US 4,738,255 A · Suture anchor system

Abstract

A suture anchor system that includes a drill for turning into a bone mass with sissoring blades pivotally connected in a longitudinal drill shaft slot proximate to a cutting end thereof, the blade ends to sissor to extend cutting edges outwardly therefrom, which sissoring occurs at a certain depth of penetration into the bone mass, cutting a flared or skirted hole therein, to receive a suture anchor whereto a suture is secured. The suture anchor consists of a suture rivet and slotted ring and is formed by moving the suture rivet into the slotted ring, that ring breaking at spaced apart slots formed therein and flaring into a skirt, the anchor rivet and slotted ring thereby locked together as the suture anchor, which suture anchor has approximately the same shape but a slightly lessor diameter than the hole formed in the bone mass. The suture rivet and slotted ring are mounted on an applicator for fitting into the bone mass hole, the applicator consisting of a grip and trigger pivotally coupled thereto, such that, with trigger movement towards that grip a plunger attached thereto will be moved also, which plunger is releasably secured to a head of a mandrel that is telescoped through an ejector that is for releasable mounting in the applicator, which mandrel slides in the ejector and connects on its distal end to the suture rivet. Plunger travel therefor, responsive to trigger depression, moves the mandrel to pull the suture anchor into the slotted ring and the mandrel thereafter separates from the suture anchor allowing the applicator to be removed from the seated suture anchor and expose the suture attached thereto.

Claims41

Dependent claims

A suture anchor system comprising a drill means for forming a hole in a bone mass that has an internal diameter that is greater than the diameter of the hole entry;

a suture anchor applicator for fitting and expanding a suture anchor whereto a suture is connected into a hole formed by operation of said drill means, which suture anchor includes an anchor rivet whereto said suture is attached and a slotted ring arranged to receive said anchor rivet moved therein so as to fracture that ring along slots formed therein, flaring the ring outwardly into a skirt, the anchor rivet locking thereto forming the suture anchor;
means for maintaining said anchor rivet and slotted ring in said hole while said anchor rivet is drawn into said slotted ring;
and means for drawing said anchor rivet into said slotted ring to where said anchor rivet and slotted ring couple together into said suture anchor, which drawing means includes a mandrel having means for releasable connection to said anchor rivet whereby, with an application of a certain pulling force where said anchor rivet is seated in said slotted ring, said mandrel means will release from said anchor rivet, exposing said suture secured to that suture anchor.

A suture anchor applicator for fitting and expanding an anchor means whereto a suture is connected into a hole formed in a bone mass to have a greater sub-surface diameter than the hole diameter at the bone mass surface comprising, a suture anchor that includes an anchor rivet whereto said suture is attached and a slotted ring arranged to receive said anchor rivet moved therein so as to fracture that ring along slots formed therein that extend longitudinally from a leading edge, flaring the ring outwardly into a skirt;

means for locking said anchor rivet in said slotted ring forming a suture anchor;
means for maintaining said anchor rivet and slotted ring in said hole while said anchor rivet is drawn into said slotted ring;
and means for drawing said anchor rivet into said slotted ring to where said anchor rivet and slotted ring will couple together into said suture anchor, which drawing means includes a mandrel having means for releasable connection to said anchor rivet whereby, on application of a certain pulling force where said anchor rivet is seated in said slotted ring, said mandrel means will release from said anchor rivet, exposing said suture secured to that suture anchor.

A suture anchor comprising, an anchor rivet whereto said suture is attached and a slotted ring arranged to receive said anchor rivet moved therein so as to fracture that ring along slots formed therein, flaring the ring outwardly into a skirt;

means for locking the anchor rivet in said slotted ring forming the suture anchor;
means for maintaining said anchor rivet and slotted ring in a hole in a bone mass prepared to receive the suture anchor in right fitting engagement while said anchor rivet is drawn into said slotted ring;
and means for drawing said anchor rivet into said slotted ring to where said anchor rivet and slotted ring couple together into said suture anchor, which drawings means includes a mandrel having means for releasable connection to said anchor rivet whereby, on application of a certain pulling force where said anchor rivet is seated in said slotted ring, said mandrel means will release from said anchor rivet, exposing said suture anchor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Suture anchor system

Life of this patent

Suture anchor system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims41