# US 2014/0194927 A1 · Method And Apparatus For Coupling Soft Tissue To A Bone

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- Number: US 2014/0194927 A1
- Document ID: US20140194927A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/107,350
- Filed: 2013-12-16
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2006-02-03
- Assignees: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
- Applicants: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
- Inventors: Ryan A. Kaiser; Gregory J. Denham; Kevin T. Stone
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194927A1

## 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 17/0487: {Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks (suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122)}
- A61B 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)}
- A61F 2/0811: {Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments}
- A61B 17/0482: {Needle or suture guides (guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; guides for puncturing needles A61B17/3403)}
- A61B 17/1631: {Special drive shafts, e.g. flexible shafts (A61B17/1642, A61B17/164 take precedence)}
- A61B 17/1642: {for producing a curved bore}
- A61B 17/3417: {Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating (syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00)}
- A61B 2017/00336: {with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable}
- A61B 2017/00858: {high friction or non-slip}
- A61B 2017/0406: {Pledgets}
- A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors}
- A61B 2017/0412: {having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body}
- A61B 2017/0414: {having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening}
- A61B 2017/0417: {T-fasteners}
- A61B 2017/0432: {the separate member staying in the anchor after placement}
- A61B 2017/044: {with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws}
- A61B 2017/0477: {with pre-tied sutures}
- A61B 2017/0496: {for tensioning sutures}
- A61B 2017/06185: {hollow or tubular}
- A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension}
- A61F 2002/0852: {Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes}
- A61F 2002/0858: {Fixation of tendon or ligament between anchor and bone, e.g. interference screws, wedges}
- A61F 2002/0882: {Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone}
- A61F 2002/0888: {Anchor in or on a blind hole or on the bone surface without formation of a tunnel}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- 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)

## Abstract

A method for coupling soft tissue to bone including: positioning a first anchor in a first bone bore, the first anchor having a first self-locking adjustable suture construct including a first adjustable loop, a second adjustable loop, and a pair of first ends; positioning a second anchor in a second bone bore, the second anchor having a second self-locking adjustable suture construct including a third adjustable loop, a fourth adjustable loop, and a second end; positioning the first adjustable loop relative to the soft tissue; positioning the second adjustable loop about the third adjustable loop; and tensioning the pair of first ends and the second end to pull the first adjustable loop against the soft tissue, couple the second adjustable loop to the third adjustable loop, pull the second adjustable loop against the soft tissue, and pull the third adjustable loop against the soft tissue.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for coupling soft tissue to bone comprising:
forming a bore in the bone;
positioning an anchor in the bone, the anchor having a self-locking suture construct extending therefrom, the construct having a first loop, a second loop, and a pair of ends;
positioning the first loop relative to the soft tissue;
positioning the second loop relative to the soft tissue;
coupling the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue; and
pulling the pair of ends to tighten the suture construct to fix the soft tissue to the bone.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the first loop further includes passing the first loop through the soft tissue.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein positioning the second loop further includes positioning the second loop around the soft tissue to couple the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein coupling a first loop to the second loop includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a fastening element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the fastening element is a suture and the suture couples a first loop to the second loop.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the suture includes a knot wherein the knotted suture fastener couples the first loop to the second loop.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pair of ends extend from the bore in the bone and pulling the pair of ends includes pulling the pair of ends from the bore in the bone.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the anchor includes positioning a stiff anchor in the bore.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the suture construct is formed of a body that defines a longitudinally extending passage therein, a first end of the pair of ends extending into and out of a first passage portion to form the first loop and a second end of the pair of ends extending into and out of a second passage portion to form the second loop, wherein coupling the first loop and the second loop further includes coupling ends of the first and second loops to the soft tissue opposite the first and second passage portions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein pulling the pair of ends positions the first and second passage portions adjacent to the anchor upon tightening the suture construct to fix the soft tissue to the bone.

### Claim 11

A method for coupling soft tissue to bone comprising:
forming a hole in the bone;
positioning an anchor in the hole, the anchor having a self-locking suture construct extending therefrom, the construct having a first loop, a second loop, a first end, and a second end;
positioning the first loop relative to the soft tissue;
positioning the second loop relative to the soft tissue;
coupling the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue with a fastening element; and
tensioning the first end and the second end to tighten the suture construct to secure the soft tissue to the bone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein coupling the first loop to the second loop with the fastening element further includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a suture fastening element.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the first loop and positioning the second loop further includes passing the first loop through the soft tissue and positioning the second loop around the soft tissue and coupling the first and second loops with the fastening element.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the suture construct is formed of a braided body that extends from the first end to the second end and defines a longitudinally formed passage therein, the first end extending into and out of a first portion of the passage to form the first loop, the second end extending into and out of a second portion of the passage to form the second loop, wherein positioning the first loop and the second loop includes positioning ends of the first loop and the second loop relative to the soft tissue and the first and second passage portions adjacent the anchor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the anchor in the hole includes positioning a rigid anchor in the hole, wherein the suture construct extends from the rigid anchor and is separate therefrom.

### Claim 16

A method for coupling soft tissue to bone comprising:
forming a bore in the bone;
positioning an anchor in the bore, the anchor having a suture construct extending therefrom, the suture construct having a first loop, a second loop, a first end, and a second end;
passing the first loop through the soft tissue;
positioning the second loop relative to the first loop and the soft tissue;
coupling the first loop to the second loop about the soft tissue with a fastening element; and
pulling at least one of the first end or the second end to tighten the suture construct to secure the soft tissue relative to the bone.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the first loop to the second loop with the fastening element further includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a fastening element formed of a separate piece of suture.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the suture construct is formed of a body that extends from the first end to the second end to define a longitudinally extending passage, the first end extending into a first aperture along a first passage portion and out a second aperture to form the first loop, the second end extending into a third aperture along a second passage portion and out a fourth aperture to form the second loop, wherein positioning the first and second loops includes positioning ends of the first and second loops relative to the soft tissue and the first and second passage portions adjacent the anchor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising pulling the first end and the second end of the suture construct relative to the bore to tighten the suture construct to tighten the soft tissue to the bone.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the first loop to the second loop with the fastening element further includes coupling the first loop to the second loop with a fastening element formed of a suture having a knot to tie the first loop and the second loop together.