Soft tissue conduit device and method

• US 8,317,825 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stone, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MASHACK, MARK F
• Application Number:
  US12/419,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20090192468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 606/72, 606/74, 606/232, 606/213, 606/151, 606/139, 606/144, 606/148, 606300-301, 606/304, 128/898, 623 142- 148, 623/1.27, 623 1313- 1317, 424422-423, 604/93.01, 604/500
• US Class Current: 606/213
• 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 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3472 for bones, e.g. intraosseus injections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8615 at the central region of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• 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 2017/0475 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 hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0646 for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0648 threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0805 Implements for inserting tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0858 Fixation of tendon or ligament between anchor and bone, e.g. interference screws, wedges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2839 : Bone plugs or bone graft dowels

Abstract

A method of conducting biological materials in soft tissue includes inserting an elongated conduit device into the soft tissue and through a defect in the soft tissue, and conducting biological materials along at least one longitudinal channel defined on an outer surface of the conduit device into the soft tissue. The conduit device is externally threaded.

Claims

1. A method of conducting biological materials in meniscal tissue, the method comprising:

providing a conduit device having a first end and a second end and an externally threaded elongated body extending from the first end to the second end along a longitudinal axis of the conduit device, the elongated body having a plurality of external longitudinal channels, each longitudinal channel extending from the first end to the second end along the longitudinal axis, each longitudinal channel being open to an outer surface of the elongated body and having a keyhole-shaped cross-section with a substantially circular portion and a slot-like opening to the outer surface of the elongated body, each slot-like opening being narrower that a width of each circular portion;

implanting the conduit device through the meniscal tissue such that each longitudinal channel extends between a first area of the meniscal tissue having a first vascularity and a second area of the meniscal tissue having a second vascularity different from the first vascularity;

and

delivering via an external cannula biological materials from the first area to the second area along and within the circular portion of each longitudinal channel from the first end toward the second end of the conduit device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the conduit device to a tissue fixation device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein coupling the conduit device to a tissue fixation device includes forming a flexible strand loop between the conduit device and the fixation device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the loop passes through an internal longitudinal bore of the conduit device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the loop passes through one of the longitudinal channels of the conduit device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising tenting the meniscal tissue over the slot-like openings of the longitudinal channels without obstructing the circular portion of the longitudinal channels.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering biological materials to each longitudinal channel during or after implantation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching biological materials to each longitudinal channel before implanting the conduit device.

9. A method of conducting biological materials in meniscal tissue, the method comprising:

providing a conduit device having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal bore between the first end the second end;

passing a suture strand through the longitudinal bore of the conduit device, the conduit device having a plurality of external longitudinal channels not communicating with the longitudinal bore;

coupling the suture strand with a fixation device, the fixation device inserted through a meniscal defect;

returning the suture strand through the longitudinal bore of the conduit device to form a suture loop;

implanting the conduit device through the meniscal defect such that each longitudinal channel extends between a first area having a first vascularity and a second area having a second vascularity different from the first vascularity;

delivering, via an external cannula, biological materials from the first area to the second area along and within the longitudinal channels from the first end toward the second end of each longitudinal channel; and

securing the suture loop with a knot.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering biological materials from the first area to the second area through the longitudinal channels comprises delivering biological materials through a substantially circular portion of a cross-section of each of the longitudinal channels, the circular portion leading to a slot narrower than the circular portion and extending to an outer surface of the conduit device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising tenting the meniscal tissue over the slots of the cross-sections of the corresponding longitudinal channels without obstructing the circular portion of the longitudinal channels.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering biological materials from the first area to the second area through the longitudinal channels comprises delivering biological materials through a substantially V-shaped cross-section of each of the longitudinal channels.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein implanting the conduit device through the meniscal defect comprises positioning the conduit device to span a meniscal tear.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising

passing the suture strand through a second fixation device and a second conduit device;

and

closing the meniscal tear.