Surgical knot pusher and method of use

• US 20020116012A1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Fromm, Stuart E., May, Thomas C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,884,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/148
• 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 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• 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 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0474 Knot pushers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0646 for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus

Abstract

A surgical knot pusher device allows a prepared knot to be pushed down a length of suture without deforming or collapsing the knot. The surgical knot pusher device includes a handle portion and an elongate body extending from the handle portion. The elongate body has a curved tip that is tapered and has a groove along a length of the tip. The tip also includes a central channel extending from the groove to a distal end of the tip.

Claims

1. A surgical knot pusher device, comprising:

a handle portion and an elongate body extending from the handle portion, the elongate body having a distal tip, the distal tip having a groove formed in a portion thereof, and a central channel extending from the groove to a distal end of the distal tip,

wherein the device is configured to push a prepared knot down a leg of suture without deforming or collapsing the knot.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal tip is tapered.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the handle portion further includes at least one finger engaging loop.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal tip is curved.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the distal tip extends from the elongate body at an angle of up to approximately 35°

.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the groove is formed proximally of the distal end of the distal tip.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the channel is substantially centrally disposed within the distal tip.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the central channel has a flared conical opening near the distal end of the distal tip.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the groove has a contoured surface adapted for seating a portion of the suture.

10. The device of claim 1, further being formed from a rigid metal or plastic.

11. The device of claim 1, further being formed from a malleable metal or plastic.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the knot is a slip knot.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the suture loop further includes an anchor at one end of the suture loop and a knot-engaging implant at another end of the suture loop.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of attaching the suture loop to the patient'"'"'s tissue includes threading the suture loop through the tissue such that the anchor is on one side of the tissue and the knot and knot-engaging implant is on an opposite side of the tissue.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of reattaching the tissue includes pushing the prepared knot with the distal tip of the surgical knot pusher device up against the knot-engaging implant.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of applying tension to the suture and forcing the knot-engaging implant into an inner wall of the tissue.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of forcing the knot into the knot-engaging implant.

12. System for repairing a tear in a soft tissue body, comprising:

a suture locking system including an anchor for bearing against an outer wall of a soft tissue body, the anchor being connected by a suture to an implant for insertion into an inner wall of the tissue body, the suture having formed thereon a knot;

an inserter tool for introducing the anchor and suture through a tear within the tissue body; and

a surgical knot pusher device having a handle portion and an elongate body extending from the handle portion, the elongate body having a distal tip, the distal tip having a groove formed in a portion thereof, and a central channel extending from the groove to a distal end of the distal tip, wherein the device is configured to push the knot down a leg of the suture without deforming or collapsing the knot.

13. A method of surgically tying a prepared slip knot to reattach torn tissue, comprising the steps of:

providing a surgical knot pusher device having a handle portion and an elongate body extending from the handle portion, the elongate body including a distal tip having a groove formed in a portion thereof, and a channel extending from the groove to a distal end of the distal tip;

attaching a suture loop having a prepared knot to a patient'"'"'s tissue;

threading a leg of suture from the prepared knot through the channel of the distal tip and out of the groove, a portion of the thread seating within the groove;

advancing the surgical knot pusher device along the leg of suture until the distal tip abuts the prepared knot; and

sliding the surgical knot pusher device towards the tissue while holding the leg of suture taut against the surgical knot pusher device to reattach the tissue.