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US 5,464,426 AGranted
Method of closing discontinuity in tissue
OwnerPeter M. Bonuttiinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerPeter M. Bonuttiinventor
Estimating the term…
When a discontinuity in body tissue is to be closed, a suture is inserted through openings in a plurality of anchors. A thin elongated member, such as a needle or K-wire, is also inserted through the openings in the anchors. The thin elongated member is then inserted through the body tissue at a first location along one side of the discontinuity in the body tissue. A first anchor is then pushed through the body tissue from the inner side of the body tissue to the outer side of the body tissue with the suture extending through the opening in the anchor. The thin elongated member is then withdrawn from the body tissue and subsequently inserted through the body tissue at a second location disposed along the second or opposite side of the discontinuity. The next succeeding anchor in the array of anchors on the suture and thin elongated member is then pushed through the body tissue at the second location. Pulling on the suture presses the anchors against the body tissue and presses the body tissue together. The anchors may be pushed through the body tissue with a pusher member or by pushing the anchors against each other.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture and a thin elongated member through an opening in each of the anchors to provide a series of anchors on the suture and the thin elongated member, and positioning each of the anchors relative to the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning each of the anchors relative to the body tissue includes inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue at a first location which is disposed along a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the series of anchors on the thin elongated member, moving a first one of the anchors in the series of anchors along the thin elongated member into engagement with the body tissue at the first location, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue at the first location, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue at a second location which is disposed along a second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the series of anchors on the thin elongated member, moving a second one of the anchors in the series of anchors along the thin elongate member into engagement with the body of tissue at the second location, said step of moving a second one of the anchors in the series of anchors into engagement with the body tissue at the second location being performed with the suture extending between the first and second anchors, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue at the second location, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue at a third location which is disposed along the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the series of anchors on the thin elongated member, moving a third one of the anchors in the series of anchors along the thin elongated member into engagement with the body tissue at the third location, said step of moving a third one of the anchors in the series of anchors into engagement with the body tissue at the third location being performed with the suture extending between the first, second and third anchors, and removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue at the third location.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing first and second anchors, inserting a suture and a thin elongated member through an opening in the first anchor, inserting the thin elongated member through body tissue at a first location which is disposed adjacent to a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue, moving the first anchor along the thin elongated member and through body tissue at the first location with the suture extending through the first anchor, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue at the first location, inserting the suture and the thin elongated member through an opening in the second anchor, inserting the thin elongated member through body tissue at a second location which is disposed adjacent to a second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue, moving the second anchor along the thin elongated member and through the body tissue at the second location with the suture extending through the first and second anchors, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue at the second location, and, thereafter, pulling on the suture to urge the body tissue along the first and second sides of the discontinuity toward each other.
A method comprising the steps of providing first and second anchors, inserting a suture and a thin elongated member through an opening in the first anchor, inserting the suture and the thin elongated member through an opening in the second anchor, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue at a first location, sliding the first anchor along the thin elongated member into engagement with the body tissue at the first location, said step of sliding the first anchor along the thin elongated member into engagement with body tissue at the first location being performed with the thin elongated member and the suture extending through the openings in the first and second anchors, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue at a second location, and sliding the second anchor along the thin elongated member into engagement with body tissue at the second location, said step of sliding the second anchor along the thin elongated member into engagement with body tissue at the second location being performed with the suture extending through the openings in the first and second anchors.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, and, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue includes inserting a first one of the anchors through body tissue adjacent to a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the suture extending through the opening in the first anchor, thereafter, inserting a second one of the anchors through body tissue adjacent to a second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the suture extending through the opening in the second anchor.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, and, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue includes pushing a first anchor through body tissue disposed along a first side of the discontinuity to move the first anchor from a position in engagement with a first body tissue surface area to a position in engagement with a second body tissue surface area disposed on a side of the body tissue opposite from the first body tissue surface area, pushing a second anchor through body tissue disposed along a second side of the discontinuity to move the second anchor from a position in engagement with a third body tissue surface area to a position in engagement with a fourth body tissue surface area disposed on a side of the body tissue opposite from the third body tissue surface area, and, thereafter, positioning the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity in engagement with the body tissue along the second side of the discontinuity with the first and third body tissue surface areas facing toward each other.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, and, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue includes inserting a thin elongated member into body tissue disposed along a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with an array of anchors on the thin elongated member and with the suture extending through the openings in the anchors in the array of anchors, moving one of the anchors in the array of anchors along the thin elongated member and through the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue disposed along a second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the array of anchors on the thin elongated member and with the suture extending through the opening in each of the anchors in the array of anchors, moving one of the anchors along the thin elongated member and through the body tissue along the second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue disposed along the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the array of anchors on the thin elongated member and with the suture extending through the opening in each of the anchors and moving one of the anchors along the thin elongated member and through the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, and inserting a thin elongated member through the openings in the plurality of anchors to form an array of anchors on the thin elongated member, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue including inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue along a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the array of anchors on the thin elongated member and with the suture extending through the opening in each of the anchors in the array of anchors, thereafter, moving a first anchor in the array of anchors along the thin elongated member and through the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with both the thin elongated member and the suture extending through the opening in the first