Method and apparatus for forming a self-locking adjustable loop

• US 9,993,241 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• 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: Denham, Gregory J., Stone, Kevin T., Wagner, Zachary
• Primary Examiner(s): Dornbusch, Dianne
• Application Number:
  US14/599,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 606232
• 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 17/06004 Means for attaching suture to needle tipping A61B17/06195; connecting wire to other metallic objects B21F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/82 for bone cerclage apparatus for manipulating wires or straps A61B17/8861; wires, bands or straps other than cerclage A61B17/842
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/842 Flexible wires, bands or straps A61B17/72, A61B17/82, A61B17/86 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• 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 2002/087 Anchor integrated into tendons, e.g. bone blocks, integrated rings
• 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 apparatus can include a first flexible member having first and second ends and a first body extending therebetween, where the first body defines a first passage portion. A second flexible member can have first and second ends and a second body extending therebetween, where the second body defines second and third passage portions. The first end of the first flexible member passes into and through the second passage portion such that the first end extends outside of the second passage portion, and the second end of the first flexible member passes into and through the third passage portion such that the second end extends outside of the third passage portion. The first and second ends of the second flexible member pass into and through the first passage portion to form a self-locking adjustable flexible member construct.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in surgical implantation, comprising:

a first flexible member having a first end, a second end and a first body extending between the first end and the second end of the first flexible member, the first body defining a first longitudinal passage portion in the first flexible member; and

a second flexible member having a first end, a second end and a second body extending between the first end and the second end of the second flexible member, the second body defining a second longitudinal passage portion and a third longitudinal passage portion in the second flexible member,

wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are formed as separate members but within the apparatus are coupled together to form a self-locking adjustable flexible member construct which includes;

(i) the first end of the first flexible member passing into and through the second longitudinal passage portion such that the first end of the first flexible member extends outside of the second longitudinal passage portion, (ii) the second end of the first flexible member passing into and through the third longitudinal passage portion such that the second end of the first flexible member extends outside of the third longitudinal passage portion, (iii) the first end of the second flexible member passing into and through the first longitudinal passage portion such that the first end of the second flexible member extends outside the first longitudinal passage portion; and

(iv) the second end of the second flexible member passing into and through the first longitudinal passage portion such that the second end of the second flexible member extends outside the first longitudinal passage portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second ends of the second flexible member extend into and through the first longitudinal passage portion in opposite directions such that the first end of the second flexible member extends from one end of the first longitudinal passage portion and the second end of the second flexible member extends from the other opposite end of the first longitudinal passage portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the second and third longitudinal passage portions spaced apart from each other by a fixed length portion of the body of the second flexible member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fixed length portion of the second flexible member in cooperation with the first and second ends of the second flexible member passing through the first longitudinal passage portion forms a self-locking adjustable loop.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a first adjustable length portion formed by first portions of the first and second flexible members extending between the first and second longitudinal passage portions, and a second adjustable length portion formed by separate second portions of the first and second flexible members extending between the first and third longitudinal passage portions;

wherein applying tension to the first and second ends of the first and second flexible members reduces a size of the first and second adjustable length portions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the adjustable flexible member construct is configured to automatically lock under tension to maintain the reduced size of the first and second adjustable length portions under tension in an absence of a knot.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first body defines a hollow interior, wherein the first end of the first flexible member passes into the hollow interior of the first body proximate the second end of the first flexible member, and wherein the second end of the first flexible member passes into the hollow interior of the first body proximate the first end of the first flexible member to form a loop portion extending from an opposite side of the second and third longitudinal passage portions as the first and second adjustable length portions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a needle member removably coupled to the fixed length portion and the loop portion, the needle member adapted to facilitate passing the adjustable flexible member construct through tissue.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an anchor member slidably coupled to the first longitudinal passage portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the anchor member comprises an aperture, the first longitudinal passage portion extending through the aperture such that the first and second ends of the second flexible member are adjustable relative to the anchor member.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second flexible members comprise a suture formed of a braided or woven structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first flexible member is a unitary member formed from a single piece of braided suture such that the first end, the second end and the first body of the first flexible member all form part of the unitary member.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second flexible member is a second unitary member formed from another single piece of braided suture such that the first end, the second end and the second body of the second flexible member all form part of the second unitary member.

14. An apparatus for use in surgical implantation, comprising:

a first flexible member having a first end, a second end, and a first body extending between the first end and the second end of the first flexible member, the first body defining a first longitudinal passage portion in the first flexible member; and

a second flexible member having a first end, a second end, and a second body extending between the first end and the second end of the second flexible member, the second body defining a second longitudinal passage portion in the second flexible member,

wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are formed as separate members but within the apparatus are coupled together to form a self-locking adjustable flexible member construct which includes the first end of the first flexible member passing into and through the second longitudinal passage portion and the first end of the second flexible member passing into and through the first longitudinal passage portion to form an adjustable portion between the first longitudinal passage portion and the second longitudinal passage portion.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a first fixed length portion of the first flexible member extending between the first longitudinal passage portion and the second end of the first flexible member and a second fixed length portion of the second flexible member extending between the second longitudinal passage portion and the second end of the second flexible member.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an anchor positioned on the adjustable portion.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the anchor is one of either a rigid anchor or a flexible anchor.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the anchor is a flexible anchor having first and second ends and an internal passage extending therebetween where the adjustable portion passes through first and second openings in a wall of the flexible anchor between the first and second ends of the flexible anchor to define first and second tail portions of the anchor.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second end of the first flexible member passes into and through the second longitudinal passage portion and the second end of the second flexible member passes into and through the first longitudinal passage portion and the adjustable portion is defined by two adjustable loops.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a first anchor coupled to the first longitudinal passage portion and a second anchor coupled to the second longitudinal passage portion.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first flexible member defines a third longitudinal passage portion and the second flexible member defines a fourth longitudinal passage portion, the second end of the first flexible member passing into and through the fourth longitudinal passage portion and the second end of the second flexible member passing into and through the third longitudinal passage portion.

22. An apparatus for use in surgical implantation, comprising:

a first flexible member having a first end, a second end, and a first body extending between the first end and the second end of the first flexible member, the first body defining a first longitudinal passage portion in the first flexible member;

a second flexible member having a first end, a second end, and a second body extending between the first end and the second end of the second flexible member, the second body defining a second longitudinal passage portion in the second flexible member, wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are formed as separate members, and wherein within the apparatus the first flexible member is coupled to the second flexible member by passing into and through the second longitudinal passage portion and the second flexible member is coupled to the first flexible member by passing into and through the first longitudinal passage portion; and

an anchor coupled to the first and second flexible members.