Soft tissue repair device and associated methods

• US 9,173,651 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stone, Kevin T., Kaiser, Ryan A., Sautter, Nathan M., Holst, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Dornbusch, Dianne
• Application Number:
  US13/656,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• 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 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• 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 17/0493 Protective devices for suturing, i.e. for protecting the patient's organs or the operator
• 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 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0646 for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 abutting on tissue or skin

Abstract

A device for repairing tissue includes a first tubular anchor having a first central longitudinal axis and a first bore along the first central longitudinal axis, the first bore having a first curved surface and a first flat surface, and a first transverse bore perpendicular to the first central longitudinal axis and parallel to the first flat surface. The device includes a second tubular anchor having a second central longitudinal axis and a second longitudinal bore along the second central longitudinal axis, the second bore having a second curved surface and a second flat surface, and a second transverse bore perpendicular to the second central longitudinal axis and parallel to the second flat surface. A flexible strand couples the first and second tubular anchors and passes through the first and second transverse bores.

Claims

1. A device for repairing tissue comprising:

a first tubular anchor having a first central longitudinal axis and a first bore along the first central longitudinal axis, the first bore having a first curved surface and a first flat surface, and a first transverse bore perpendicular to the first central longitudinal axis and parallel to the first flat surface;

a second tubular anchor having a second central longitudinal axis and a second longitudinal bore along the second central longitudinal axis, the second bore having a second curved surface and a second flat surface, and a second transverse bore perpendicular to the second central longitudinal axis and parallel to the second flat surface;

a flexible strand coupling the first and second tubular anchors by use of the first and second transverse bores; and

an inserter having an open longitudinal channel and a deploying member movable along the longitudinal channel, the inserter passing through each of the first and second bores of the first and second anchors such that a movable projection of the deploying member is positioned between the first and second anchors and abuts against the first anchor outside the first bore.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second anchors are substantially rigid.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first and second anchors have open ends.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the projection is configured to pass through the second bore and abut against the second anchor outside the second bore by pulling the deploying member in a direction from the first anchor to the second anchor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the projection is elastically deformable.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible strand includes a slip knot with a free end for tightening the flexible strand.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first flexible strand loop passing through the first transverse bore; and

a second flexible strand loop passing through the second transverse bore, wherein the flexible strand passes through the first and second flexible strand loops and includes a slipknot.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second bores are D-shaped.

9. A device for repairing tissue comprising:

a first tubular anchor having a body extending between first and second open ends and a first bore passing through the first and second open ends;

a second tubular anchor having a body extending first and second open ends and a second bore passing through the first and second open ends;

an inserter having an open longitudinal channel and a deploying member received in and movable along the longitudinal channel, the deploying member having a movable projection, the inserter passing through the first and second bores and the deploying member movable along the open longitudinal channel between first and second positions,

wherein in the first position, the projection of the deploying member is between and outside the first and second anchors and abuts the second end of the first anchor for pushing and expelling the first anchor from the inserter; and

wherein in the second position the projection passes through the second bore and abuts the second end of the second anchor for pushing and expelling the second anchor from the inserter after the first anchor is expelled.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the first bore is D-shaped and the first tubular anchor includes a first transverse bore perpendicular to the first bore and parallel to a flat portion of the first bore.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the second bore is D-shaped and the second tubular anchor includes a second transverse bore perpendicular to the second bore and parallel to a flat portion of the second bore.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a flexible strand passing through the first and second transverse bores.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the flexible strand includes a slip knot with a free end for tightening the flexible strand.

15. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a first flexible strand loop passing through the first transverse bore;

a second flexible strand loop passing through the second transverse bore; and

a third flexible strand passing through the first and second flexible strand loops and having a slipknot.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the projection is elastically deformable.

17. A device for repairing tissue comprising:

a first tubular anchor having a body extending between first and second open ends and a D-shaped first bore passing through the first and second open ends;

a second tubular anchor having a body extending first and second open ends and a D-shaped second bore passing through the first and second open ends;

a flexible strand coupling the first and second tubular anchors; and

an inserter having an open longitudinal channel and a deploying member received in and movable along the longitudinal channel, the deploying member having an elastically deformable projection, the inserter passing through the first and second bores and the deploying member movable along the open longitudinal channel between first and second positions;

wherein in the first position, the projection of the deploying member is between and outside the first and second anchors and abuts the second end of the first anchor in a first configuration for pushing and expelling the first anchor from the inserter; and

wherein in the second position the projection deforms and passes through the second bore in a second configuration, exits the second bore, and returns to the first configuration abutting the second end of the second anchor for pushing and expelling the second anchor from the inserter after the first anchor is expelled.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the first tubular anchor includes a first transverse bore perpendicular to the first bore and parallel to a flat portion of the first bore and wherein the second tubular anchor includes a second transverse bore perpendicular to the second bore and parallel to a flat portion of the second bore.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the flexible strand passes through the first and second transverse bores.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising:

a first flexible strand loop passing through the first transverse bore; and

a second flexible strand loop passing through the second transverse bore, wherein the flexible strand passes through the first and second flexible strand loops and has a slipknot.