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Multi-stitch anchor suture-based soft tissue repair system

  • US 8,979,873 B2
  • Filed: 09/22/2010
  • Issued: 03/17/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A soft tissue repair system comprising:

  • a needle including a needle body and a tip that extends from the needle body, the needle body defining an elongate channel that is configured to house at least one suture anchor, a suture anchor ejection port, and a transverse opening disposed adjacent the ejection port, the transverse opening configured to receive a strand of suture that extends transverse across and entirely through the needle body with respect to the elongate channel;

    a sheath having a sheath body that is movable relative to the needle between a first position and a second position, the sheath body defining a transverse opening extending from a first outer side sheath surface of the sheath to a second outer side sheath surface of the sheath that is located on an opposite side surface of the sheath from the first outer side sheath surface and that is aligned with the transverse opening of the needle body such that the transverse openings, in combination, define an enclosed suture through hole that extends across and through both the needle body and the sheath body such that the strand of suture can extend from outside the first outer side sheath surface across the sheath and needle to outside the second outer side sheath surface at least substantially perpendicular to the elongated channel of the needle when the sheath is in the first position, the suture through hole being configured to surround the strand of suture so as to retain the strand of suture, wherein movement of the sheath from the first position to the second position moves the transverse opening of the sheath out of alignment with the transverse opening of the needle to thereby expose the transverse opening of the needle through which the suture strand is removable from the needle; and

    an actuator configured to move relative to the needle so as to push the suture anchor from the elongate channel past the suture through hole when the sheath is in the first position, and toward the ejection port, such that the suture anchor engages the suture strand as it passes the suture through hole, and carries the suture strand as it is subsequently ejected from the needle out the ejection port.

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