Method and apparatus for coupling soft tissue to a bone

• US 9,532,777 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• 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: Kaiser, Ryan A., Denham, Gregory J., Stone, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, PHONG SON H
• Application Number:
  US14/107,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20140194927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 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 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1631 Special drive shafts, e.g. flexible shafts A61B17/1642, A61B17/164 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1642 for producing a curved bore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00858 high friction, non-slip on handles A61B2017/00429
• 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 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• 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 2017/0432 the separate member staying in the anchor after placement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 : Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 : Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0858 : Fixation of tendon or ligament between anchor and bone, e.g. interference screws, wedges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 : Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• 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 method for coupling soft tissue to bone including: positioning a first anchor in a first bone bore, the first anchor having a first self-locking adjustable suture construct including a first adjustable loop, a second adjustable loop, and a pair of first ends; positioning a second anchor in a second bone bore, the second anchor having a second self-locking adjustable suture construct including a third adjustable loop, a fourth adjustable loop, and a second end; positioning the first adjustable loop relative to the soft tissue; positioning the second adjustable loop about the third adjustable loop; and tensioning the pair of first ends and the second end to pull the first adjustable loop against the soft tissue, couple the second adjustable loop to the third adjustable loop, pull the second adjustable loop against the soft tissue, and pull the third adjustable loop against the soft tissue.

Claims

1. A method for coupling soft tissue to bone comprising:

forming a bore in the bone;

positioning an anchor in the bone, the anchor having a self-locking suture construct extending therefrom, the construct having a first loop, a second loop, and a pair of ends, wherein the suture construct is formed of a body that defines a longitudinal extending passage therein, the first end extending into and out of a first passage portion to form the first loop and the second and extending into and out of a second passage portion to form the second loop;

positioning the first loop relative to the soft tissue;

positioning the second loop relative to the soft tissue;

coupling the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue; and

pulling the pair of ends to tighten the suture construct to fix the soft tissue to the bone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the first loop further includes passing the first loop through the soft tissue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein positioning the second loop further includes positioning the second loop around the soft tissue to couple the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling a first loop to the second loop includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a fastening element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fastening element is a suture and the suture couples a first loop to the second loop.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the suture includes a knot wherein the knotted suture fastener couples the first loop to the second loop.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pair of ends extend from the bore in the bone and pulling the pair of ends includes pulling the pair of ends from the bore in the bone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the anchor includes positioning a stiff anchor in the bore.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the first loop and the second loop further includes coupling ends of the first and second loops to the soft tissue opposite the first and second passage portions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein pulling the pair of ends positions the first and second passage portions adjacent to the anchor upon tightening the suture construct to fix the soft tissue to the bone.

11. A method for coupling soft tissue to bone comprising:

forming a hole in the bone;

positioning an anchor in the hole, the anchor having a self-locking suture construct extending therefrom, the construct having a first loop, a second loop, a first end, and a second end, wherein the suture construct is formed of a body that defines a longitudinal extending passage therein, the first end extending into and out of a first passage portion to form the first loop and the second end extending into and out of a second passage portion to form the second loop;

positioning the first loop relative to the soft tissue;

positioning the second loop relative to the soft tissue;

coupling the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue with a fastening element; and

tensioning the first end and the second end to tighten the suture construct to secure the soft tissue to the bone.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein coupling the first loop to the second loop with the fastening element further includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a suture fastening element.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the first loop and positioning the second loop further includes passing the first loop through the soft tissue and positioning the second loop around the soft tissue and coupling the first and second loops with the fastening element.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the first loop and the second loop includes positioning ends of the first loop and the second loop relative to the soft tissue and the first and second passage portions adjacent the anchor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the anchor in the hole includes positioning a rigid anchor in the hole, wherein the suture construct extends from the rigid anchor and is separate therefrom.

16. A method for coupling soft tissue to bone comprising:

forming a bore in the bone;

positioning an anchor in the bore, the anchor having a suture construct extending therefrom, the suture construct having a first loop, a second loop, a first end, and a second end, wherein the suture construct is formed of a body that defines a longitudinal extending passage therein, the first end extending into and out of a first passage portion to form the first loop and the second end extending into and out of a second passage portion to form the second loop;

passing the first loop through the soft tissue;

positioning the second loop relative to the first loop and the soft tissue;

coupling the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue with a fastening element; and

pulling at least one of the first end or the second end to tighten the suture construct to secure the soft tissue relative to the bone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the first loop to the second loop with the fastening element further includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a fastening element formed of a separate piece of suture.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the first and second loops includes positioning ends of the first and second loops relative to the soft tissue and the first and second passage portions adjacent the anchor.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising pulling the first end and the second end of the suture construct relative to the bore to tighten the suture construct to tighten the soft tissue to the bone.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the first loop to the second loop with the fastening element further includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a fastening element formed of a suture having a knot to tie the first loop and the second loop together.