# US 10,478,172 B1 · Methods of tissue repair

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- Number: US 10,478,172 B1
- Document ID: US10478172B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/430,182
- Filed: 2019-06-03
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-04
- Assignees: West Gen Technologies, L.L.C.
- Applicants: West Gen Technologies, L.L.C.
- Inventors: Donald A. Williams; George J. Sikora
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478172B1

## 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 17/0482: {Needle or suture guides (guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; guides for puncturing needles A61B17/3403)}
- A61B 17/17: Guides {or aligning means} for drills {, mills, pins or wires}
- A61B 17/1714: {for applying tendons or ligaments (implements for applying tendons or ligaments A61F2/0805)}
- A61B 17/1778: {for the shoulder}
- A61B 17/1796: {for holes for sutures or flexible wires}
- A61B 17/8875: {Screwdrivers, spanners or wrenches}
- A61B 17/8883: {the driver bit acting on the periphery of the screw head}
- A61F 2/0805: {Implements for inserting tendons or ligaments}
- A61F 2/0811: {Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments}
- A61B 17/1684: {for the shoulder}
- A61B 2017/00986: {Malecots, e.g. slotted tubes, of which the distal end is pulled to deflect side struts}
- A61B 2017/00991: {Telescopic means}
- A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors}
- A61B 2017/0412: {having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body}
- A61B 2017/0427: {having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from the anchor body}
- A61B 2017/0446: {Means for attaching and blocking the suture in the suture anchor}
- A61B 2017/0464: {for soft tissue}
- A61F 2002/0852: {Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes}
- A61F 2002/0888: {Anchor in or on a blind hole or on the bone surface without formation of a tunnel}
- A61F 2002/0894: {Muscles}
- 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

