METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING SOFT TISSUE TO BONE

• US 20170311947A1
• Filed: 07/19/2017
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaiser, Ryan A., Denham, Gregory J., Stone, Kevin T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,695,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00792 Plastic surgery
• 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 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061

Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing soft tissue to bone can include forming a bore in the bone and carrying a flexible suture anchor into the bore. The flexible anchor can include a passage and can be coupled to a suture construct. The suture construct can include at least one self-locking adjustable loop, and the flexible anchor can include a first profile while being carried into the bore. A shape of the flexible anchor can be changed from the first profile to a second profile forming an anchoring mass to retain the flexible anchor in the bore. Tension can be applied to a portion of the suture construct to reduce a size of the self-locking adjustable loop and secure the soft tissue relative to the flexible anchor and the bone.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A suture anchor assembly, comprising:

a deformable elongated tube that is deformable from a first shape to a second shape to form an anchoring mass, the deformable elongated tube providing a longitudinal passage that extends through the deformable elongated tube between a first end of the deformable elongated tube and a second end of the deformable elongated tube; and

an adjustable suture construct that includes a suture with a first free end and a second free end, the first free end passing through a first longitudinal passage in the suture to form a first adjustable loop,

wherein the suture extends through at least part of the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube so that the deformable elongated tube is received on the adjustable suture construct, the suture extending into the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube through a first opening in a side wall of the deformable elongated tube, the first opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube being spaced a distance from the first end of the deformable elongated tube so that a first tail portion of the deformable elongated tube that is free of the suture is formed between the first opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube and the first end of the deformable elongated tube.

12. The suture anchor assembly of claim 11, wherein the deformable elongated tube is slidably received on the adjustable suture construct.

13. The suture anchor assembly of claim 11, wherein the first adjustable loop extends through at least part of the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube so that the deformable elongated tube is received on the first adjustable loop.

14. The suture anchor assembly of claim 11, wherein the second free end of the suture passes through a second longitudinal passage in the suture to form a second adjustable loop.

15. The suture anchor assembly of claim 14, wherein the first longitudinal passage is separate from the second longitudinal passage in the suture.

16. The suture anchor assembly of claim 15, wherein the first longitudinal passage and the second longitudinal passage are longitudinally spaced apart from one another along a length of the suture.

17. The suture anchor assembly of claim 14, wherein the first adjustable loop and the second adjustable loop extend through at least part of the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube so that the deformable elongated tube is received on the first adjustable loop and the second adjustable loop.

18. The suture anchor assembly of claim 14 further comprising a second deformable elongated tube that provides a longitudinal passage that extends through the second deformable elongated tube between a first end of the second deformable elongated tube and a second end of the second deformable elongated tube, wherein the second adjustable loop of the adjustable suture construct extends through at least part of the longitudinal passage in the second deformable elongated tube so that the second deformable elongated tube is received on the second adjustable loop.

19. The suture anchor assembly of claim 11, wherein the first shape of the deformable elongated tube can permit advancement of the deformable elongated tube through a segment of tissue to an anchoring location, and wherein the second shape of the deformable elongated tube can form the anchoring mass at the anchoring location for inhibiting movement of the deformable elongated tube back through the segment of tissue for providing anchoring for the adjustable suture construct.

20. The suture anchor assembly of claim 11, wherein the suture also extends into the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube through a second opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube, the second opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube being spaced a distance from the second end of the deformable elongated tube so that a second tail portion of the deformable elongated tube that is free of the suture is formed between the second opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube and the second end of the deformable elongated tube.

21. A suture anchor assembly, comprising:

a deformable elongated tube that is deformable from a first shape to a second shape to form an anchoring mass, the deformable elongated tube including an intermediate portion and at least a first tail portion, the first tail portion positioned between the intermediate portion and a first end of the deformable elongated tube; and

an adjustable suture construct that includes a suture with a first free end and a second free end, the first free end passing through a first longitudinal passage in the suture to form a first adjustable loop,

wherein the deformable elongated tube is received on the suture, the suture extending longitudinally within the deformable elongated tube through a longitudinal passage in the intermediate portion of the deformable elongated tube and exiting the deformable elongated tube by passing through an opening in an exterior side wall of the deformable elongated tube before reaching the first tail portion of the deformable elongated tube so that the first tail portion of the deformable elongated tube is free of the suture.

