Soft tissue repair device and associated methods
First Claim
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1. A method for repairing a meniscal tear in meniscal tissue, comprising:
- positioning a first inserter carrying a first anchor on a distal outer surface of the first inserter adjacent to the meniscal tear;
passing a distal end of the first inserter through the meniscal tear and deploying the first anchor at a first location on an outer surface of the meniscal tissue, wherein said deploying the first anchor at the first location includes retracting the first inserter relative to the meniscal tissue;
retracting the first inserter relative to a second inserter;
positioning the second inserter carrying a second anchor on a distal outer surface of the second inserter adjacent to the meniscal tear;
passing a distal end of the second inserter through the meniscal tear and deploying the second anchor at a second location on the outer surface of the meniscal tissue; and
reducing the tear by tightening a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors.
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Abstract
A fibrous tissue repair device includes first and second tubular anchors having corresponding longitudinal passages. The tissue repair device includes corresponding first and second inserters. Each inserter has a shaft with a distal portion received in the longitudinal passage of the corresponding tubular anchor. A flexible strand couples the first and second anchors.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for repairing a meniscal tear in meniscal tissue, comprising:
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positioning a first inserter carrying a first anchor on a distal outer surface of the first inserter adjacent to the meniscal tear; passing a distal end of the first inserter through the meniscal tear and deploying the first anchor at a first location on an outer surface of the meniscal tissue, wherein said deploying the first anchor at the first location includes retracting the first inserter relative to the meniscal tissue; retracting the first inserter relative to a second inserter; positioning the second inserter carrying a second anchor on a distal outer surface of the second inserter adjacent to the meniscal tear; passing a distal end of the second inserter through the meniscal tear and deploying the second anchor at a second location on the outer surface of the meniscal tissue; and reducing the tear by tightening a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for repairing a meniscal tear in meniscal tissue comprising:
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positioning a distal end of a cannula adjacent to a first side of the meniscal tear at a first location; passing and positioning a distal portion of a first elongated shaft carrying a first anchor through the cannula to the first location; piercing the meniscus with a distal end of the distal portion of the first elongated shaft, where the first anchor is positioned proximal the distal end to carry the first anchor from the first side of the meniscal tear to a second side of the meniscal tear at a second location on an outer surface of the meniscal tissue; retracting the first elongated shaft to deploy the first anchor at the second location; positioning the distal end of the cannula adjacent to the first side of the meniscal tear at a third location; passing and positioning a distal portion of a second elongated shaft carrying a second anchor through the cannula to the third location; piercing the meniscal tissue with a distal end of the distal portion of the second elongated shaft, where the second anchor is proximal the distal end to carry the second anchor from the first side of the meniscal tear to the second side of the meniscal tear at a fourth location on an outer surface of the meniscal tissue; retracting the second elongated shaft to deploy the second anchor at the fourth location; and reducing the meniscal tear by tightening a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for repairing a meniscal tear in meniscal tissue comprising:
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positioning a distal end of a cannula adjacent to a first side of the meniscal tear at a first location; passing and positioning a distal portion of a first elongated shaft carrying a first anchor through the cannula to the first location; piercing the meniscal tissue with a sharp edge of a distal end of the distal portion of the first elongated shaft defined by a slanted surface, where the first anchor is positioned proximal the distal end to carry the first anchor from the first side of the meniscal tear to a second side of the meniscal tear at a second location on an outer surface of the meniscal tissue by driving the first anchor through the meniscal tissue using a first buttress surface of the first elongated shaft that engages the first anchor; retracting the first elongated shaft to deploy the first anchor at the second location; positioning the distal end of the cannula to the first side of the meniscal tear at a third location; passing and positioning a distal portion of a second elongated shaft carrying a second anchor through the cannula to the third location; piercing the meniscal tissue with a sharp edge of a distal end of the distal portion of the second elongated shaft defined by a slanted surface, where the second anchor is positioned proximal the distal end to carry the second anchor from the first side of the meniscal tear to the second side of the meniscal tear at a fourth location on an outer surface of the meniscal tissue by driving the second anchor through the meniscal tissue using a second buttress surface of the second elongated shaft that engages the second anchor; retracting the second elongated shaft to deploy the second anchor at the fourth location; and reducing the meniscal tear by tightening a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification