Repair tack for bodily tissue
AssigneeConcept, Inc.
InventorsF. Barry Bays, Arthur F. Trott, Sam R. Marchand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for repairing in vivo torn cartilaginous or other bodily tissue, particularly torn meniscus tissue during arthroscopic surgery, employs a repair tack of biodegradable material chosen to have a degradation time in excess of the required healing time for the tissue. The repair tack has a shaft portion with a longitudinal bore and a grip portion adapted for releasable engagement by a hollow applicator. In one embodiment the grip portion of the tack is a cross bar, at the proximal end of the shaft, which fits into an open-sided slot at the forward end of the applicator.
Claims9
A tack for holding together severed or torn segments of the meniscus to permit healing in vivo comprising
- a shaft having a proximal flange-like end, a distal end and a substantially cylindrical bore extending longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end to allow a needle to pass freely entirely through said shaft to extend from said distal end for penetration in the meniscus segments;
- and
- a plurality of tapered barbs disposed longitudinally in axial sequence along at least one-half of the length of said shaft, said barbs having substantially equal points of maximum width to be imbedded in the meniscus segments and including a distal barb tapering to terminate at a sharp circular edge at said distal end of said shaft, said sharp circular edge having a diameter substantially the same as said bore to facilitate penetration and imbedding of said barbs in the meniscus segments,
- the entirety of said tack being made of a biodegradable material having a degradation time selected to be at least as long as the required healing time for the meniscus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.