Suture-length compensating anchor system and method
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsMarc J. Balboa, Geoffrey I. Karasic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention include methods and devices for coupling to a suture with a suture anchor. The suture anchor may include a cavity in which a length of suture may be drawn prior to insertion and from which that length of suture may be drawn out as the suture anchor is implanted. Therefore, in some embodiments, suture may be drawn out of the cavity from the length of suture rather than from working portions of the suture that extend outwardly from the tissue in which the suture anchor is being implanted.
Claims40
A suturing system comprising:
- a suture anchor comprising:
- a body,
- wherein the body includes an outer surface configured to engage with a bone in which the suture anchor is implantable, and
- wherein the body includes a cannulation through the body;
- an inserter having a proximal end and a distal end,
- wherein the inserter proximal end is configured to be manipulated by a user, and
- wherein the inserter distal end is configured to releasably engage with the suture anchor;
- and
- a suture puller configured to be proximally and distally movable relative to the inserter comprising:
- a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, and
- a suture retainer near the distal end of the shaft,
- wherein the suture retainer is configured and sized to fit into the cannulation through the body to couple to a portion of a suture near a distal end of the suture anchor and be used to pull the portion of the suture proximally into the suture anchor.
A method of concurrently implanting a suture and a suture anchor into a bone comprising:
- drawing a length of suture into a cavity in the suture anchor;
- and
- moving the suture anchor distally into the bone to implant the suture anchor into the bone while allowing the length of suture drawn into the suture anchor to be drawn out of the suture anchor distally proportional to the amount the suture anchor is moved distally into the bone.
A method of securing a suture to a bone comprising:
- placing an inserter within a tube;
- placing a suture anchor at a distal end of the tube, wherein the suture anchor is configured to couple with the inserter;
- placing a suture puller with a suture retainer near its distal end within the inserter and within the suture anchor;
- positioning the suture puller distally relative to the inserter and the suture anchor so that the suture retainer is accessible from a distal end of the suture anchor;
- coupling a length of suture with the suture retainer;
- moving the suture puller proximally relative to the suture anchor to draw the length of suture into a cavity in the suture anchor;
- moving the tube and the suture anchor distally into the bone to implant the suture anchor into the bone while allowing the length of suture drawn into the suture anchor to be drawn out of the suture anchor distally proportional to the amount the tube and the suture anchor are moved distally into the bone;
- and
- releasing the suture from the suture retainer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.