Method and apparatus for coupling soft tissue to bone
First Claim
1. A method for securing a suture to bone, comprising:
- loading the suture in a slot of an openable eyelet, wherein the slot includes an opening proximate a distal end of an inserter of a flexible member securing assembly, the assembly including the inserter, a suture anchor carried by the inserter, a distal tip removably coupled to a distal end of the inserter and a driver coupled to the inserter, the suture being positioned between the suture anchor and the distal tip within the slot while extending neither through the suture anchor nor the distal tip, a combination of the slot and the distal tip forming the openable eyelet;
piercing an outer surface of the bone with the distal tip;
advancing the inserter relative to the bone to form a pilot hole in the bone and position a distal end of the suture anchor relative to the outer surface of the bone, the distal tip, the opening of the slot and a portion of the suture loaded therein being positioned in the pilot hole;
actuating the driver to allow movement of the driver relative to the inserter;
advancing the driver relative to the inserter in a first direction to drive the suture anchor about the inserter into the pilot hole and compress a portion of the suture between the distal end of the suture anchor and the distal tip and secure the suture anchor and the suture to the bone without forming a knot in the suture; and
moving the driver in a second direction opposite the first direction to remove the inserter from the pilot hole and the distal tip, suture anchor and suture, the moving step uncoupling the distal tip from the inserter, opening the openable eyelet, and causing the suture to move through the opening of the slot of the openable eyelet as the inserter is removed from the pilot hole.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for securing a suture to bone can include loading the suture in a distal opening of an inserter of an assembly. The suture can be coupled to soft tissue. The assembly can include the inserter, an anchor carried by the inserter, a distal tip and a driver each coupled to the inserter. A hole can be formed in the bone with the distal tip, and the distal opening and a portion of the suture can be positioned in the hole. The driver can be actuated to allow movement relative to the inserter and can be advanced in a first direction to drive the anchor about the inserter into the hole to secure the distal tip, anchor and suture to the bone with an absence of a knot. The driver can be moved in a second direction to remove the inserter from the distal tip, anchor and suture.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for securing a suture to bone, comprising:
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loading the suture in a slot of an openable eyelet, wherein the slot includes an opening proximate a distal end of an inserter of a flexible member securing assembly, the assembly including the inserter, a suture anchor carried by the inserter, a distal tip removably coupled to a distal end of the inserter and a driver coupled to the inserter, the suture being positioned between the suture anchor and the distal tip within the slot while extending neither through the suture anchor nor the distal tip, a combination of the slot and the distal tip forming the openable eyelet; piercing an outer surface of the bone with the distal tip; advancing the inserter relative to the bone to form a pilot hole in the bone and position a distal end of the suture anchor relative to the outer surface of the bone, the distal tip, the opening of the slot and a portion of the suture loaded therein being positioned in the pilot hole; actuating the driver to allow movement of the driver relative to the inserter; advancing the driver relative to the inserter in a first direction to drive the suture anchor about the inserter into the pilot hole and compress a portion of the suture between the distal end of the suture anchor and the distal tip and secure the suture anchor and the suture to the bone without forming a knot in the suture; and moving the driver in a second direction opposite the first direction to remove the inserter from the pilot hole and the distal tip, suture anchor and suture, the moving step uncoupling the distal tip from the inserter, opening the openable eyelet, and causing the suture to move through the opening of the slot of the openable eyelet as the inserter is removed from the pilot hole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for securing soft tissue to bone, comprising:
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loading a suture in a slot of an openable eyelet, wherein the slot includes an opening proximate a distal end of an inserter of a flexible member securing assembly, the suture being coupled to soft tissue, the assembly including the inserter, a suture anchor carried by the inserter, a distal tip removably coupled to a distal end of the inserter, and a driver coupled to the inserter, wherein the suture anchor, inserter, distal tip and driver are concentric about a central longitudinal axis of the flexible member securing assembly and the suture is positioned between the suture anchor and distal tip within the slot while extending neither through the suture anchor nor the distal tip, a combination of the slot and the distal tip forming the openable eyelet; advancing the inserter into a hole in the bone using the driver to position a distal end of the suture anchor relative to an outer surface of the bone, the distal tip, the opening of the slot and a portion of the suture loaded therein being positioned in the hole; tensioning the suture relative to the slot and the soft tissue; actuating a lock member associated with the driver to allow movement of the driver relative to the inserter; advancing the driver relative to the inserter in a first direction to drive the suture anchor about the inserter into the hole and compress the suture between the distal end of the suture anchor and the distal tip and secure the suture anchor and the suture to the bone without forming a knot in the suture; and moving the driver in a second direction opposite the first direction to remove the inserter from the hole and the distal tip, suture anchor and the suture, the moving step uncoupling the distal tip from the inserter, opening the openable eyelet, and causing the suture to move through the opening of the slot of the openable eyelet as the inserter is removed from the hole. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A flexible member securing assembly for use in securing a flexible member relative to bone, the assembly comprising:
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a flexible member; an inserter having a body extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end; a driver assembly including a handle and a drive member coupled to the handle, the proximal end of the inserter positioned in an internal bore of the drive member and the handle; a lock arrangement associated with the driver assembly and configured to selectively lock the inserter to the driver assembly in one of a plurality of positions, the inserter extending through a portion of the lock arrangement; an anchor slidably carried on the inserter, wherein the inserter, driver assembly and anchor are concentric about the longitudinal axis; a slot formed in the inserter proximate the distal end, the slot being configured to receive the flexible member and selectively retain the flexible member therein; and a distal tip removably coupled to the distal end of the inserter such that the flexible member is coupled to the inserter between the distal tip and the anchor while extending neither through the distal tip nor the anchor, wherein a combination of the slot and the distal tip form an openable eyelet configured to retain the flexible member, and wherein, when the distal tip is removed from the distal end of the inserter, the slot defines an opening proximate the distal end of the inserter that is sized to allow the flexible member to pass through the opening; wherein the distal tip is adapted to form a pilot hole in the bone via a force applied to the driver assembly and the driver assembly is adapted to insert the anchor into the pilot hole about the inserter and into substantial engagement with the distal tip to secure the anchor and flexible member to the bone without forming a knot in the suture. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification