Soft tissue repair device and method
First Claim
1. A method for repairing a tear in soft tissue, comprising:
- providing or obtaining first and second flexible anchors coupled to one another with a flexible strand;
providing or obtaining an insertion device having a housing with a pistol grip handle, an inserter and a slider carried in the inserter, wherein the inserter and the slider each have a distal end extending from the housing, wherein the first and second coupled anchors are loaded on an external surface of the slider with the slider extending through a portion of each of the first and second coupled anchors;
inserting, with the first and second coupled anchors situated in the inserter, the distal end of the inserter through the soft tissue from a first side of the tear through a second side of the tear and through an exterior surface of the soft tissue to a first location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue;
actuating an actuation member protruding from the pistol grip handle at a first time to translate the distal end of the slider beyond the distal end of the inserter;
deploying the first anchor from the slider to deliver the first anchor to the first location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue;
releasing the actuation member after deploying the first anchor;
removing the inserter from the soft tissue;
inserting the inserter through the soft tissue for a second time and to a second location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue;
actuating the actuation member a second time after the first time to extend the distal end of the slider beyond the distal end of the inserter;
deploying the second anchor from the slider to deliver the second anchor to the second location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue;
removing the inserter from the soft tissue for a second time; and
tensioning the flexible strand.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A soft tissue repair device can include a housing having a handle, a deployment system having an actuation member, and an insertion system having an inserter and a slider. The slider can be coupled to the actuation member and movable relative to the inserter between deployed and retracted positions. First and second anchors can be carried on an external surface of the slider such that the anchors are spaced apart and portions of the anchors are coaxial with the slider and each other. A flexible strand can couple the anchors. The insertion system can cooperate with the deployment system to move the slider to the deployed position to deploy the first anchor upon activating the actuation member a first time, and to move the slider to the deployed position from the retracted position to deploy the second anchor upon actuating the actuation member a second time after the first time.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for repairing a tear in soft tissue, comprising:
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providing or obtaining first and second flexible anchors coupled to one another with a flexible strand; providing or obtaining an insertion device having a housing with a pistol grip handle, an inserter and a slider carried in the inserter, wherein the inserter and the slider each have a distal end extending from the housing, wherein the first and second coupled anchors are loaded on an external surface of the slider with the slider extending through a portion of each of the first and second coupled anchors; inserting, with the first and second coupled anchors situated in the inserter, the distal end of the inserter through the soft tissue from a first side of the tear through a second side of the tear and through an exterior surface of the soft tissue to a first location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; actuating an actuation member protruding from the pistol grip handle at a first time to translate the distal end of the slider beyond the distal end of the inserter; deploying the first anchor from the slider to deliver the first anchor to the first location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; releasing the actuation member after deploying the first anchor; removing the inserter from the soft tissue; inserting the inserter through the soft tissue for a second time and to a second location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; actuating the actuation member a second time after the first time to extend the distal end of the slider beyond the distal end of the inserter; deploying the second anchor from the slider to deliver the second anchor to the second location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; removing the inserter from the soft tissue for a second time; and tensioning the flexible strand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for repairing a tear in soft tissue, comprising:
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adjusting a position of a distal end of an outer cannula relative to a distal end of an inserter; inserting the distal end of the inserter into soft tissue and through the soft tissue to a first location along an exterior surface of the soft tissue, wherein during said inserting a first anchor and a slider carrying the first anchor are situated in the inserter; actuating an actuation member at a first time to translate a distal end of the slider beyond the distal end of the inserter, wherein, during said actuating, the slider is extending through a portion of the first anchor such that advancement of the slider through the inserter advances the first anchor through the inserter; deploying the first anchor from the slider to deliver the first anchor to the first location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; and removing the inserter from the soft tissue. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for repairing a tear in soft tissue, comprising:
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inserting a distal end of an inserter into the soft tissue and through the soft tissue to a first location along an exterior surface of the soft tissue, wherein a first anchor and a second anchor and a slider carrying the first anchor and the second anchor are situated in the inserter during inserting the distal end of the inserter into the soft tissue and through the soft tissue to the first location along an exterior surface of the soft tissue, the slider extending through a portion of each of the first anchor and the second anchor; actuating an actuation member of a pistol grip handle at a first time to translate a distal end of the slider beyond the distal end of the inserter; deploying the first anchor from the slider to deliver the first anchor to the first location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; releasing the actuation member after deploying the first anchor; removing the inserter from the soft tissue; inserting the distal end of the inserter into the soft tissue and through the soft tissue to a second location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; actuating the actuation member at a second time to extend the distal end of the slider beyond the distal end of the inserter; deploying the second anchor from the slider to deliver the second anchor to the second location along the exterior surface of the soft tissue; and removing the inserter from the soft tissue for a second time. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification