Suture anchor reel device, kit and method

• US 20020143364A1
• Filed: 04/03/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stephen S. Burkhart
• Inventors: Burkhart, Stephen S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,540,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• 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 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0459 Multiple holes in the anchor through which the suture extends and locking the suture when tension is applied

Abstract

A suture anchor and kit for anchoring a suture member to human bone. A suture anchor includes a threaded portion and has a head at the proximal end thereof, the head being generally circular. A tip is located at a distal end of the shank. The shank is at least partially threaded and includes walls defining a reel portion. The shank also includes walls for engaging a suture, the walls for engaging the suture typically adjacent walls defining the reel portion. The head typically includes walls for engaging a drive tool. The kit includes a drive tool for rotating the suture anchor when a suture member is engaged with the walls for engaging the suture such that rotation of the anchor causes the suture material to wrap around the reel portion of the shank.

Claims

1. A device engageable with a tool for locating human tissue adjacent to human bone using a suture member engaged with the tissue, the device comprising:

an anchor having a tapered portion with a generally circular head at a first end and a pointed tip at a second end, the head including tool engagement walls, the anchor having at least a portion thereof having threads thereon, the shank including suture receiving walls and walls defining a reel portion, the walls defining the reel portion capable of gathering a suture member thereupon when the suture member is engaged with the suture receiving walls and the shank rotated with the tool engaged to the tool engaging walls of the head of the device.

2. A method for using the device set forth in claim 1 above, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) passing a suture member through the tissue;

(b) engaging the suture member with suture receiving walls of an anchor;

(c) inserting the distal end of the anchor into the bone;

(d) rotating the anchor such that the suture member accumulates on the reel portion of the anchor, while moving the tissue closer to the anchor; and

(e) stopping the rotating when the tissue reaches a predetermined position adjacent the bone.

3. A system for attaching tissue adjacent human bone, the system including:

a suture member having a first end and a second end and a body therebetween;

an anchor member having at least a portion thereof including a tapered shank, the shank portion tapering from a first diameter to a distally located tip and having at least a portion thereof including threads, the anchor member further including suture receiving walls and a reel portion, the anchor member having a head thereon, the head with tool engaging walls, the suture receiving walls distal to the head of the anchor member;

a drive tool capable of rotating the anchor member when the suture member is engaged with the suture receiving anchor member walls of the anchor member such that the suture member wraps around the reel portion of the anchor member.

4. An open or arthroscopic method for positioning a human tissue having a suture member engaged therewith adjacent a bone mass, including the steps of:

providing a threaded anchor member having suture receiving walls and a reel portion;

engaging at least a portion of the suture member with the suture receiving walls of the anchor;

engaging the tip of the suture anchor to the bone mass; and

rotating the anchor member such that the suture member winds onto the reel portion and draws the tissue material closer to the anchor member until the tissue material reaches the desired location.

5. A device for engaging a suture member and for locating human tissue threaded with the suture member at a predetermined point adjacent a human bone mass, the device comprising:

a tapered, longitudinal anchor member having a head at a first end, the head including tool engagement walls, and having a first diameter, the shank having a tip at the second end, the shank having at least a portion having threads thereon, the shank having walls defining suture engagement means, the walls defining suture engagement means being between the head and the tip, the shank including a reel portion for gathering the suture member thereon when the shank is rotated, the reel portion located between the head and the tip and including a raised circumferential wall for confining the gathered suture member thereon.

6. A kit for use in attaching tissue having a suture member engaged therewith adjacent human bone at a predetermined location, the kit including:

an anchor having a tapered portion with a generally circular head at a first end and a pointed tip at a second end, the head including tool engagement walls, the anchor having at least a portion thereof having threads thereon, the shank including suture receiving walls and walls defining a reel portion, the walls defining the reel portion capable of gathering a suture member thereupon when the suture member is engaged with the suture receiving walls and the shank rotated with the tool engaged to the tool engaging walls of the head of the device;

a tool comprising an elongated body having a handle at a first end thereof, and a head at the second end thereof, the head having walls configured to engage the tool engagement walls of the anchor.

7. In a suture anchor having an outer surface including threads, the improvement comprising:

suture receiving walls defining a hole from one part of the outer surface to another;

walls defining the reel portion, the reel portion capable of receiving suture a member that has engaged the suture-receiving walls of the anchor, the reel portion having adjacent thereto a continuous raised wall, the raised wall for combining the suture material to the reel portion when the suture anchor is rotatably affixed to a bone mass.