anchor, thereafter, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue along a second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the array of anchors on the thin elongated member and with the suture extending through the opening in each of the anchors in the array of anchors, thereafter, moving a second anchor in the array of anchors along the thin elongated member and through the body tissue along the second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with both the thin elongated member and the suture extending through the opening in the second anchor, thereafter, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue along the second side of the discontinuity, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the array of anchors on the thin elongated member and with the suture extending through the opening in each of the anchors in the array of anchors, thereafter, moving a third anchor in the array of anchors along the thin elongated member and through the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with both the thin elongated member and the suture extending through the opening in the third anchor, thereafter, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, inserting a thin elongated member through the opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, and, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue includes inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue and supporting anchors on the thin elongated member with the suture and the thin elongated member extending through the openings in a plurality of the anchors.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, and inserting a thin elongated member through the openings in the plurality of anchors to form an array of anchors on the thin elongated member, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue including pushing a first anchor along the thin elongated member and into the body tissue disposed adjacent to a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue while the suture and the thin elongated member both extend through the openings in the second and third anchors, thereafter, pushing the second anchor along the thin elongated member and into the body tissue disposed adjacent to a second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue while the suture and the thin elongated member both extend through the opening in the third anchor, and, thereafter, pushing the third anchor along the thin elongated member and into the body tissue disposed adjacent to the first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue.
A method of suturing body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each of the anchors to provide a series of anchors on the suture, pressing a first one of the anchors in the series of anchors against body tissue at a first location under the influence of force transmitted through anchors in the series of anchors to the first anchor and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, thereafter, pushing the first one of the anchors in the series of anchors into the body tissue at the first location under the influence of force transmitted through the series of anchors to the first anchor and against the influence of force applied against the first anchor by body tissue at the first location and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, pressing a second one of the anchors in the series of anchors against body tissue at a second location under the influence of force transmitted through anchors in the series of anchors to the second anchor and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, thereafter, pushing the second one of the anchors in the series of anchors into the body tissue at the second location under the influence of force transmitted through the series of anchors to the second anchor and against the influence of force applied against the second anchor by body tissue at the second location and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, pressing a third one of the anchors in the series of anchors against body tissue at a third location under the influence of force transmitted through anchors in the series of anchors to the third anchor and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, and, thereafter, pushing the third one of the anchors in the series of anchors into the body tissue at the third location under the influence of force transmitted through the series of anchors to the third anchor and against the influence of force applied against the third anchor by body tissue at the third location and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors.
A method of suturing body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each of the anchors to provide a series of anchors on the suture, pressing a leading end of a first one of the anchors in the series of anchors against body tissue at a first location in the body tissue under the influence of force applied against a trailing end of the first one of the anchors in the series of anchors and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, thereafter, pushing the first one of the anchors in the series of anchors into the body tissue at the first location under the influence of force applied against the trailing end of the first one of the anchors in the series of anchors and against the influence of force applied against the first anchor by body tissue at the first location and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, pressing a leading end of a second one of the anchors in the series of anchors against body tissue at a second location in the body tissue under the influence of force applied against a trailing end of the second one of the anchors in the series of anchors and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, thereafter, pushing the second one of the anchors in the series of anchors into the body tissue at the second location under the influence of force applied against the trailing end of the second one of the anchors in the series of anchors and against the influence of force applied against the second anchor by body tissue at the second location and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, pressing a leading end of a third one of the anchors in the series of anchors against body tissue at a third location in the body tissue under the influence of force applied against a trailing end of the third one of the anchors in the series of anchors and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors, and, thereafter, pushing the third one of the anchors in the series of anchors into the body tissue at the third location under the influence of force applied against the trailing end of the third one of the anchors in the series of anchors and against the influence of force applied against the third anchor by body tissue at the third location and with the suture extending through openings in each of the anchors in the series of anchors.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each of the anchors to provide a series of anchors on the suture, pushing a first one of the anchors in the series of anchors into body tissue at a first location which is disposed adjacent to a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the suture extending through the series of anchors, said step of pushing the first anchor into body tissue at a first location includes pressing an outer surface of the first anchor against the body tissue at the first location and deflecting the body tissue at the first location under the influence of force applied against the body tissue at the first location by the outer surface of the first anchor, pushing a second anchor in the series of anchors into the body tissue at a second location which is disposed adjacent to a second side of the discontinuity with the suture extending through the series of anchors, said step of pushing the second anchor into body tissue at a second location includes pressing an outer surface of the second anchor against the body tissue at the second location and deflecting the body tissue at the second location under the influence of force applied against the body tissue at the second location by the outer surface of the second anchor, and, thereafter, pressing body tissue adjacent to the first side of the discontinuity against body tissue adjacent to the second side of the discontinuity under the influence of force transmitted between the first and second anchors through the suture.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, and, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue includes pushing a first one of the anchors through body tissue adjacent to a first side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the suture extending through the opening in the first anchor, said step of pushing a first one of the anchors through body tissue includes pressing an outer surface of the first one of the anchors against the body tissue, thereafter, pushing a second one of the anchors through body tissue adjacent to a second side of the discontinuity in the body tissue with the suture extending through the opening in the second anchor, said step of pushing a second one of the anchors through body tissue includes pressing an outer surface of the second one of the anchors against the body tissue.
