Slotted suture anchor and method of anchoring a suture

A suture anchor and suture in combination comprising:

• a suture,
• an elongated tubular anchor,
• said suture having a knot tied adjacent a terminal end of the suture and engaging a first end of the anchor,
• said anchor having a slot extending from a second end to a slot base intermediate the first and second ends, and
• said suture being threaded through the anchor from the first end axially through the anchor and through the second end in an insertion position and being shifted through the slot during deployment to a deployed position wherein the suture extends from the anchor at the slot base.

A suture anchor for anchoring a suture to cartilage comprising:

• an elongated tube having first and second ends,
• means for securing the suture to the tube at said first end of the tube with the suture being partially threaded through the tube;
• said tube having a slot linearly extending from said second end to a midpoint located intermediate the first and second ends of the tube;
• said anchor being shiftable between a first position in which the suture extends completely through said tube and a second position in which the suture extends from the first end of said tube through said tube to the midpoint of the tube and exits said tube at the midpoint.

A method of anchoring a suture in the body with a T-bar anchor, said T-bar anchor being an elongated tubular member having first and second ends, said suture being secured to said first end, second end having a slot extending to the approximate midpoint of the tubular member with said suture being threaded through the tubular member, said method comprising the following steps:

• inserting a hollow tool having an outer needle and a pusher means, the T-bar anchor being initially disposed in the outer needle with the first end being initially inserted into body tissue to a desired depth, the suture extending from the first end of the tubular member through the second end and being routed through the pusher tube;
• pushing the anchor with said pusher means through the end of the tool with a shiftable element in the hollow tool;
• applying tension to the suture to cause the suture to shift the tubular member to a toggle position with the suture shifting through the slot from the second end toward the approximate midpoint wherein the suture exits the tubular member at the approximate midpoint;
• and
• removing said tool from the tissue.