# US 10,245,016 B2 · Adjustable self-locking loop constructs for tissue repairs and reconstructions

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- Number: US 10,245,016 B2
- Document ID: US10245016B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/647,549
- Filed: 2012-10-09
- Published: 2013-04-18
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2011-10-12
- Assignees: Arthrex, Inc.
- Applicants: Arthrex, Inc.
- Inventors: Eric S. Zajac; Jacob A. Jolly
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245016B2

## CPC

- 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)}
- A61B 17/0469: {Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery}
- A61F 2/0811: {Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments}
- A61B 17/0487: {Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks (suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122)}
- A61B 17/06: Needles {; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations}; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials
- A61B 2017/0404: {Buttons}
- A61B 2017/0417: {T-fasteners}
- A61B 2017/06185: {hollow or tubular}
- A61F 2/0095: {Packages or dispensers for prostheses or other implants (for intraocular lenses A61F2/1691; for dental surgery A61C19/02)}
- A61F 2002/0852: {Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes}
- A61F 2002/087: {Anchor integrated into tendons, e.g. bone blocks, integrated rings}
- A61F 2002/0882: {Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

Systems and methods for bone to bone, or soft tissue to bone, repairs without knot tying. The repair systems include self-cinching constructs which are tensionable and which include a flexible strand with a knotless, adjustable loop with at least one splice and a shuttle/pull device attached to the flexible strand. A final splice is formed by pulling on the shuttle/pull device subsequent to the knotless, adjustable loop being assembled with or secured to tissue (for example, a soft tissue graft or BTB graft), to allow desired tensioning of the graft to be fixated relative to the bone.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fixation system for tissue reconstruction, comprising: a fixation device;
a knotless tensionable loop construct attached to the fixation device and having two flexible loops and two splices, at least one of the two flexible loops having an adjustable length, wherein the two flexible loops are interlinked such that a first loop of the two flexible loops passes through an opening established by a second loop of the two flexible loops and the second loop passes through an opening established by the first loop wherein the two flexible loops and the two splices are formed from a same flexible strand; and
a graft connected to the tensionable loop construct, wherein at least one of the two flexible loops is passed through a bone block of the graft wherein a region where the two flexible loops are interlinked is located within a hole of the bone block.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fixation system of claim 1 wherein the fixation device is a button.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fixation system of claim 1, wherein the graft includes soft tissue, synthetic material, bone, or a combination of such materials.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The fixation system of claim 3, wherein the soft tissue is tendon or ligament.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fixation system of claim 1, wherein the graft is an autograft or an allograft.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fixation system of claim 1, wherein the graft is a BTB graft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fixation system of claim 1, wherein the same flexible strand is a suture formed of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fixation system as recited in claim 1, wherein a strand of one of the two flexible loops is received through the other of the two flexible loops to interlink the two flexible loops.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fixation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first loop and the second loop of the two flexible loops are interlinked at a location that is separate from either of the two splices.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The fixation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first loop and the second loop of the two flexible loops are interlinked at an opposite end of the first loop and the second loop from the two splices.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The fixation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first loop and the second loop are interlinked to establish an adjustable closed loop that is larger than both the first loop and the second loop.

### Claim 12

A surgical system, comprising:
a fixation device;
a loop construct connected to the fixation device and including a first adjustable loop, a first splice, a second adjustable loop, and a second splice, wherein the second adjustable loop is interlinked with the first adjustable loop such that the first adjustable loop passes through an opening established by the second adjustable loop and the second adjustable loop passes through an opening established by the first adjustable loop wherein the first adjustable loop, the first splice, the second adjustable loop, and the second splice are formed from a same flexible strand; and
a graft connected to the loop construct such that at least one of the first adjustable loop and the second adjustable loop passes through a hole in a bone block of the graft wherein a region where the two flexible loops are interlinked is located within the hole of the bone block.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The surgical system as recited in claim 12, wherein a strand of the second adjustable loop is received through the first adjustable loop to interlink the first adjustable loop and the second adjustable loop.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The surgical system as recited in claim 13, wherein the strand is received through the first adjustable loop prior to forming the second adjustable loop.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The surgical system as recited in claim 13, wherein the strand is received through the first adjustable loop after the first adjustable loop is passed through the hole of the bone block.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The surgical system as recited in claim 12, comprising a splicing device spliced through one of the first adjustable loop and the second adjustable loop.