Suture anchor system with tension relief mechanism

• US 9,750,492 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Mitek LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ziniti, Donald, Ranucci, Kevin J., Morin, Armand A.
• Primary Examiner(s): OU, JING RUI
• Application Number:
  US11/462,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,050 Days
• Field of Search: 606232, 606148
• 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 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• 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 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/045 snug fit within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for attaching soft tissue to bone. In general, a deployment device, insertion assembly, and suture anchor are provided. The insertion assembly is coupled between the deployment device and the suture anchor to allow the deployment device to deploy the suture anchor into bone. Each of the various components disclosed herein can be used alone, in combination with one another, or in combination with various other devices.

Claims

1. A method for deploying a suture anchor, comprising:

inserting into a bone tunnel a suture anchor having a generally cylindrical inner component and a tubular outer component disposed coaxially with the inner component and which outer component is coupled to a distal end of a deployment device;

coupling suture between the inner component of the suture anchor and a suture retaining element located on a housing of the deployment device; and

actuating a handle assembly to draw the outer component of the suture anchor over the inner component of the suture anchor while maintaining the inner component in a fixed position within the bone tunnel thereby locking the suture between the inner and outer components, and wherein tension applied to the suture extending between the inner component and the housing remains substantially fixed, and expanding at least a portion of the outer component to engage the bone tunnel and lock the outer component within the bone tunnel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly slides proximally relative to the housing when the handle assembly is actuated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the handle assembly comprises pivoting a trigger coupled to the handle assembly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the suture retaining element comprises a suture tensioning assembly, and the method further comprises actuating the suture tensioning assembly to tension the suture between the suture tensioning assembly and the inner component of the suture anchor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing is located at a proximal end of the deployment device, and coupling the suture comprises coupling the suture between the inner component and the suture retaining member located at the proximal end of the deployment device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the suture anchor into the bone tunnel comprises inserting the outer component of the suture anchor into the bone tunnel at a location in the bone tunnel distal to the inner component of the suture anchor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer component slides proximally relative to the housing when the handle assembly is actuated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly and the outer component slidably move relative to the housing when the handle assembly is actuated.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the inner component is held in the fixed position within the bone tunnel via an abutment adjacent the distal end of the deployment device which remains a fixed distance from the housing during the step of actuating the handle assembly.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the inner component has a tubular outer surface and the outer component has a tubular inner surface and wherein the step of locking the suture between the inner and outer components comprises compressing the suture between the inner component outer surface and the outer component inner surface.

11. A method for deploying a suture anchor, comprising:

inserting a suture anchor coupled to a distal end of a deployment device into a bone tunnel;

tensioning a suture coupled to a tubular first component of the suture anchor; and

actuating a handle assembly to slide the handle assembly relative to a housing of the deployment device, thereby mating a tubular second component of the suture anchor with the first component of the suture anchor to lock the suture between the first and second components while maintaining the position of the first component relative to the bone tunnel and maintaining substantially fixed tension in the suture, and expanding at least a portion of the second component to engage the bone tunnel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second component is pulled over the first component when the handle assembly is actuated.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein tensioning the suture comprises coupling the suture between the first component of the suture anchor and a suture retaining element located on a housing of the deployment device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the suture retaining element, first component, and suture remain in a substantially fixed position as the handle assembly is slid relative to the housing.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the suture retaining element comprises a suture tensioning assembly and wherein the method further comprises tensioning the suture between the first component of the suture anchor and the suture tensioning assembly.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the suture retaining element comprises a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing, and tensioning the suture comprises rotating the wheel.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the housing is located at a proximal end of the deployment device, and tensioning the suture comprises tensioning the suture between the first component and the housing.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein tensioning the suture comprises tensioning the suture between the first component and a proximal end of the deployment device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the handle assembly and the second component slide proximally relative to the housing when the handle assembly is actuated.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the second component slidably moves relative to the housing when the handle assembly is actuated.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein inserting the suture anchor into the bone tunnel comprises inserting the second component of the suture anchor into the bone tunnel before inserting the first component of the suture anchor into the bone tunnel.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprises actuating a release mechanism coupled to the housing to release tension applied to the suture after the suture is locked between the first and second components.