22. The suture anchor assembly of claim 21, wherein the deformable elongated tube is slidably received on the first adjustable loop.

23. The suture anchor assembly of claim 21, wherein the second free end of the suture passes through a second longitudinal passage in the suture to form a second adjustable loop.

24. The suture anchor assembly of claim 23, wherein the first longitudinal passage is separate from the second longitudinal passage in the suture.

25. The suture anchor assembly of claim 24, wherein the first longitudinal passage and the second longitudinal passage are longitudinally spaced apart from one another along a length of the suture.

26. The suture anchor assembly of claim 23, wherein the first adjustable loop and the second adjustable loop extend longitudinally within the deformable elongated tube through the longitudinal passage in the intermediate portion of the deformable elongated tube and exit the deformable elongated tube by passing through the opening in the exterior side wall of the deformable elongated tube before reaching the first tail portion of the deformable elongated tube.

27. The suture anchor assembly of claim 23 further comprising a second deformable elongated tube slidably received on the second adjustable loop.

28. The suture anchor assembly of claim 21, wherein the deformable elongated tube includes a second tail portion, the second tail portion positioned between the intermediate portion and a second end of the deformable elongated tube, and wherein the suture exits the deformable elongated tube by passing through a second opening in the exterior side wall of the deformable elongated tube before reaching the second tail portion of the deformable elongated tube so that the second tail portion of the deformable elongated tube is free of the suture.

29. A suture anchor assembly, comprising:

a deformable elongated tube that is deformable from a first shape to a second shape to form an anchoring mass, the deformable elongated tube providing a longitudinal passage that extends through the deformable elongated tube between a first end of the deformable elongated tube and a second end of the deformable elongated tube; and

an adjustable suture construct that includes a suture with a first free end and a second free end, the first free end passing through a first aperture in the suture, along a first longitudinal passage in the suture, and out a fourth aperture in the suture to form a first adjustable loop, the second free end passing through a second aperture in the suture, along a second longitudinal passage in the suture, and out a third aperture in the suture to form a second adjustable loop, wherein the first aperture, the second aperture, the third aperture, and the fourth aperture are all separate apertures in the suture,

wherein the suture extends through at least part of the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube so that the deformable elongated tube is received on the adjustable suture construct, the suture extending into the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube through a first opening in a side wall of the deformable elongated tube so as to form a first tail portion of the deformable elongated tube that is free of the suture, the first tail portion extending from the first end of the deformable elongated tube toward the first opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube.

30. The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the first longitudinal passage is separate from the second longitudinal passage in the suture.

31. The suture anchor assembly of claim 30, wherein the first longitudinal passage and the second longitudinal passage are longitudinally spaced apart from one another along a length of the suture.

32. The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the deformable elongated tube is received on the first adjustable loop.

33. The suture anchor assembly of claim 32, wherein the second adjustable loop extends through at least part of the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube so that the deformable elongated tube is also received on the second adjustable loop.

34. The suture anchor assembly of claim 32 further comprising a second deformable elongated tube that provides a longitudinal passage that extends through the second deformable elongated tube between a first end of the second deformable elongated tube and a second end of the second deformable elongated tube, wherein the second adjustable loop of the adjustable suture construct extends through at least part of the longitudinal passage in the second deformable elongated tube so that the second deformable elongated tube is received on the second adjustable loop.

35. The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the suture also extends into the longitudinal passage in the deformable elongated tube through a second opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube, the second opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube being spaced a distance from the second end of the deformable elongated tube so that a second tail portion of the deformable elongated tube that is free of the suture is formed between the second opening in the side wall of the deformable elongated tube and the second end of the deformable elongated tube.