Suture anchor and driver combination

Abstract

A suture anchor and driver combination of the invention for use by a surgeon in a surgical procedure to secure a suture onto a bone surface for use in tying a ligament thereto. The anchor of the invention is preferably formed from a biodegradable polymer material, such as polylactic acid, polyglycotic acid, or other polymer ester, to be reabsorbed by the body after a ligament attached to the bone surface by the suture has experienced bone grown thereto. The anchor and driver are releasably secured together so as to allow the driver to be used to guide and position the anchor forward end into a hole that as been formed into a bone cortex. The anchor is preferably formed with wide spaced thread flights to provide a strong purchase when seated in the bone, with anchor turning provided by an appropriate turning of the driver, to seat the anchor in the bone hole. Whereafter the driver is arranged to be broken away from the anchor end and pulled therefrom leaving a suture extending from the anchor rear end.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.