# US 10,499,904 B2 · Anchor insertion system and method of use thereof

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- Number: US 10,499,904 B2
- Document ID: US10499904B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/551,190
- Filed: 2016-02-17
- Published: 2018-02-01
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-17
- Assignees: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
- Applicants: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
- Inventors: Bernard J. Bourque
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499904B2

## 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 17/3468: {for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires (devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069)}
- A61B 2017/00367: {Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like}
- A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors}
- A61B 2017/0417: {T-fasteners}
- A61B 2017/0464: {for soft tissue}
- A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An arthroscopic anchor insertion tool and method for inserting consecutive, longitudinally aligned anchors from a common deployment channel of a cannulated needle by employing positive stops to prevent travel of an actuator from simultaneously advancing multiple anchors into a surgical site.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An anchor insertion system comprising:
a needle, the needle having a proximal end, a distal end, and a hollow shaft extending between the proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the needle comprising a handle, the distal end of the needle comprising a needle tip assembly for housing at least two anchors;
an actuator assembly for deploying at least one of the at least two anchors from the needle tip assembly, at least a portion of the actuator assembly slidably disposed within the needle;
a cylindrical disk rotatably attached to the actuator assembly, a surface of the cylindrical disk comprising a hole for receiving a guide pin;
a sleeve disposed around the cylindrical disk, a portion of a surface of the sleeve defining an angled slot therethrough;
wherein the guide pin is configured to engage the angled slot; and
wherein the angled slot defines first and second stops for preventing the actuator assembly from simultaneously deploying the at least two anchors into a surgical site.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a deployment knob at least partially in contact with the cylindrical disk for advancing the actuator assembly.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two anchors are longitudinally aligned within a channel of the needle tip assembly.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a spring for joining the handle to the cylindrical disk.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein rotation of the handle gives the spring a torsional and/or compressional load sufficient to activate the actuator assembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical disk is configured to rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise 360 degrees.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two anchors are in an undeployed position when the guide pin is located at a proximal end of the angled slot.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first stop in the angled slot corresponds to an insertion depth of the actuator assembly for deploying a first one of the at least two anchors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second stop in the angled slot corresponds to an insertion depth of the actuator assembly for deploying a second one of the at least two anchors.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second stop is distal to the first stop along the surface of the sleeve.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the needle tip assembly comprises a pointed distal end for piercing tissue.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a proximal handle portion and a distal handle portion, an outer diameter of the distal handle portion selected to be larger than an outer diameter of the proximal handle portion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein an inner diameter of the sleeve is selected to slide over the proximal handle portion.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein, when the sleeve is slid over the proximal handle portion, the sleeve and the proximal handle portion are locked into place.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein an outer diameter of the sleeve is selected to match the outer diameter of the distal handle portion.