Apparatus and method for securing a portion of a body

• US 8,808,329 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bonutti Skeletal Innovations LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bonutti Skeletal Innovations LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOLES, SAMEH RAAFAT
• Application Number:
  US13/438,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/263, 606/74, 606/86.R, 606/228, 606/232
• US Class Current: 606/263
• 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 17/1796 for holes for sutures or flexible wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/683 comprising bone transfixation elements, e.g. bolt with a distal cooperating element such as a nut
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/82 for bone cerclage apparatus for manipulating wires or straps A61B17/8861; wires, bands or straps other than cerclage A61B17/842
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 Composed of particular material or coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/909 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/91 Polymer

Abstract

An anchor connected with a suture is moved through a passage between opposite sides of a bone. The anchor is then pivoted to change its orientation. A second anchor is connected with the suture. While tension is maintained in the suture, the suture is secured against movement relative to the anchors. This may be done by tying the suture or by using a suture retainer to hold the suture. A suture retainer may be used in place of the second anchor. The passage may extend across a fracture in the bone. The passage may have either a nonlinear or linear configuration. The passage may be formed by first moving a thin elongated member through the bone. The thin elongated member is then used as a guide for a drill. The thin elongated member is withdrawn from the drill and the suture anchor is moved through a passage in the drill.

Claims

1. A fixation system for securing a portion of a body of a patient, the body portion including an anchor-receiving hole extending between a first surface and a second surface of the body portion, the anchor-receiving hole including a first entrance in the first surface of the body portion and a second entrance in the second surface of the body portion, the system comprising:

a plate having a bone contacting surface, a second surface opposite the bone contacting surface, and an opening extending between the bone contacting surface and the second surface of the plate, the opening having a central longitudinal axis and a maximum dimension transverse the central longitudinal axis of the opening, the plate being configured to be attached to the body portion with at least one fastener, the bone contacting surface, when the plate is attached to the body portion, being configured to contact the first surface of the body portion such that the opening is aligned with the first entrance of the anchor-receiving hole in the body portion;

an anchor having a first end, a second end, and a length therebetween, the anchor having a width transverse to the length, the anchor having a depth transverse to the width and the length, the length of the anchor being greater than the width of the anchor and greater than the maximum dimension of the opening of the plate, the width and the depth of the anchor being less than the maximum dimension of the opening of the plate thereby permitting the anchor to pass through the opening of the plate and into the anchor-receiving hole in the body portion, the anchor having at least one passage extending therethrough, the at least one passage having a central longitudinal axis transverse to the length of the anchor;

a securing member having a maximum dimension greater than the maximum dimension of the opening of the plate, the securing member having at least two apertures extending therethrough, the apertures each having a central longitudinal axis transverse to the maximum dimension of the securing member, the securing member being configured to be positioned adjacent to and extend across the opening of the plate; and

an elongate member configured to be positioned through the anchor-receiving hole of the body portion, the at least one passage of the anchor, and the at least two apertures of the securing member to connect the anchor and the securing member.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a second plate positioned proximate the second surface of the body portion, wherein the elongate member is positioned through the second plate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the body portion includes bone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plate is configured to be positioned between the securing member and the body portion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the elongate member comprises a polymeric material.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the anchor comprises one of stainless steel and titanium.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the securing member comprises one of stainless steel and titanium.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the anchor is configured to be positioned adjacent to and extend across the second entrance of the anchor-receiving hole.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein tension in the elongate member serves in securing the position of the body portion between the anchor and the securing member.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one passage of the anchor includes a first passage and a second passage, and the elongate member is positioned through the first passage and the second passage.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the anchor has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the at least one passage extends between the first and second surfaces, the first surface of the anchor being configured to contact the second surface of the body portion.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second surface of the anchor is disposed at least in part in a first plane, the first plane, when the first surface of the anchor is contacted to the second surface of the body portion, being transverse to a central longitudinal axis of the anchor-receiving hole.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the body portion is two bone pieces, the anchor-receiving hole extends through each of the two bone pieces, and the elongate member is configured to be tensioned with respect to the anchor and the securing member to clamp the two bone pieces in position with respect to one another.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the elongated member is a suture.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the suture is configured to be tensioned with respect to the anchor and the securing member, tension in the elongate member clamping the body portion and the plate between the anchor and the securing member.

16. A fixation system for securing a portion of a body of a patient, the body portion having an anchor-receiving hole extending from a first surface to a second surface of the body portion, the anchor-receiving hole having a first entrance in the first surface of the body portion and a second entrance in the second surface of the body portion, and the anchor-receiving hole having a central longitudinal axis and a maximum dimension transverse to the central longitudinal axis thereof, the system comprising:

a plate having a bone contacting surface, a second surface opposite the bone contacting surface, and an opening extending from the bone contacting surface to the second surface, the bone contacting surface being disposed at least in part in a first plane, the opening having a central longitudinal axis that is transverse to the first plane, the opening having a maximum dimension that is transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the opening, the bone contacting surface, when the plate is attached to the body portion, being configured to contact the first surface of the body portion such that the opening is aligned with the first entrance of the anchor-receiving hole in the body portion;

an anchor being configured to be positioned adjacent to and extend across the second entrance to the anchor-receiving hole, the anchor having a first end, a second end, a length between the first and second ends, a width transverse to and being less than the length, and a depth transverse to and being less than the width and the length, the length of the anchor being greater than the maximum dimension of the anchor-receiving hole and the maximum dimension of the opening of the plate, the width and the depth of the anchor being less than the maximum dimension of the anchor-receiving hole and the maximum dimension of the opening of the plate such that the anchor can pass through the opening of the plate and the anchor-receiving hole in the body portion, the anchor having at least one passage therethrough, the passage having a central longitudinal axis transverse to the length of the anchor;

a securing member configured to be positioned adjacent to and across the opening of the plate, the securing member having a maximum dimension greater than the maximum dimension of the opening of the plate, the securing member having at least two apertures extending therethrough, the apertures each having a central longitudinal axis transverse to the maximum dimension of the securing member; and

an elongate member configured to extend through the anchor-receiving hole and be positioned through the at least one passage of the anchor and the at least two apertures of the securing member to connect the anchor and the securing member to one another.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the anchor has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the at least one passage extends between the first and second surfaces, the first surface of the anchor being configured to contact the second surface of the body portion.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second surface of the anchor is disposed at least in part in a first plane, the first plane, when the first surface of the anchor is contacted to the second surface of the body portion, being transverse to a central longitudinal axis of the anchor-receiving hole.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the body portion is two bone pieces, the anchor-receiving hole extends through each of the two bone pieces, and the elongate member is configured to be tensioned with respect to the anchor and the securing member to clamp the two bone pieces in position with respect to one another.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the elongated member is a suture, the suture being configured to be tensioned with respect to the anchor and the securing member, tension in the elongate member clamping the body portion and the plate between the anchor and the securing member.