Suture coil and suture sheath for tissue repair

• US 9,066,716 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrosurface, Inc (Anika Therapeutics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arthrosurface, Inc (Anika Therapeutics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sikora, George, Ek, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dornbusch, Dianne
• Assistant Examiner(s): LYNCH, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US13/436,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/76, 606/103, 606/139, 606/144, 606/148, 606/228, 606/232, 606/907, 606/910, 623 1311- 1314, 623 13- 19, 128/898
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/0483 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 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0411 Instruments for removing suture anchors for removing suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/049
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06171 helically or spirally coiled for needles A61B2017/06076
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0888 Anchor in or on a blind hole or on the bone surface without formation of a tunnel

Abstract

A medical device is provided comprising a suture thread coated with a stiffening agent and having a shape of a coil having a plurality of windings. The suture thread may be used to reconnect soft tissue to bone tissue. The suture thread may be used in conjunction with a suture sheath which is inhibited from movement relative to the suture thread.

Claims

1. A method to treat tissue comprising:

advancing at least one winding of a suture thread into a first opening of a tunnel formed in a patient'"'"'s tissue;

advancing a suture retrieving device into a second opening of the tunnel;

rotating at least one of the suture thread or the suture retrieving device to couple the suture thread to the retrieving device within the tunnel; and

removing a portion of the suture thread from the second opening of the tunnel by removing the suture retrieving device from the second opening of the tunnel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the tissue is bone tissue.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

using the suture thread to connect soft tissue to the bone tissue.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said suture thread includes a stiffening agent.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the stiffening agent comprises a polymer.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least a portion of said suture thread is coated with said stiffening agent.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said tunnel includes a first and a second portion intersecting with each other at an angle, said first and said second portions including said first and said second openings, respectively.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said angle is an acute angle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said angle is a right angle.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said first portion and said second portions each have a first and a second different longitudinal axis.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to advancing said at least one winding of said suture thread into said first opening, said method further comprises advancing a suture sheath comprising a tube having a lumen through said tunnel;

and

wherein said advancing said at least one winding of said suture thread into said first opening further includes advancing said at least one winding of said suture thread into at least a portion of the lumen.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of said suture thread includes a coil including said plurality of windings, and wherein said suture thread further comprises uncoiled terminal end sections at opposite ends of said coil.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the windings define a passage extending through the coil; and

one of the terminal end sections extends through the passage such that a loop is provided at one end of the coil.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said portion of said suture thread removed from said second opening includes said loop, and wherein said method further comprising cutting said loop to form a first and a second suture thread extending through said tunnel.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said suture retrieving device comprises helical coil extending from a distal end of a shaft.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said rotating at least one of the suture thread or the suture retrieving device to couple the suture thread to the retrieving device within the tunnel comprises rotating said helical coil of said retrieving device until a portion of said at least one of winding of the suture thread is hooked by said coil of said suture retrieving device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said rotating at least one of the suture thread or the suture retrieving device to couple the suture thread to the retrieving device within the tunnel comprises rotating said suture coil until said at least one winding passes between two adjacent windings of said helical coil.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a distal end of said helical coil projects distally.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein a distal end of said helical coil arcs proximally to form a hook.

6. The method of 4 wherein:

the stiffening agent holds a position of the windings stationary relative to one another.