# US 2018/0021036 A1 · Adjustable knotless loops > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021036 A1 - Document ID: US20180021036A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/720,997 - Filed: 2017-09-29 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2007-04-10 - 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/US20180021036A1 ## 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 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)} - A61F 2/0811: {Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments} - A61B 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 2017/0458: {Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot} - A61B 2017/06185: {hollow or tubular} - A61F 2/0805: {Implements for inserting tendons or ligaments} - 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 Methods of attaching a soft tissue to an adjacent bone at a defect site are provided. An adjustable loop region of a flexible construct contained in a bore defined by a fastener is passed through a tissue. The adjustable loop is passed through the tissue. The fastener is passed back through the adjustable loop to fold the adjustable loop upon itself. The fastener is attached to the bone. An adjusting arm on the flexible construct is engaged to reduce the size of the adjustable loop and secure the soft tissue to the bone. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A suture anchor assembly, comprising: an anchor for insertion into a hole in a bone, the anchor having a longitudinal axis that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the anchor, the anchor including a first opening in the proximal end of the anchor which leads to a longitudinal interior bore in the anchor, the anchor further including a second opening in a side wall of the anchor which leads to a transverse passage in the anchor, the transverse passage proximate the distal end of the anchor and connecting the longitudinal interior bore in the anchor to a longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor that extends along an outer surface of the anchor; and an adjustable suture construct that includes a suture with a first free end that passes through a first longitudinal passage in the suture to form a first adjustable loop, wherein the adjustable suture construct is coupled to the anchor such that the first longitudinal passage in the suture: (i) extends along the longitudinal interior bore; (ii) passes through the transverse passage; (iii) exits the anchor through the second opening in the side wall of the anchor; and (iv) extends along the outer surface of the anchor in the longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The suture anchor assembly of claim 21, wherein the first longitudinal passage in the suture extends along the entirety of the longitudinal interior bore in the anchor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The suture anchor assembly of claim 21 further comprising a driver carrying the anchor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The suture anchor assembly of claim 23, wherein the driver includes an adjustable loop mount to which the first adjustable loop is removeably fixed. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The suture anchor assembly of claim 21, wherein the entirety of the first adjustable loop is positioned outside the anchor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The suture anchor assembly of claim 21, wherein the first longitudinal passage in the suture protrudes from the second opening in the side wall of the anchor such that the first adjustable loop extends away from the second opening. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The suture anchor assembly of claim 26, wherein at least part of the first adjustable loop is positioned along the outer surface of the anchor in the longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The suture anchor assembly of claim 21, wherein the first free end of the suture extends away from the first opening in the proximal end of the anchor. ### Claim 29 A suture anchor assembly, comprising: an anchor for insertion into a hole in a bone; an adjustable suture construct coupled to the anchor, the adjustable suture construct including a suture with a first free end that passes through a first longitudinal passage in the suture to form a first adjustable loop; and a driver carrying the anchor and including an adjustable loop mount to which the first adjustable loop is removeably fixed. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the adjustable suture construct being coupled to the anchor includes the adjustable suture construct extending through a longitudinal interior bore in the anchor. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The suture anchor assembly of claim 30, wherein the anchor includes a longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor that extends along an outer surface of the anchor, and wherein the adjustable suture construct being coupled to the anchor also includes the adjustable suture construct extending along the outer surface of the anchor in the longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the driver is carrying the anchor proximate a distal end of the driver, and wherein the adjustable loop mount is located proximal of the anchor as the anchor is being carried by the driver. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the first longitudinal passage in the suture is positioned in the anchor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the adjustable loop mount is located on an exterior of the driver. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the entirety of the first adjustable loop is positioned outside the anchor. ### Claim 36 (depends on 29) The suture anchor assembly of claim 29, wherein the anchor is mounted on the driver with the first free end extending through the driver inside a hollow shaft of the driver and with the first adjustable loop extending outside the driver along an exterior surface of the hollow shaft. ### Claim 37 A suture anchor assembly, comprising: an anchor for insertion into a hole in a bone, the anchor having a longitudinal axis that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the anchor, the anchor including a first opening in the proximal end of the anchor which leads to a longitudinal interior bore in the anchor, the anchor further including a second opening in a side wall of the anchor which leads to a transverse passage in the anchor, the transverse passage proximate the distal end of the anchor and connecting the longitudinal interior bore in the anchor to a longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor that extends along an outer surface of the anchor; and an adjustable suture construct coupled to the anchor, the adjustable suture construct including a suture with a first free end that passes through a first longitudinal passage in the suture to form a first adjustable loop, wherein the adjustable suture construct being coupled to the anchor includes the adjustable suture construct extending through the longitudinal interior bore in the anchor with the first adjustable loop extending away from the second opening in the side wall of the anchor and with the first free end of the suture extending away from the first opening in the proximal end of the anchor such that the first free end can be pulled to a reduce a size of the first adjustable loop. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The suture anchor assembly of claim 37, wherein the entirety of the first adjustable loop is positioned outside the anchor. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The suture anchor assembly of claim 37, wherein the first longitudinal passage in the suture extends along the entirety of the longitudinal interior bore in the anchor. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The suture anchor assembly of claim 39, wherein the first longitudinal passage in the suture: (i) extends along the longitudinal interior bore; (ii) passes through the transverse passage; (iii) exits the anchor through the second opening in the side wall of the anchor; and (iv) extends along the outer surface of the anchor in the longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The suture anchor assembly of claim 37, wherein the first longitudinal passage in the suture protrudes from the second opening in the side wall of the anchor with at least part of the first adjustable loop being positioned along the outer surface of the anchor in the longitudinal exterior channel in the anchor. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) The suture anchor assembly of claim 37 further comprising a driver carrying the anchor.