Methods of meniscus repair
AssigneeCeterix Orthopaedics, Inc.
InventorJustin D. Saliman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of repairing knee meniscus tears are described which use suture passer devices and suture shuttles. These methods may be used with continuous suture passing, so that the suture passer device may remain on or in the tissue while passing a suture shuttle, and therefore a suture, back and forth from one side of the tissue to the other. These methods may be used minimally invasively for repairing meniscus tissue while avoiding further damage to the meniscus.
Claims20
A method of repairing or reconstructing a meniscus of a knee, the method comprising:
- positioning a first arm and a second arm of a suture passer around a meniscus, wherein at least one arm of the suture passer is movable relative to the other arm;
- extending a tissue penetrator out of the first arm along a first path through the meniscus, and engaging a suture shuttle held by the second arm with the tissue penetrator;
- retracting the tissue penetrator and suture shuttle back through the meniscus along the first path;
- repositioning the arms of the suture passer relative to the meniscus;
- extending the tissue penetrator and suture shuttle from the first arm along a second path through the meniscus and coupling the suture shuttle to the second arm;
- and
- retracting the tissue penetrator back through the meniscus along the second path.
A method of repairing or reconstructing a torn meniscus of a knee using a suture passer and a suture shuttle, the method comprising:
- positioning a first arm and a second arm of a suture passer around at least a portion of a meniscus, wherein at least one arm of the suture passer is movable relative to the other arm;
- extending a tissue penetrator from the first arm, along a first curved path through the meniscus, and engaging the tissue penetrator with a suture shuttle held by the second arm;
- retracting the tissue penetrator and suture shuttle back through the meniscus along the first curved path;
- repositioning at least one arm of the suture passer relative to the meniscus without removing the suture passer from around at least a portion of the meniscus;
- extending the tissue penetrator and suture shuttle from the first arm along a second curved path through the meniscus and coupling the suture shuttle to the second arm;
- and
- retracting the tissue penetrator back through the meniscus along the second curved path leaving the suture shuttle held by the second arm.
A method of arthroscopic meniscus repair or reconstruction using a suture passer and suture shuttle, the method comprising:
- accessing the meniscus with a suture passer having a first arm and second arm at the distal end region of the suture passer, wherein at least one of the first and second arms are movable relative to each other to form a distal-facing opening;
- extending one of the arms distally, relative to the other arm, and positioning the arms of the suture passer around the meniscus;
- extending a tissue penetrator from within the first arm along a first path through the meniscus, and transferring a suture shuttle held by the second arm onto the tissue penetrator;
- retracting the tissue penetrator and suture shuttle back through the meniscus along the first path;
- repositioning at least one arm of the suture passer around the meniscus without removing the meniscus from between the first and second arms;
- extending the tissue penetrator and suture shuttle from the first arm along a second path through the meniscus, and transferring the suture shuttle from the tissue penetrator to the second arm;
- and
- retracting the tissue penetrator back through the meniscus along the second path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.