US 5,527,343 A · Suture anchor

Abstract

The present invention is an anchor for securing a suture in the body. The anchor includes a tubular wall having a central axis. The tubular wall has a proximal end and a distal end each free of axially inwardly extending slots. The tubular wall has an inner surface extending for the entire length of the tube and defining in the anchor a central opening extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The anchor has a width less than its length. A suture may extend through the anchor within the central opening. First and second end portions of the suture extend out of opposite ends of the anchor and are sufficiently long to project out of the body when the suture is secured in the body by the anchor. The anchor has an anchoring orientation in the body achieved by manipulation of the distal end of the anchor by pulling on the second end portion of the suture. The anchor has a removal orientation in the body achieved by manipulation of the proximal end of the anchor by pulling on the first end portion of the suture. The present invention also relates to a method of anchoring to a bone a suture having first and second end portions.

Claims78

Dependent claims

A method of anchoring a suture to a bone having an outer layer of harder bone and an inner layer of softer bone, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an opening extending from a location outside of the bone through the outer layer of bone to the inner layer of bone;
connecting a suture with a suture anchor;
inserting the suture anchor with the suture connected thereto through the opening into the inner layer of bone;
and
pulling on the suture to change the orientation of the anchor within the inner layer of bone to block movement of the anchor out of the opening in the outer layer of bone.

2 more elements

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a tubular anchor having a passage which extends between opposite ends of the anchor,
inserting a suture through the passage in the anchor,
inserting a thin elongated member into the passage in the anchor,
inserting the thin elongated member into body tissue to at least partially form an opening in the body tissue,
thereafter, sliding the anchor along the thin elongated member and through the opening in the body tissue with both the thin elongated member and the suture extending through the passage in the anchor,
removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue and from the passage in the anchor, and,
thereafter, changing the orientation of the anchor relative to the body tissue by pulling on the suture.

4 more elements

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a thin elongated member to a first depth in body tissue,
inserting the thin elongated member into a passage formed in a drill,
rotating the drill relative to the thin elongated member while the thin elongated member is disposed in the passage in the drill,
cutting body tissue with the drill during performance of said step of rotating the drill to thereby form a recess in the body tissue, said step of cutting body tissue with the drill includes cutting the body tissue to a second depth which is less than the first depth so that the thin elongated member extends through the recess into the body tissue,
separating the drill from the thin elongated member after performance of said step of cutting body tissue with the drill, and while maintaining the end portion of the thin elongated member inserted in the body tissue,
thereafter, sliding an anchor along the thin elongated member into the recess in the body tissue, and
thereafter, removing the thin elongated member from the body tissue.

4 more elements

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a tubular anchor having an outer side surface which extends between first and second end surfaces at opposite ends of the anchor and having a passage which extends between the first and second end surfaces;
inserting a suture through the passage extending between the first and second end surfaces of the anchor;
inserting a thin elongated member through the passage extending between the first and second end surfaces of the anchor and inserting the thin elongated member into the body tissue;
moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface of the anchor leading and with the suture extending from a location disposed to one side of the body tissue, through the passage in the anchor, across the first end surface of the anchor and along an outer side surface of the anchor to the location disposed to one side of the body tissue, said step of moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface of the anchor leading being performed with a portion of the suture extending across the first end surface of the anchor, said step of moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface of the anchor leading includes sliding the anchor along the thin elongated member with the thin elongated member extending through the passage which extends between the first and second end surfaces of the anchor;
thereafter, applying force against a portion of the anchor which is furthest from the opening in the body tissue by pulling on the suture and transmitting force through the portion of the suture which extends along the outer side surface of the anchor to the first end surface of the anchor;
and
moving the first end surface of the anchor toward the opening in the body tissue under the influence of the force transmitted through the portion of the suture which extends along the outer side surface of the anchor.

4 more elements

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a tubular anchor having an outer side surface which extends between first and second end surfaces at opposite ends of the anchor and having a passage which extends between the first and second end surfaces;
inserting a suture through the passage extending between the first and second end surfaces of the anchor;
moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface of the anchor leading and with the suture extending from a location disposed to one side of the body tissue, through the passage in the anchor, across the first end surface of the anchor and along an outer side surface of the anchor to the location disposed to one side of the body tissue, said step of moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface of the anchor leading being performed with a portion of the suture extending across the first end surface of the anchor;
forming an opening in the body tissue prior to performance of said step of moving the anchor through an opening in the body tissue, said step of forming an opening in the body tissue including inserting a thin elongated member into the body tissue;
thereafter, applying force against a portion of the anchor which is furthest from the opening in the body tissue by pulling on the suture and transmitting force through the portion of the suture which extends along the outer side surface of the anchor to the first end surface of the anchor;
and
moving the first end surface of the anchor toward the opening in the body tissue under the influence of the force transmitted through the portion of the suture which extends along the outer side surface of the anchor.

4 more elements

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having a passage which extends axially through the anchor between first and second ends of the anchor, inserting a suture through the passage in the anchor, moving the anchor into body tissue with the suture extending through the passage in the anchor and with the first end of the anchor leading and the second end of the anchor trailing, and, thereafter, changing the orientation of the anchor relative to the body tissue by simultaneously applying force against the second end of the anchor and tensioning at least a portion of the suture to apply force against the first end of the anchor with the suture.

