Suture anchor

• US RE36,974 E
• Filed: 03/02/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bonutti Skeletal Innovations LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Peter M. Bonutti
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, HOA B
• Application Number:
  US09/033,020
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 606/232, 606/72-74, 606/104, 606/139
• US Class Current: 606/232
• 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 2017/0411 Instruments for removing suture anchors for removing suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/049
• 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 2017/0445 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 2090/062 penetration depth

Abstract

The present invention is an anchor for securing a suture in the body. The anchor includes a tubular wall having a central axis. The tubular wall has a proximal end and a distal end each free of axially inwardly extending slots. The tubular wall has an inner surface extending for the entire length of the tube and defining in the anchor a central opening extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The anchor has a width less than its length. A suture may extend through the anchor within the central opening. First and second end portions of the suture extend out of opposite ends of the anchor and are sufficiently long to project out of the body when the suture is secured in the body by the anchor. The anchor has an anchoring orientation in the body achieved by manipulation of the distal end of the anchor by pulling on the second end portion of the suture. The anchor has a removal orientation in the body achieved by manipulation of the proximal end of the anchor by pulling on the first end portion of the suture. The present invention also relates to a method of anchoring to a bone a suture having first and second end portions.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a suture anchor inserter, said suture anchor inserter including an outer tube and an inner tube, said inner tube being at least partially disposed in said outer tube and being slidable relative to said outer tube, said inner tube having surface means for defining a central channel, a thin elongated member at least partially disposed in said central channel, said thin elongated member having an end portion adapted to be disposed in engagement with body tissue, a suture at least partially disposed in said central channel, and an anchor, said anchor having surface means for defining a passage through which said thin elongated member and said suture extend, said anchor being movable along said thin elongated member from a first position in which said anchor is at least partially disposed within said outer tube to a second position in which said anchor is outside of said outer tube and is disposed in engagement with body tissue, said suture and said thin elongated member being disposed in said passage in said anchor throughout movement of said anchor from the first position to the second position.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inner tube has surface means for applying force against said anchor to move said anchor from the first position to the second position.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said outer tube includes surface means for engaging the body tissue to retain said outer tube against movement relative to the body tissue during movement of said anchor from the first position to the second position.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said outer tube has inner side surface means for defining a channel in which said inner tube is received, said inner tube having outer side surface means for engaging said inner side surface means on said outer tube to guide movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube, a portion of said suture being disposed between said inner side surface means on said outer tube and said outer side surface means on said inner tube during movement of said anchor from the first position to the second position. .Iadd.

5. An apparatus which is adapted to be at least partially received in body tissue, said apparatus comprising an anchor having a cylindrical outer side surface with a longitudinal central axis, said anchor including first surface means for at least partially defining a first passage which extends through said anchor at a location disposed between and spaced from axially opposite ends of said anchor, said first passage extends through said longitudinal central axis of said anchor, said anchor including second surface means for at least partially defining a second passage which extends through said anchor at a location spaced from said first passage and disposed between and spaced from axially opposite ends of said anchor, said second passage extends through said longitudinal central axis of said anchor at a location which is spaced from said first passage, said anchor including third surface means for defining a third passage which extends along said longitudinal central axis of said anchor and intersects said first and second passages, and suture means for extending into body tissue, said suture means having a first portion which extends through said first passage in said anchor, a second portion which extends along said cylindrical side surface of said anchor between ends of said first and second passages, and a third portion which extends through said second passage in said anchor..Iaddend..Iadd.6. An apparatus which is adapted to be at least partially received in body tissue, said apparatus comprising an anchor having a cylindrical outer side surface with a longitudinal central axis, said anchor including first surface means for at least partially defining a first passage which extends through said anchor at a location disposed between and spaced from first and second axial ends of said anchor, said first passage extends through said longitudinal central axis of said anchor, said anchor including second surface means for at least partially defining a second passage which extends through said anchor at a location spaced from said first passage and disposed between and spaced from said first and second axial ends of said anchor, said second passage extends through said longitudinal central axis of said anchor at a location which is spaced from said first passage, said anchor including third surface means disposed on said first axial end of said anchor for receiving force to press said second axial end of said anchor against body tissue and to urge said anchor to rotate about an axis which extends transverse to the longitudinal central axis of said anchor while said anchor is at least partially enclosed by body tissue, and suture means for extending into body tissue and for transmitting force to said anchor to urge said anchor to rotate about the axis which extends transverse to the longitudinal central axis of said anchor while said anchor is at least partially enclosed by body tissue, said suture means having a first portion which extends through said first passage in said anchor, a second portion which extends along said cylindrical side surface of said anchor between ends of said first and second passages, and a third portion which extends through said second passage in said anchor..Iaddend.