and the second strand loop passes through a transverse bore defined in the second anchor.

15. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

inserting a distal portion of an inserter through a defect of the fibrous soft tissue to an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue;

moving a deploying member along a longitudinal channel of the inserter, wherein the longitudinal channel has an open cross-Section along a longitudinal axis of the inserter;

pushing a first tubular anchor out of the distal portion of the inserter with a projection of the deploying member;

retracting the deploying member by moving the projection from a first position protruding transverse to the longitudinal channel of the inserter in front of a second tubular anchor to a second position for passing the projection through a longitudinal bore of the second tubular anchor;

placing the projection of the deploying member against and behind the second tubular anchor;

pushing the second tubular anchor out of the distal portion of the inserter with the projection of the deploying member; and

tensioning a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors such to reduce the defect.

16. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

inserting a distal portion of an inserter through a defect of the fibrous soft tissue to an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue;

moving a deploying member along a longitudinal channel of the inserter;

pushing a first tubular anchor out of the distal portion of the inserter with a projection of the deploying member;

expelling the first tubular anchor from the distal portion of the inserter at a first location on an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue, wherein the distal portion of the inserter passes through a longitudinal bore of the first tubular anchor;

elastically deforming the projection by passing the projection through a longitudinal bore of a second anchor in the longitudinal channel of the inserter;

expelling the second tubular anchor from the distal portion of the inserter at a second location on the outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue; and

tensioning a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors to reduce the defect.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the longitudinal bore is D-shaped.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

retracting the inserter from the defect at a third location after expelling the first anchor; and

inserting the inserter through the defect at a fourth location before expelling the second anchor.

19. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

positioning a cannula through an incision adjacent to fibrous soft tissue;

passing an inserter through the cannula;

inserting a distal portion of the inserter through a defect of the fibrous soft tissue to an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue;

moving a deploying member relative to a channel of the inserter against a first anchor, the first anchor having a longitudinal passage through which the distal portion of the inserter is received;

expelling the first anchor from the inserter on the outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue using the deploying member;

retracting the deploying member through a longitudinal passage of a second anchor, the second anchor mounted on the distal portion of the inserter;

elastically deforming a projection of the deploying member while retracting the deploying member through the longitudinal passage of the second anchor;

moving the deploying member relative to the channel of the inserter against the second anchor;

expelling the second anchor from the inserter on the outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue using the deploying member;

tensioning a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors; and

reducing the defect.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second anchors are substantially rigid anchors.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein inserting the inserter through the defect includes inserting the inserter through the defect at a first location and expelling the first anchor at a second location and inserting the inserter through the defect at a third location and expelling the second anchor at a fourth location.