Tissue repair devices and methods of use
AssigneesSmith & Nephew, Inc., Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics AG, Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited
InventorsMatthew D. Cunningham, Geoffrey I. Karasic, Miles Malone, John A. Slusarz, Jr., Han Teik Yeoh, Paul Alexander Torrie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Tissue repair devices described herein allow for meniscal root repair with sutures and anchors delivered by a needle. The needle houses two deployable anchors, each connected to a separate suture. The device also includes a push mechanism that allows for reliable anchor deployment through the needle. The needle can have various degrees of curvature to access the superior or inferior surfaces of the meniscal roots. Each advancement of the push mechanism by the surgeon expels an individual suture/anchor construct from the distal tip of the needle at the desired location.
Claims14
A tissue repair device, comprising:
- a handle;
- an elongated needle defining a bore extending from the handle, the elongated needle including a proximal end and a distal end;
- a first anchor disposed at least partially within the bore of the elongated needle, the first anchor defining a U-shaped suture pathway beginning and ending at a top surface of the first anchor;
- a second anchor disposed at least partially within the bore of the elongated needle proximal to the first anchor;
- a first flexible member, a distal end of the first flexible member comprising a round distal portion coupled to only the first anchor by routing a first free end thereof through the U-shaped suture pathway of the first anchor;
- and
- a second flexible member separate from the first flexible member, a distal end of the second flexible member comprising a looped portion coupled to only the second anchor;
- wherein, after routing through the U-shaped suture pathway of the first anchor, the first free end of the round distal portion of the first flexible member is further routed through a center of the round distal portion outside of the U-shaped suture pathway, creating a finger trap above the top surface of the first anchor, the first flexible member transitioning from the round distal portion at a first side of the finger trap to a flat proximal portion on a second side of the finger trap opposite the first side.
A method of tissue repair comprising:
- creating at least one bone tunnel through a bone extending toward a tear in tissue;
- inserting an elongated needle of a tissue repair device through the at least one bone tunnel, the tissue repair device comprising:
- a handle;
- the elongated needle defining a bore extending from the handle, the elongated needle including a proximal end and a distal end;
- a first anchor disposed at least partially within the bore of the elongated needle, the first anchor defining a U-shaped suture pathway beginning and ending at a top surface of the first anchor;
- a second anchor disposed at least partially within the bore of the elongated needle proximal to the first anchor;
- a first flexible member, a distal end of the first flexible member comprising a round distal portion coupled to only the first anchor by routing a first free end thereof through the U-shaped suture pathway of the first anchor;
- and
- a second flexible member separate from the first flexible member, a distal end of the second flexible member comprising a looped portion coupled to only the second anchor;
- wherein, after routing through the U-shaped suture pathway of the first anchor, a first free end of the round distal portion of the first flexible member is further routed through a center of the round distal portion outside of the U-shaped suture pathway, creating a finger trap above the top surface of the first anchor, the first flexible member transitioning from the round distal portion at a first side of the finger trap to a flat proximal portion on a second side of the finger trap opposite the first side;
- and
- deploying the first anchor from the bore of the elongated needle on a first side of the tear such that the first flexible member extends through the at least one bone tunnel to an outside surface of the bone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.