A method of closing a discontinuity in body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors to interconnect the plurality of anchors with the suture, and, thereafter, positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue being performed with the suture extending through an opening in each anchor of the plurality of anchors, said step of positioning anchors adjacent to opposite sides of the discontinuity in the body tissue includes pushing a first anchor through body tissue disposed adjacent to a first side of the discontinuity, said step of pushing a first one of the anchors through body tissue includes pressing an outer surface of the first one of the anchors against the body tissue and deflecting the body tissue under the influence of force applied against the body tissue by the outer surface of the first one of the anchors, pushing a second anchor through body tissue disposed adjacent to a second side of the discontinuity, said step of pushing a second one of the anchors through body tissue includes pressing an outer surface of the second one of the anchors against the body tissue and deflecting the body tissue under the influence of force applied against the body tissue by the outer surface of the second one of the anchors, and, thereafter, positioning the body tissue along the first side of the discontinuity in engagement with the body tissue along the second side of the discontinuity.
A method of suturing body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture and a thin elongated member through an opening in each of the anchors to provide a series of anchors on the suture and the thin elongated member, thereafter, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue at a first location, engaging the body tissue at the first location with a leading end portion of a first one of the anchors of the series of anchors, applying force against a trailing end portion of the first one of the anchors while the thin elongated member and suture extend through the openings in each of the anchors of the series of anchors, pushing the first one of the anchors into the body tissue at the first location under the influence of force applied against the trailing end portion of the first one of the anchors while the thin elongated member and suture extend through the openings in each of the anchors of the series of anchors, said step of pushing the first one of the anchors into body tissue at the first location includes deflecting body tissue at the first location under the influence of force applied against the body tissue by the leading end portion of the first one of the anchors, inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue at a second location spaced from the first location, engaging body tissue at the second location with a leading end portion of a second one of the anchors while the thin elongated member extends through the opening in the second one of the anchors and while the suture extends through the openings in each of the anchors of the series of anchors, and pushing the second one of the anchors into the body tissue at the second location under the influence of force applied against the trailing end portion of the second one of the anchors while the thin elongated member extends through the opening in the second one of the anchors and while the suture extends through the openings in each of the anchors of the series of anchors, said step of pushing the second one of the anchors into body tissue at the second location includes deflecting body tissue at the second location under the influence of force applied against the body tissue by the leading end portion of the second one of the anchors.
A method of suturing body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of anchors, inserting a suture through an opening in each of the anchors to provide a series of anchors on the suture, pressing a leading end portion of a first one of the anchors against body tissue at a first location by applying force against a trailing end portion of the first one of the anchors, penetrating the body tissue at the first location with the first one of the anchors while the suture extends through openings in each of the anchors of the series of anchors, said step of penetrating the body tissue at the first location with the first one of the anchors includes overcoming resistance applied against the leading end portion of the first one of the anchors by the body tissue at the first location by applying force against the trailing end portion of the first one of the anchors, pressing a leading end portion of a second one of the anchors against body tissue at a second location by applying force against a trailing end portion of the second one of the anchors, and penetrating the body tissue at the second location with the second one of the anchors while the suture extends through openings in each of the anchors of the series of anchors, said step of penetrating the body tissue at the second location with the second one of the anchors includes overcoming resistance applied against the leading end portion of the second one of the anchors by the body tissue at the second location by applying force against the trailing end portion of the second one of the anchors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.