# US 2012/0083837 A1 · Tissue Fixator

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- Number: US 2012/0083837 A1
- Document ID: US20120083837A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/249,449
- Filed: 2011-09-30
- Published: 2012-04-05
- Earliest claimed: 2010-09-30
- Assignees: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael Charles Ferragamo; Jeffrey Wyman; Alfred Rodrique Berune, JR.; Michael James Perriello; Gary Robert McCarthy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120083837A1

## CPC

- A61F 2/0811: {Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments}
- 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 17/06004: {Means for attaching suture to needle (tipping A61B17/06195)}
- A61B 2017/0404: {Buttons}
- A61B 2017/0417: {T-fasteners}
- A61B 2017/06019: {by means of a suture-receiving lateral eyelet machined in the needle}
- A61B 2017/0608: {J-shaped}
- A61B 2017/061: {hollow or tubular}
- A61F 2002/0852: {Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes}
- 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)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a needle for attaching a fixator to a soft tissue graft. The needle includes a pointed distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end including a suture coupler, the suture coupler including a hook and a pocket formed by the hook, wherein the needle is curved along an entire length of the needle. A fixator for use with the needle and method of fixating a soft tissue graft to a bone is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A needle for attaching a fixator to a soft tissue graft, the needle comprising:
a pointed distal end; and
a proximal end, the proximal end including a suture coupler, the suture coupler including a hook and a pocket formed by the hook,
wherein the needle is curved along an entire length of the needle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The needle of claim 1 wherein the proximal end further includes a passage and an opening to the passage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The needle of claim 1 wherein the proximal end further includes a groove on each side of the proximal end.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The needle of claim 1 wherein the needle includes a channel along a length of the needle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The needle of claim 4 wherein the grooves intersect with the pocket.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The needle of claim 5 further including a fixator coupled to the needle, the fixator including a flexible member coupled to the fixator, the flexible member coupling the fixator to the needle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The needle of claim 6 wherein a portion of the flexible member is housed within the pocket.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The needle of claim 7 wherein portions of the flexible member extending from the pocket are housed within the grooves.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The needle of claim 8 wherein the flexible member is in the form of a continuous loop, the loop including a first end housed within the pocket and a second end coupled to the fixator.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The needle of claim 8 wherein the fixator includes at least one hole, the second end of the suture coupled to the fixator via use of the hole.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The needle of claim 10 wherein the fixator includes two holes, the second end of the suture coupled to the fixator via use of the two holes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The needle of claim 11 wherein the fixator includes four holes, the second end of the suture coupled to the fixator via use of two of the holes, a trailing suture coupled to a third hole, and a leading suture coupled to a fourth hole.

### Claim 13

A method of fixating a soft tissue graft to bone, comprising:
coupling a fixator to the soft tissue graft via use of a needle, the needle comprising a pointed distal end; and a proximal end, the proximal end including a suture coupler, the suture coupler including a hook and a pocket formed by the hook, wherein the needle is curved along an entire length of the needle; and
coupling the soft tissue graft to the bone via use of the fixator.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further including passing the soft tissue graft through a tunnel within the bone, the bone including a femur.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the fixator includes a flexible member coupled to the fixator, the flexible member coupling the fixator to the needle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The needle of claim 15 wherein a portion of the flexible member is housed within the pocket.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The needle of claim 16 wherein the flexible member is in the form of a continuous loop, the loop including a first end housed within the pocket and a second end coupled to the fixator.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The needle of claim 17 wherein the fixator includes at least one hole, the second end of the suture coupled to the fixator via use of the hole.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The needle of claim 18 wherein the fixator includes two holes, the second end of the suture coupled to the fixator via use of the two holes.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The needle of claim 19 wherein the fixator includes four holes, the second end of the suture coupled to the fixator via use of two of the holes, a trailing suture coupled to a third hole, and a leading suture coupled to a fourth hole.