Method and apparatus for soft tissue attachment

• US 9,622,851 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Severson, Ryan J
• Application Number:
  US13/944,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• 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 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 2017/0435 the barbs being separate elements mechanically linked to the anchor, e.g. by pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0459 Multiple holes in the anchor through which the suture extends and locking the suture when tension is applied
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0829 without deformation of anchor parts, e.g. fixation screws on bone surface, extending barbs, cams, butterflies, spring-loaded pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone

Abstract

An anchor assembly for retaining a graft in an anatomy. The anchor assembly includes an anchor body, a flexible connector, and a graft holding member. The anchor body includes a first connector bore defined by the anchor body. The flexible connector extends through the first connector bore. The graft holding member is attached to the flexible connector and is configured to hold the graft.

Claims

1. An anchor assembly configured for retaining a graft in an anatomy comprising:

an anchor body having a first connector bore defined by the anchor body;

a flexible connector extending through the first connector bore; and

a graft holding member configured to hold the graft, the graft holding member having an attachment member extending therefrom that is engaged with the flexible connector to link the anchor body to the graft holding member, and a surface configured to maintain separation of a first portion of the graft from a second portion of the graft, wherein the graft holding member is configured to he attached to the flexible connector via a third portion of the graft.

2. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor body defines a second connector bore spaced apart from the first connector bore, the first connector bore extends substantially parallel to the second connector bore.

3. The anchor assembly of claim 2, wherein the flexible connector extends through both the first connector bore and the second connector bore.

4. The anchor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a flexible activation member connected to the anchor body.

5. The anchor assembly of claim 4, wherein the flexible connector and the flexible activation member are each sutures.

6. The anchor assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

an activation bore defined by the anchor body; and

a flexible activation member extending through the activation bore.

7. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment member is flexible.

8. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor body includes a button.

9. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor body is rigid and monolithic.

10. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor body is configured to fit within a bone tunnel.

11. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft holding member is configured to hold the graft with the graft positioned over the graft holding member.

12. An anchor assembly configured for retaining a graft in an anatomy comprising:

an anchor body including a first connector bore defined by the anchor body and a second connector bore defined by the anchor body, the first connector bore extends substantially parallel to the second connector bore;

a flexible connector extending through both the first connector bore and the second connector bore;

a graft support member configured to support the graft, wherein the graft support member includes an attachment member extending therefrom that is engaged with the flexible connector to link the anchor body to the graft support member, the graft support member including a plurality of ridges to maintain separation of a first portion of the graft from a second portion of the graft, wherein the graft support member is configured to be attached to the flexible connector via a third portion of the graft; and

a flexible activation member connected to the anchor body.

13. The anchor assembly of claim 12, wherein the anchor body is rigid.

14. The anchor assembly of claim 12, wherein the flexible connector and the flexible activation member are both sutures.

15. The anchor assembly of claim 12, wherein the graft is configured to replace an anterior cruciate ligament.

16. The anchor assembly of claim 12, wherein the graft support member is configured to fit within a bone tunnel to support the graft in the bone tunnel.

17. The anchor assembly of claim 12, wherein the graft support member is configured to support the graft with the graft positioned over the graft support member.