Suture anchor

• US 8,512,378 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott W. Tate
• Original Assignee: KFX Medical Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Michael L., Bojanowski, Bart, Tauro, Joseph C., Greelis, John P., Heaven, Malcolm
• Primary Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US13/302,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 606/68, 606/198, 606/232, 606313-314, 606326-327, 606300-301, 606/323, 606/272, 411 32- 35, 411/38, 411 801- 806, 411/913
• 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 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00986 Malecots, e.g. slotted tubes, of which the distal end is pulled to deflect side struts
• 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 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/042 plastically deformed during insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0422 by insertion of a separate member into the body of the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot

Abstract

A bone anchor is described having pre-attached suture material. After insertion, lateral wings can be deployed on the bone anchor to prevent anchor pull-out. The suture may be attached at the tip of the anchor by tying it to a wire hook secured in a cavity in the anchor tip. The anchor may be inserted and deployed using an anchor inserter that is configured to apply an axial force to the anchor, thereby deforming the anchor to form the lateral wings.

Claims

1. A method of securing an anchor in bone, the method comprising:

inserting the anchor into the bone; and

deforming the anchor to form one or more lateral features, wherein said deforming comprises causing two convex edges in the anchor to roll against each other as the lateral features are formed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the anchor into the bone comprises inserting the anchor through soft tissue disposed over the bone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein deforming the anchor comprises applying an axial force to the anchor.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein said deforming comprises causing an edge of one of the lateral features to contact an undeformed part of the anchor.

5. A method of securing a suture to a bone anchor, the method comprises:

passing the suture through an aperture in the anchor;

securing the suture to a length of wire;

positioning the length of wire such that a least a portion of the wire guns generally laterally relative to the axis of the aperture; and

deforming the anchor to form one or more lateral features, wherein said deforming comprises causing two convex edges in the anchor to roll against each other as the lateral features are formed.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising securing the wire to the anchor.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein securing the wire to the anchor comprises welding the wire to the anchor.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the axis of the aperture is substantially parallel to the axis of the anchor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein passing the suture through the aperture comprises passing the suture through the center of the anchor and out of the aperture.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein securing the suture to the length of wire comprises tying the suture to the wire.

11. A method of securing an anchor in bone, the method comprising:

inserting the anchor into bone using an anchor inserter comprising a handle, an anchor holder coupled to the handle and the bone anchor, and a first tube; and

deploying lateral features on the bone anchor by actuating an axial movement mechanism in the handle, the mechanism adapted to move either the anchor holder or the first tube axially relative to the handle, thereby providing axial force to the bone anchor,

wherein said deploying lateral features comprises causing two convex edges in the anchor to roll against each other as the lateral features are formed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein inserting the anchor comprises applying an axial force to the handle, thereby providing an axial force to the anchor holder and the anchor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein applying the axial force to the handle comprises hitting the handle with a blunt object.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising, after inserting the anchor, retracting a second tube covering at least a portion of the anchor.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising, after deploying the lateral features, detaching the anchor holder from the anchor.