Suture Tensioner and Methods of Tensioning
AssigneeArthrex, Inc.
InventorsThomas DOONEY, JR., Jason A. VALENTIN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical tensioner and methods for surgical repairs. A tensioning adapter can be removably attached to, and detached from, a handle and/or elongated shaft of a surgical instrument to allow a flexible strand (suture or wire) attached to tissue (for example, soft tissue, graft or bone segments) to be secured to it and tensioned. A tensioning adapter can include a securing mechanism that can capture a flexible strand and lock it into place. A tensioning adapter can include an adjustment device to adjust tension on the flexible strand.
Claims15
A method of tensioning a flexible strand comprising:
- conducting a surgical procedure with a surgical instrument by capturing a flexible strand from a repair site undergoing tissue repair with a distal end of the surgical instrument, wherein the surgical instrument is provided with a longitudinal elongated shaft;
- subsequently, attaching a tensioning adapter to a proximal end of the longitudinal elongated shaft;
- securing the flexible strand to the tensioning adapter;
- tensioning the flexible strand while the distal end maintains contact with the repair site;
- and
- removing the tensioning adapter from the surgical instrument, wherein the tensioning adapter is attached to the surgical instrument only when tensioning the flexible strand is necessary.
A method of tissue repair comprising:
- attaching a tensioning adapter to a surgical instrument and at a proximal end of a longitudinal elongated shaft of the surgical instrument;
- inserting, with the surgical instrument and attached tensioning adapter, a fixation device attached to at least one flexible strand within tissue at a surgical site and while the tensioning adapter is offset from the surgical site and while a distal end of the longitudinal elongated shaft of the surgical instrument retains contact with the surgical site;
- loading the at least one flexible strand from the surgical site to the tensioning adapter;
- tensioning the at least one flexible strand with the tensioning adapter and the surgical instrument;
- and
- removing the tensioning adapter from the surgical instrument, wherein the tensioning adapter removably attaches to, and detaches from, the surgical instrument while the surgical instrument retains contact with the surgical site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.