Methods of tissue repair. At least one example method includes: pulling a tissue in place over a bone location; abutting a distal end of a guide tool against the tissue at a first location, and driving a first bone anchor through a delivery tube of the guide tool, through the tissue, and into the bone at the first location, the first bone anchor coupled to a first suture line; abutting the distal end of the guide tool against the tissue at a second location displaced from the first location, and then driving a second bone anchor through the delivery tube, through the tissue, and into the bone at the second location, the second bone anchor associated with the first suture line; withdrawing the guide tool away from the tissue; and tightening the first suture line to create a first suture over the tissue.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of connecting tissue to a bone, comprising:
pulling a tissue in place over a bone location;
abutting a distal end of a guide tool against the tissue at a first location;
telescoping a first tack wire through a guide tube of the guide tool;
drilling a distal end of the first tack wire through the tissue and into the bone; and then
bending a proximal end of the first tack wire into a slot within a handle of the guide tool;
driving a first bone anchor through a delivery tube of the guide tool, through the tissue, and into the bone at the first location, the first bone anchor coupled to a first suture line; and then
abutting the distal end of the guide tool against the tissue at a second location displaced from the first location, and then driving a second bone anchor through the delivery tube, through the tissue, and into the bone at the second location, the second bone anchor associated with the first suture line;
withdrawing the guide tool away from the tissue; and
tightening the first suture line to create a first suture over the tissue.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein driving the first bone anchor further comprises:
telescoping a first drill wire though the delivery tube of the guide tool, the delivery tube parallel to the guide tube;
drilling with the first drill wire through the tissue and into the bone to create a first pilot hole in the bone;
removing the first drill wire from the guide tool; and
telescoping the first bone anchor through the delivery tube into the first pilot hole.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2:
wherein telescoping the first drill wire further comprises telescoping the first drill wire through a drill guide cartridge mated with a handle of the guide tool, the drill guide cartridge defines a passageway with a longitudinal central axis that is coaxial with a longitudinal central axis of the delivery tube; and
wherein drilling with the first drill wire further comprises drilling with the first drill wire telescoped through the drill guide cartridge.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein telescoping the first bone anchor through the delivery tube further comprises:
mating an anchor cartridge with a handle of the guide tool, the anchor cartridge having a first delivery lumen with the first bone anchor disposed therein, and a second delivery lumen with the second bone anchor disposed therein, and after mating the first delivery lumen is coaxial with the first delivery lumen;
pushing the first bone anchor out the first delivery lumen, through the delivery tube, and into the first pilot hole by way of a delivery camp.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein driving the second bone anchor further comprises:
removing the anchor cartridge from the handle of the guide tool; and then
mating the anchor cartridge with the handle of the guide tool such that the second delivery lumen is coaxial with the delivery tube; and
pushing the second bone anchor out of the second delivery lumen, through the delivery tube, and into a second pilot hole.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising:
abutting the distal end of the guide tool against the tissue at a third location;
telescoping a third drill wire though the second delivery lumen;
drilling with the third drill wire through the tissue and into the bone to create a third pilot hole in the bone;
removing the third drill wire from the second delivery lumen;
removing the anchor cartridge from the handle of the guide tool;
mating the anchor cartridge with the handle of the guide tool such that a third delivery lumen is coaxial with the delivery tube; and
pushing a third bone anchor out of the third delivery lumen, through the delivery tube, and into a third pilot hole.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising:
abutting the distal end of the guide tool against the tissue at a fourth location;
telescoping a fourth drill wire though the third delivery lumen;
drilling with the fourth drill wire through the tissue and into the bone to create a fourth pilot hole in the bone;
removing the fourth drill wire from the third delivery lumen;
removing the anchor cartridge from the handle of the guide tool;
mating the anchor cartridge with the handle of the guide tool such that a fourth delivery lumen is coaxial with the delivery tube; and
pushing a fourth bone anchor out of the fourth delivery lumen, through the delivery tube, and into a third pilot hole.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein, after telescoping the first bone anchor into the first pilot hole, the method further comprises extracting the first suture line from the guide tool through a slot in the delivery tube.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein driving the second bone anchor further comprises:
abutting the distal end of the guide tool against the tissue at the second location displaced from the first location;
telescoping a second tack wire through the guide tube of the guide tool;
drilling a distal end of the second tack wire through the tissue and into the bone;
and then
bending a proximal end of second tack wire into the slot within the handle of the guide tool;
telescoping a second drill wire though the delivery tube of the guide tool;
drilling with the second drill wire through the tissue and into the bone to create a second pilot hole in the bone;
removing the second drill wire;
telescoping the second bone anchor through the delivery tube into the second pilot hole; and then
removing the guide tool including the second tack wire.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9:
wherein telescoping the first drill wire further comprises telescoping the first drill wire through a drill guide cartridge mated with a handle of the guide tool, the drill guide cartridge defines a passageway with a longitudinal central axis that is coaxial with a longitudinal central axis of the delivery tube; and
wherein drilling with the first drill wire further comprises drilling with the first drill wire telescoped through the drill guide cartridge.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein telescoping the first bone anchor through the delivery tube further comprises:
mating an anchor cartridge with a handle of the guide tool, the anchor cartridge having a first delivery lumen with the first bone anchor disposed therein, and a second delivery lumen with the second bone anchor disposed therein, and after mating the delivery tube is coaxial with the first delivery lumen; and
pushing the first bone anchor out the first delivery lumen, through the delivery tube, and into the first pilot hole by way of a delivery camp.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11:
wherein telescoping second drill wire further comprises telescoping the second drill wire through the first delivery lumen of the anchor cartridge; and
wherein drilling with the second drill wire further comprises drilling with the second drill wire telescoped through first delivery lumen of the anchor cartridge.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein telescoping the second bone anchor through the delivery tube into the second pilot hole further comprises:
removing the anchor cartridge from the handle of the guide tool; and then
mating the anchor cartridge with the handle of the guide tool such that the second delivery lumen is coaxial with the delivery tube; and
pushing the second bone anchor out of the second delivery lumen, through the delivery tube, and into a second pilot hole.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the first drill wire and the second drill wires are the same wires.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein tightening the first suture line to create the first suture further comprises tightening a second suture line coupled the second bone anchor, the second suture line having a loop that extends through a loop of the first suture line.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein tightening the first suture line to create the first suture further comprises pulling a tightening end of the first suture line to make a loop defined by the first suture line smaller, the loop of the first suture line extends through an eyelet of an eye splice coupled to the second bone anchor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
abutting the distal end of the guide tool against the tissue at a third location, and driving a third bone anchor through a delivery tube of the guide tool, through the tissue, and into the bone at the third location, the third bone anchor coupled to a second suture line; and then
abutting the distal end of the guide tool against the tissue at a fourth location displaced from the first location, and then driving a fourth bone anchor through the delivery tube, through the tissue, and into the bone at the fourth location, the second bone anchor associated with the second suture line;
tightening the second suture line to create a second suture over the tissue.