Method for anchoring suture and approximating tissue

• US 8,454,655 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Life Sciences III LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoTract, Inc. (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yeung, Jeffrey Eric, Yeung, Teresa T.
• Primary Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US12/803,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,081 Days
• Field of Search: 606/232
• 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 17/0467 Instruments for cutting sutures surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0437 the barbs being resilient or spring-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0446 Means for attaching and blocking the suture in the suture anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/045 snug fit within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 penetration depth

Abstract

An elastically curved suture anchor is resiliently straightened and delivered into tissue by a needle. When the needle is withdrawn, resumption of the curvature provides leverage for anchor rotation as the attached suture is pulled to fasten the anchor within the tissue. A fin at the proximal end of the anchor further increases the rotational leverage and expedites anchor fastening. When two or more anchors with connecting suture are delivered in series on a needle, the tension of the suture helps to draw the anchors together and approximates the pierced tissue.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a suture anchor within tissue of the patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) puncturing the tissue with a needle carrying a suture anchor, wherein the suture anchor comprises a curved configuration and a straightened configuration;

(b) removing the needle from within the suture anchor, wherein removal of the needle causes the suture anchor to assume its curved configuration;

(c) and pulling a suture connected to the suture anchor causing a fin on the suture anchor to snag the surrounding tissue, thereby causing said suture anchor to rotate within tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(d) holding the suture anchor in the tissue with a sleeve located around the needle during step (b).

3. The method of claim 1 used to treat urinary incontinence, the method further comprising the steps of:

(d) identifying the location of the urethra;

(e) inserting the needle into the anterior wall of a vagina of the patient lateral to the urethra during step (a);

(f) repeating steps (a) thru (e) until wall of the vagina is repositioned;

(g) and tying the sutures, thereby supporting the urethra with the repositioned wall of the vagina.

4. The method of claim 1 used to treat uterine prolapse, the method further comprising the steps of:

(d) repositioning the uterus;

(e) fastening the repositioned uterus with steps (a) thru (c);

(f) and repeating steps (a) thru (c) until the uterus is secure.

5. The method of claim 1 used to reattach ligament onto bone, the method further comprising the steps of:

(d) repositioning a torn ligament over bone;

(e) repeating steps (a) thru (c) until the ligament is secure;

(f) tying the suture;

(g) and allowing the ligament heal over the bone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the bone is cancellous.

7. The method of claim 1 used to treat a bulging intervertebral disc, the method further comprising the steps of:

(d) inserting the needle into the bulging disc in step (a);

(b) pushing the suture anchor into the disc toward the opposite side of the bulging disc;

(f) threading a disc compressing device onto the suture;

(g) pulling and tying the suture, thereby compressing the bulging disc between the suture anchor and the disc compressing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (e) is performed by using a sleeve located around the needle to push the suture anchor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) is performed by the fin on the suture anchor snagging on the tissue, thereby holding the suture anchor in the tissue while the needle is withdrawn from the suture anchor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a second suture anchor is located on the needle and the suture passes through the second suture anchor and further comprising the steps of:

(d) removing the needle from the second suture anchor;

(e) allowing the second suture anchor to resume a curved configuration;

(f) pulling on the suture to cause the second suture anchor to rotate within the surrounding tissue;

(g) and pulling the suture further to draw together the tissue proximate the first suture anchor and the tissue proximate the second suture anchor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first suture anchor is located distal to said second suture anchor.

12. The method of claim 10 used to repair a loose anal sphincter, wherein in step (a), the tissue is both sides of the loose anal sphincter and step (g) narrows the sphincter.

13. The method of claim 10 used to shorten a ligament, wherein in step (a), the tissue is the ligament and step (g) shortens the ligament.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of repeating steps (a) thru (g) until the ligament is sufficiently shortened.

15. The method of claim 10 used for treating urinary incontinence, wherein in step (a), the needle passes through the vagina and into the abdominal fascia or ligament and step (g) moves a wall of the vagina to support a urethral wall.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of repeating steps (a) thru (g) until the urethral wall is supported sufficiently to alleviate the urinary incontinence.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a second pair of suture anchors with a second suture is located on the needle and is deployed.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) is performed by a sleeve located around the needle holding the suture anchor in the tissue while the needle is withdrawn from the suture anchor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a second suture anchor is located on the needle and the suture passes through the second suture anchor and further comprising the steps of:

(d) removing the needle from the second suture anchor;

(e) allowing the second suture anchor to resume its curved configuration;

(f) pulling on the suture to cause the second suture anchor to rotate within the surrounding tissue;

(g) and pulling the suture further to draw together the tissue proximate the first suture anchor and the tissue proximate the second suture anchor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (d) is performed by the fin on the second suture anchor snagging on the tissue, thereby holding the second suture anchor in the tissue while the needle is withdrawn from the second suture anchor.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein step (d) is performed by the sleeve located around the needle holding the second suture anchor in the tissue while the needle is withdrawn from the second suture anchor.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first suture anchor is located distal to said second suture anchor.

23. The method of claim 19 used to repair a loose anal sphincter, wherein in step (a), the tissue is both sides of the loose anal sphincter and step (g) narrows the sphincter.

24. The method of claim 19 used to shorten a ligament, wherein in step (a), the tissue is the ligament and step (g) shortens the ligament.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of repeating steps (a) thru (g) until the ligament is sufficiently shortened.

26. The method of claim 19 used for treating urinary incontinence, wherein in step (a), the needle passes through the vagina and into the abdominal fascia or ligament and step (g) moves a wall of the vagina to support a urethral wall.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of repeating steps (a) thru (g) until the urethral wall is supported sufficiently to alleviate the urinary incontinence.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein a second pair of suture anchors with a second suture is located on the needle and is deployed.

29. A method for delivering a suture anchor within tissue of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) puncturing the tissue with a needle carrying a suture anchor, wherein the suture anchor comprises a curved configuration and a straightened configuration;

(b) removing the needle from within the suture anchor, wherein removal of the needle causes the suture anchor to resume its curved configuration;

(c) and pulling a suture connected to the suture anchor causing a fin on the suture anchor to snag the surrounding tissue, thereby causing said suture anchor to rotate within tissue.