# US 2013/0158601 A1 · Soft Tissue Repair Assembly And Associated Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158601 A1 - Document ID: US20130158601A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/767,401 - Filed: 2013-02-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-03 - Assignees: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC - Inventors: Kevin T. STONE; Troy M. Walters; Andrew Holst - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158601A1 ## 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 17/0469: {Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery} - A61B 17/0482: {Needle or suture guides (guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; guides for puncturing needles A61B17/3403)} - A61B 2017/0404: {Buttons} - A61B 2017/0406: {Pledgets} - A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors} - A61B 2017/0475: {using sutures having a slip knot} - A61B 2017/0496: {for tensioning sutures} - A61B 2017/06052: {Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle} - A61B 2017/0646: {for insertion into cartillege, e.g. meniscus} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A soft tissue repair device comprising: a first deformable anchor, the first deformable anchor deformable from a first shape to a second shape different than the first shape; a first deformable vascularization conduit having a side wall and defining a plurality of perforations extending through the side wall; and a flexible strand having a first end and a second end and coupled to the first deformable anchor and the first deformable vascularization conduit, wherein upon pulling on at least one end of the flexible strand causes the first deformable anchor to deform from the first shape to the second shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a first strand loop passing at least partially through a longitudinal bore of the first deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the first deformable anchor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the flexible strand passes through the first and second loop ends of the first strand loop. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the flexible strand extends through at least a portion of an inner bore of the first deformable vascularization conduit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, further comprising a second deformable anchor, the second deformable anchor deformable from a third shape to a fourth shape different from the third shape, wherein the flexible strand is coupled to the second deformable anchor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, further comprising a second deformable vascularization conduit having a side wall and defining a plurality of perforations extending through the side wall, wherein the flexible strand is coupled to the second deformable vascularization conduit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the first deformable vascularization conduit extends from a first end to a second end and the first anchor is positioned at the first end and the second anchor is positioned at the second end and the flexible strand extends through the side wall of the first deformable vascularization conduit. ### Claim 8 A soft tissue repair device comprising: a first deformable anchor defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; a first strand loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore of the first deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the first deformable anchor; a first tubular conduit for vascularization including an outer surface, a longitudinal inner bore extending between first and second open ends of the first tubular conduit and a plurality of perforations extending from the inner bore through the outer surface of the first tubular conduit; and a flexible strand having first and second strand ends and coupled to the first and second loop ends of the first strand loop, the flexible strand extending substantially outside the first deformable anchor, the flexible strand passing through the inner bore of the first tubular conduit, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends deforms the first deformable anchor from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair device relative to the soft tissue. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the first and second strand ends pass through the second end of the first tubular conduit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the first tubular conduit is deformable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, further comprising: a second deformable anchor defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; and a second strand loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore of the second deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the second deformable anchor; and wherein the flexible strand passes through the first and second loop ends of the second deformable anchor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the first and second ends of the flexible stand pass through an opening between the first and second ends of the tubular conduit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, further comprising: a second tubular conduit for vascularization including an outer surface, a longitudinal inner bore extending between first and second open ends of the second tubular conduit and a plurality of perforations extending from the inner bore through the outer surface of the second tubular conduit; a second deformable anchor defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; and a second strand loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore of the second deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the second deformable anchor; and wherein the flexible strand passes through the first and second loop ends of the second deformable anchor and through the inner bore of the second tubular conduit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the first and second deformable anchors comprise woven material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the first and second tubular conduits are deformable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the first and second tubular conduits comprise woven material. ### Claim 17 A soft tissue repair device comprising: a first deformable anchor defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; a first strand loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore of the first deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the first deformable anchor; a second deformable anchor defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; a second strand loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore of the second deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the second deformable anchor; a first tubular conduit for vascularization including an outer surface and a longitudinal inner bore extending between first and second open ends of the first tubular conduit; a second tubular conduit for vascularization including an outer surface and a longitudinal inner bore extending between first and second open ends of the tubular conduit; and a flexible strand having first and second strand ends, the flexible strand passing a first time through the inner bore of the first tubular conduit, passing through the first and second loop ends of the first strand loop, passing a second time through the inner bore of the first tubular conduit, passing a first time through the inner bore of the second tubular conduit, passing through the first and second loop ends of the second strand loop and passing a second time through the inner bore of the second tubular conduit, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends deforms the first and second deformable anchors from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair device relative to the soft tissue. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein the first and second deformable anchors comprise woven material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein the first and second tubular conduits are deformable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The device of claim 19, wherein the first and second tubular conduits comprise woven material. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second tubular conduits has a plurality of perforations extending from the inner bore through the outer surface of the corresponding first and second tubular conduit. ### Claim 22 A soft tissue repair device comprising: a first deformable anchor defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; a first strand loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore of the first deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the first deformable anchor; a second deformable anchor defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; a second strand loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore of the second deformable anchor and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the second deformable anchor; a tubular conduit for vascularization, the tubular conduit including an outer surface and a longitudinal inner bore extending between first and second open ends of the tubular conduit; and a flexible strand having first and second strand ends, the flexible strand passing a first time through the inner bore of the tubular conduit, passing through the first and second loop ends of the first strand loop, passing a second time through the inner bore of the tubular conduit and passing through the first and second loop ends of the second strand loop, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends deforms the first and second deformable anchors from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair device relative to the soft tissue. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The device of claim 22, wherein the first and second strand ends pass through an opening of the outer surface of the tubular conduit between the first and second ends of the tubular conduit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The device of claim 22, wherein the tubular conduit is deformable. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The device of claim 22, wherein the tubular conduit is curved. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The device of claim 22, wherein the tubular conduit has a plurality of perforations extending from the inner bore through the outer surface of the tubular conduit. ### Claim 27 A method for repairing a tear in a meniscus during arthroscopic knee procedure, the method comprising: inserting an inserter through the tear to an outer surface of the meniscus; deploying a first tubular conduit for vascularization from the inserter through the tear, such the first tubular conduit spans the tear; deploying a first deformable anchor from the inserter on an outer surface of the meniscus, the first deformable anchor coupled to a flexible strand that passes through the first tubular conduit ; tensioning the strand; changing the shape of the first deformable anchor from a first shape to a second shape for securing the first deformable anchor on the outer surface; and reducing or closing the tear. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: re-inserting the inserter through the tear to the outer surface of the meniscus at a position spaced apart from the first deformable anchor; deploying a second tubular conduit for vascularization from the inserter through the tear, such the second tubular conduit spans the tear; deploying a second deformable anchor coupled to the strand from the inserter on the outer surface of the meniscus such that the strand passes through the second tubular conduit; and changing the shape of the second deformable anchor from a first shape to a second shape. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the first shape is substantially linear in profile and the second shape is substantially in profile one of circular, or pretzel-like, or eight-like shapes. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein each of the first and second tubular conduits has a plurality of perforations extending from the inner bore through the outer surface of the corresponding first and second tubular conduit. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising deploying a second tubular conduit for vascularization from the inserter through the tear, such the first tubular conduit spans the tear, and wherein the second tubular conduit is not coupled to the flexible strand.