# US 2014/0155895 A1 · Systems and methods for sternum repair > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155895 A1 - Document ID: US20140155895A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/914,179 - Filed: 2013-06-10 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-19 - Assignees: Figure 8 Surgical, Inc. - Inventors: William Thomas McClellan; John Fredrick Krumme; Scott Hyler Heneveld; Johnny T. Chang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155895A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/823: {for the sternum} - A61B 17/06066: {Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations} - A61B 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The invention provides systems and methods for sternum repair. A sternum repair device may include a central body, which may include a plurality of bands and buckles, such that a band extends from the central body and is received by a buckle component. The band may wrap around the sternum and the device may be tightened to keep the separate sternum pieces together. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sternotomy closure device comprising: a central body; a plurality of bands integrally formed with and extending from the central body; at least one buckle coupled to the central body, the buckle being configured to lockably receive a distal end of at least one of the bands. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the bands is oriented at a non-parallel angle to another of the bands when the distal ends of the bands are lockably received in one or more buckles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises exactly two bands. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3 wherein the device comprises exactly two buckles, each buckle being configured to receive the distal end of one of the two bands. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises two bands that cross over each other to form an X shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises two bands that are generally parallel to each other to form an H shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises two bands that have distal ends that are both received in a single buckle to form a Y shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the central body is configured to lay substantially flat over an anterior portion of a sternum, the plurality of bands are each configured to encircle at least a portion of the sternum, and the buckle is arranged so that it lies on a lateral portion of the sternum. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the central body is provided with a view window configured and arranged to allow a surgeon to view therethrough a cut line in a sternum when the central body is placed over the sternum. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the bands comprises an offset feature configured and arranged to allow a portion of a cutting instrument to be placed between the band and a sternum to aid in cutting the band with the cutting instrument. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one buckle is coupled to the central body by a strap, and wherein the buckle comprises a housing portion that is integrally formed with the strap. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11 wherein the entire buckle is integrally formed with the strap and requires no additional components to lockably receive a distal end of at least one of the bands, and wherein the strap is integrally formed with the central body ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the bands do not comprise perforations and are configured to be bent when lockably received by the buckle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 further comprising a delivery needle connected to a distal end of each of the bands. ### Claim 15 A system for connecting two tissues, comprising: a central body; a plurality of buckles coupled to the central body; a plurality of bands integrally formed with the central body, each of the bands extending from the central body, wrapping around the two tissues, and received by one of the buckles. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15 wherein the two bands cross one another as they wrap around the two tissues. ### Claim 17 A method for connecting two tissues, comprising: providing a connection device including: a central body; a first band and a second band, both bands extending from the central body; and at least one buckle coupled to the central body; wrapping the first band around the two tissues and connecting the first band to the at least one buckle; and wrapping the second band around the two tissues and connecting the second band to either the at least one buckle or to a second buckle coupled to the central body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the two tissues are bone tissue. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the two tissues form a part of a sternum. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the first band and the second band cross one another. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one buckle coupled to the central body is configured to pivot relative to the central body. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising a first delivery needle connected to an end portion of the first band and a second delivery needle connected to an end portion of the second band; further comprising penetrating a portion of one of the two tissues with the first delivery needle and second delivery needle. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first band is formed of biocompatible material having at least two end portions and a mid-portion therebetween, the first band having a top and bottom surface; the second band formed of biocompatible material having at least two end portions and a mid-portion therebetween, the second band having a top and bottom surface; and a delivery needle connected to one of the end portions of each of the bands, wherein the first and second bands each have a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and a width that is greater than the thickness, wherein the top or bottom surface of the first band overlies the top or bottom surface of the second band to define a common plane in an overlap region and are pivotably coupled together in the overlap region to pivot relative to one another about an axis that is perpendicular to the common plane. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second bands are pivotably coupled at the mid-portion of at least one of the bands. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second bands are pivotably coupled at the mid-portion of both of the bands. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising a third band having at least two end portions and a mid-portion therebetween, wherein the first, second and third bands are pivotably coupled together. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second bands are pivotably coupled together by an eyelet that forms a view window through the bands. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein each of the first and second bands comprises an offset portion, each of the offset portions being configured to receive an eyelet therethrough. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second bands are pivotably coupled at a pivoting portion of each band, wherein at least one of the pivoting portions comprises at least one protrusion extending toward an opposite pivoting portion to inhibit pivoting of the bands after the device is implanted.