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US 6,585,750 B2Granted
Method of using ultrasonic vibration to secure body tissue
AssigneeBonutti 2003 Trust-A
InventorsPeter M. Bonutti, Matthew J. Cremens, Kevin Ruholl
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AssigneeBonutti 2003 Trust-A
InventorsPeter M. Bonutti, Matthew J. Cremens, Kevin Ruholl
Estimating the term…
A suture and a suture retainer are positioned relative to body tissue. Ultrasonic vibratory energy is utilized to heat the suture retainer and effect a bonding of portions of the suture retainer to each other and/or to the suture. Portions of the body tissue may be pressed into linear apposition with each other and held in place by cooperation between the suture and the suture retainer. The suture retainer may include one or more passages through which the suture extends. The suture retainer may include sections which have surface areas which are bonded together. If desired, the suture may be wrapped around one of the sections of the suture retainer. The suture retainer may be formed with a recess in which the suture is received. If desired, the suture retainer may be omitted and the sections of the suture bonded to each other.
A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, tensioning the suture, positioning a suture retainer relative to the suture, transmitting force from the suture retainer to the body tissue while tensioning the suture, and heating the suture retainer while transmitting force from the suture retainer to the body tissue and while tensioning the suture, said step of heating the suture retainer includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer.
A method of securing a suture to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of approximating layers of body tissue, compressing the approximated layers of body tissue against a crimp by tensioning the suture, and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy to the crimp to grip the suture with the crimp.
A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture relative to body tissue, providing first and second retainer sections which are separate from the suture, said step of positioning the suture relative to body tissue being performed with the first and second retainer sections disconnected from the suture, positioning the first and second retainer sections relative to the suture with the suture disposed between the first and second retainer sections, said step of positioning the first and second retainer sections relative to the suture is performed with the first and second retainer sections disconnected from the suture, and connecting the first and second retainer sections with the suture, said step of connecting the first and second retainer sections with the suture includes transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to at least one of the first and second retainer sections.
A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of positioning a suture having first and second sections relative to body tissue, providing a suture retainer which has first and second recesses, positioning the first section of the suture in the first recess, positioning the second section of the suture in the second recess, transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while the first section of the suture is in the first recess and the second section of the suture is in the second recess, bonding the first section of the suture and the suture retainer together while the first section of the suture is in the first recess, and bonding the second section of the suture and the suture retainer together while the second section of the suture is in the second recess.
A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing a suture retainer having first and second sections, providing a suture having first and second sections, positioning the suture relative to body tissue with the first and second sections of the suture extending from the body tissue, positioning the first and second sections of the suture and the first and second sections of the suture retainer relative to each other, said step of positioning the first and second sections of the suture and the first and second sections of the suture retainer relative to each other results in the first section of the suture being disposed between the first and second sections of the suture retainer at locations disposed on the first and second sections of the suture retainer between central portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer and portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer offset in a first direction from the central portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer, said step of positioning the first and second sections of the suture and the first and second sections of the suture retainer relative to each other results in the second section of the suture being spaced from the first section of the suture and being disposed between the first and second sections of the suture retainer at locations disposed on the first and second sections of the suture retainer between the central portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer and portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer offset in a second direction from the central portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer, urging the first and second sections of the suture retainer toward each other with the first and second sections of the suture spaced apart from each other and disposed between the first and second sections of the suture retainer, transmitting ultrasonic vibratory energy to the suture retainer while urging the first and second sections of the suture retainer toward each other, bonding the central portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer together with the first and second sections of the suture spaced apart from each other and disposed between the first and second sections of the suture retainer, bonding the portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer offset in the first direction from the central portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer together with the first and second sections of the suture spaced apart from each other and disposed between the first and second sections of the suture retainer, and bonding the portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer offset in the second direction from the central portions of the first and second sections of the suture retainer together with the first and second sections of the suture spaced apart from each other and disposed between the first and second sections of the suture retainer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.