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having a passage which extends between first and second ends of the anchor, inserting a suture through the passage in the anchor, providing a rigid member having a passage which extends between first and second ends of the rigid member, inserting the suture through the passage in the rigid member, moving the anchor into body tissue with the first end of the anchor leading and with the suture extending through the passage in the anchor and through the passage in the rigid member, said step of moving the anchor into the body tissue includes moving the anchor and the rigid member along at least a portion of a first path length with the first end of the rigid member in engagement with the second end of the anchor, and, thereafter, changing the orientation of the anchor relative to the body tissue with the anchor in the body tissue by pivoting the anchor about a location where the first end of the rigid member engages the second end of the anchor to move the anchor in a direction transverse to the first path length, said step of pivoting the anchor about the location where the first end of the rigid member engages the second end of the anchor includes pressing the anchor against the body tissue and displacing body tissue under the influence of force applied to the body tissue by the anchor as the anchor is pivoted.

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having first and second ends and a passage which extends between the first and second ends of the anchor, inserting a suture through the passage extending between the first and second ends of the anchor, moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end of the anchor leading and with a first portion of the suture extending from a location disposed to one side of the body tissue through the opening in the body tissue to the second end of the anchor, a second portion of the suture extending through the passage in the anchor, and a third portion of the suture extending from the first end of the anchor through the opening in the body tissue to the location disposed to one side of the body tissue, said step of moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue includes moving the anchor and a rigid member along at least a portion of a first path length with a first end of the rigid member in engagement with the second end of the anchor, and, thereafter, changing the orientation of the anchor relative to the body tissue by tensioning the third portion of the suture to apply force to the first end of the anchor and pivoting the anchor about a location where the first end of the rigid member engages the second end of the anchor under the influence of the force transmitted to the first end of the anchor by tensioning the third portion of the suture.

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having first and second ends and a passage which extends between the first and second ends of the anchor, inserting a suture through the passage extending between the first and second ends of the anchor, moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end of the anchor leading and with a first portion of the suture extending from a location disposed to one side of the body tissue through the opening in the body tissue to the second end of the anchor, a second portion of the suture extending through the passage in the anchor, and a third portion of the suture extending from the first end of the anchor through the opening in the body tissue to the location disposed to one side of the body tissue, said step of moving an anchor through an opening in body tissue being performed with a central axis of the passage aligned with a path of movement of the anchor through the opening, thereafter, moving the first end of anchor to one side of a path of movement of the anchor through the opening in the body tissue and moving the second end of the anchor to a side of the path of movement of the anchor opposite to the one side by pulling on the third portion of the suture to transmit force to the first end of the anchor.

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having first and second ends and a passage which extends between the first and second ends of the anchor, inserting a suture through the passage extending between the first and second ends of the anchor, moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end of the anchor leading and with a first portion of the suture extending from a location disposed to one side of the body tissue through the opening in the body tissue to the second end of the anchor, a second portion of the suture extending through the passage in the anchor, and a third portion of the suture extending from the first end of the anchor through the opening in the body tissue to the location disposed to one side of the body tissue, said step of moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue includes engaging the second end of the anchor with a first end of a rigid member, and, thereafter, changing the orientation of the anchor relative to the body tissue by simultaneously applying force to the first and second ends of the anchor by simultaneously pulling on the first and third portions of the suture to apply force to the first end of the anchor with the suture and to press the second end of the anchor against the first end of the rigid member.

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising the steps of providing an anchor having first and second end surfaces, an outer side surface which extends between the first and second end surfaces, and a passage which extends between the first and second end surfaces, inserting a suture through the passage in the anchor, moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface on the anchor leading and with a first portion of the suture extending through the passage in the anchor, a second portion of the suture extending across and disposed in engagement with the first end surface on the anchor, and a third portion of the suture extending along and disposed in engagement with the outer side surface on the anchor and extending to a location disposed to one side of the body tissue, said step of moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue includes engaging the second end surface on the anchor with a first end of a rigid member, and, thereafter, changing the orientation of the anchor relative to the body tissue by simultaneously applying force to the first and second end surfaces on the anchor by tensioning the third portion of the suture to apply force against the first end surface on the anchor with the third portion of the suture and to press the second end surface on the anchor against the first end of the rigid member.

A method of anchoring a suture, said method comprising there steps of providing an anchor having an outer side surface which extends between first and second end surfaces at opposite ends of the anchor and having a passage which extends between the first and second end surfaces, inserting a suture through the passage extending between the first and second end surfaces of the anchor, moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface of the anchor leading and with the suture extending through the passage in the anchor, across the first end surface of the anchor and along the outer side surface of the anchor and through the opening in the body tissue to a location disposed to one side of the body tissue, said step of moving the anchor through an opening in body tissue with the first end surface of the anchor leading being performed with a portion of the suture extending across and disposed in engagement with the first end surface of the anchor and extending along and disposed in engagement with the outer side surface of the anchor, and, thereafter, applying force against a portion of the anchor which is furthest from the opening in the body tissue by tensioning the suture and transmitting force through the portion of the suture which extends across and is disposed in engagement with the first end surface of the anchor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Suture anchor

Life of this patent

Suture anchor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims78