SOFT TISSUE REPAIR DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20080140093A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 06/12/2008
• 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: Stone, Kevin T., Sautter, Nathan M., Holst, Andrew, Kaiser, Ryan A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,909,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/144
• 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 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• 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 17/0493 Protective devices for suturing, i.e. for protecting the patient's organs or the operator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0646 for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 abutting on tissue or skin

Abstract

A soft tissue repair device. The device includes an inserter having a distal portion, a first anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, a second anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, and a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors and forming an adjustable knotless loop.

Claims

1. A soft tissue repair device comprising:

an inserter having a distal portion;

a first anchor carried externally onto the distal portion;

a second anchor carried externally onto the distal portion; and

a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors and forming an adjustable knotless loop.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each anchor is substantially rigid and defines a longitudinal internal passage and the distal portion of the inserter is receivable within the longitudinal passage.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal passage is D-shaped.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein each anchor includes a bore substantially transverse to the longitudinal passage.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein each anchor is tubular and has an open, channel-like cross-section.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein each anchor includes at least one bore substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal passage and communicating with the longitudinal passage.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein each anchor is a flexible sleeve having first and second ends, and wherein the distal portion of the inserter pierces through each anchor between the first and second ends.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the flexible strand passes through first and second openings of each flexible sleeve defining anchoring leg portions between the first and second openings and the corresponding first and second ends of each flexible sleeve.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising an anchor deploying member coupled to the inserter and operable to deploy each anchor off the inserter.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible strand is braided and includes first and second ends and a longitudinal passage.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the first end of the flexible strand is inserted through a portion of the longitudinal passage for forming the adjustable knotless loop.

12. A soft tissue repair device comprising:

an inserter having a distal portion;

a first anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, wherein the first anchor is a flexible sleeve having first and second ends and an internal passage between the first and second ends;

a second anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, wherein the second anchor is a flexible sleeve having first and second ends and an internal passage between the first and second ends; and

a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors and forming an adjustable knotless loop.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexible strand is braided and includes first and second ends and a longitudinal passage between the first and second ends.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first end of the flexible strand is inserted through a portion of the longitudinal passage of the flexible strand for forming the adjustable knotless loop.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the distal portion of the inserter pierces through each anchor between the first and second ends of the corresponding flexible anchor.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexible strand passes through a portion of each internal passage of the first and second anchors.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexible strand passes through first and second openings of each flexible sleeve defining anchoring leg portions between the first and second openings and the corresponding first and second ends of each flexible sleeve.

18. A soft tissue repair device comprising:

an inserter having a distal portion;

a first anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, wherein the first anchor is substantially rigid having first and second ends and an internal passage between the first and second ends;

a second anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, wherein the second anchor is substantially rigid having first and second ends and an internal passage between the first and second ends; and

a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors and forming an adjustable knotless loop.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein each internal passage is longitudinally open forming a channel.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein each anchor includes first and second bores perpendicular to the anchor and communicating with the internal passage, and wherein the flexible strand passes through the first and second bores of each anchor.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the inserter includes a stop and a pointed tip, and wherein the first anchor is carried on the distal portion between the tip and the stop.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein the adjustable knotless loop is self-locking and resists loosening.

22. The device of 19, wherein the second anchor is carried on the distal portion behind the first anchor and behind the stop.

24. A method for repairing a tear in a meniscus during an arthroscopic knee procedure, the method comprising:

coupling first and second anchors with a flexible strand;

forming an adjustable knotless loop with the flexible strand;

loading the first and second anchors coupled with the adjustable knotless loop on an external surface of an inserter;

inserting the inserter through the tear to an outer surface of the meniscus;

sequentially deploying the first and second anchors from the inserter on an outer surface of the meniscus;

self-locking the adjustable loop; and

reducing the tear.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein each of the first and second anchors is a flexible sleeve.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein each of the first and second anchors is a substantially rigid tubular anchor.