SOFT TISSUE ATTACHMENT

• US 20160228118A1
• Filed: 04/07/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crossroads Extremity Systems, Llc (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Venturemd Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Chan, Kwan-Ho, Murphy, James, Fallin, T. Wade, White, Patrick M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,548,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2017/0412 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 2017/0441 the shaft being a rigid coil or spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0451 Cams or wedges holding the suture by friction
• 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: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0823 Modular anchors comprising a plurality of separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0841 Longitudinal channel for insertion tool running through the whole tendon anchor, e.g. for accommodating bone drill, guidewire
• 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

Devices and methods to attach soft tissue to bone include, for example, forming a bone tunnel in a bone, passing a suture through soft tissue, and inserting an anchor in the bone tunnel, wherein a distal portion of the anchor is positioned underneath the soft tissue, a proximal portion of the anchor is positioned beyond an edge of the soft tissue, the suture first portion extends from the distal portion of the anchor to the soft tissue, and the suture second portion extends from the proximal portion of the anchor to the soft tissue.

Claims

1. A method of attaching soft tissue to bone, the method comprising:

forming a bone tunnel in a bone;

passing a suture through soft tissue, the suture having a first portion on a first side of the soft tissue and a second portion on a second side of the soft tissue;

inserting an anchor into the bone tunnel, wherein after insertion a distal portion of the anchor is positioned underneath the soft tissue, a proximal portion of the anchor is positioned beyond an edge of the soft tissue, the suture first portion extends from the distal portion of the anchor to the soft tissue, and the suture second portion extends from the proximal portion of the anchor to the soft tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a bone tunnel comprises:

forming the bone tunnel through the bone adjacent to the soft tissue, the bone tunnel having at least first and second spaced apart openings at the surface of the bone with the first opening being positioned underneath the soft tissue and the second opening being positioned beyond an edge of the soft tissue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the suture first portion extends through the first opening and the suture second portion extends through the second opening.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after inserting the anchor, tensioning the suture.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

after tensioning the suture, provisionally securing the second suture portion with the anchor such that tension on the suture is temporarily maintained; and

evaluating the soft tissue repair.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

after evaluating the soft tissue repair, adjusting the suture.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the anchor includes a longitudinal passage extending into the anchor from the proximal end, the anchor further comprising an insert receivable in the passage, the insert being operable to secure suture within the passage, the method further comprising:

advancing the insert into the longitudinal passage to secure at least one of the first and second suture portions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second suture portions extends through a portion of the anchor and at least one of the first and second suture portions extends along a portion of the outside of the anchor.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a bone tunnel in a bone comprises forming a bone tunnel in a proximal humeral bone adjacent to a rotator cuff.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the bone tunnel is formed through the bone as a single continuous path from a first opening on a surface of the bone to a second opening on a surface of the bone.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the tunnel is straight.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the tunnel is curved.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the tunnel is formed through the bone by first and second intersecting bores into the bone.

14. A method of repairing soft tissue adjacent a shoulder joint comprising a proximal humeral bone and a rotator cuff, the method comprising:

forming a bone tunnel through a proximal humeral bone adjacent to a rotator cuff, the bone tunnel having at least first and second spaced apart openings at the surface of the bone;

passing a suture through the rotator cuff, the suture having a first portion on a first side of the rotator cuff and a second portion on a second side of the rotator cuff;

inserting an anchor into the bone tunnel, wherein after insertion a distal portion of the anchor is positioned underneath the rotator cuff, a proximal portion of the anchor is positioned beyond an edge of the rotator cuff, the suture first portion extends from the distal portion of the anchor to the rotator cuff, and the suture second portion extends from the proximal portion of the anchor to the rotator cuff.

15. A rotator cuff repair construct comprising:

a suture extending through a rotator cuff and having a first portion on a first side of the rotator cuff and a second portion on a second side of the rotator cuff; and

an anchor positioned in a bone tunnel through a proximal humeral bone adjacent to the rotator cuff, the bone tunnel having at least first and second spaced apart openings at the surface of the bone;

wherein a distal portion of the anchor is positioned underneath the rotator cuff, a proximal portion of the anchor is positioned beyond an edge of the rotator cuff, the suture first portion extending from the distal portion of the anchor to the rotator cuff, and the suture second portion extending from the proximal portion of the anchor to the rotator cuff.

16. The rotator cuff repair construct of claim 15 wherein the suture first portion extends through the first opening and the suture second portion extends through the second opening.

17. The rotator cuff repair construct of claim 15 wherein the anchor further comprises a longitudinal passage extending into the anchor from the proximal end and an insert receivable in the passage, the insert being operable to secure suture within the passage.

18. The rotator cuff repair construct of claim 15 wherein at least one of the first and second suture portions extends through a portion of the anchor and at least one of the first and second suture portions extends along a portion of the outside of the anchor between the anchor and the bone tunnel.

19. The rotator cuff repair construct of claim 15 wherein the suture is secured without tying any knots.