Back to results
US 8,801,727 B2Granted
Orthopedic suture passer and method
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsKwan-Ho Chan, M. Mary Sinnott, Patrick Michel White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Instruments and techniques to pass a suture are presented. In one illustrative example, a suture passer includes a drill guide and is able to form a tunnel in a bone and pass a suture through the tunnel so formed.
Claims15
A suture passer comprising:
- a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide;
- and
- a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer;
- wherein the receiver includes an opening coaxial with the guide axis and the receivable portion of the suture includes a stopper insertable into the opening;
- and wherein the stopper is deformable to fit through the opening and resiliently expand after passing through the opening.
2 more elements
A suture passer comprising:
- a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide;
- and
- a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer;
- wherein the receiver includes an opening coaxial with the guide axis and the receivable portion of the suture includes a stopper insertable into the opening;
- and wherein the opening has an opening axis and the stopper is movable between a first orientation able to pass through the opening along the opening axis and a second orientation unable to pass through the opening along the opening axis.
2 more elements
A suture passer comprising:
- a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide;
- and
- a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer;
- wherein the receiver includes first and second opposed members, the first member being mounted for movement relative to the second member between a first position in which the members are spaced apart and able to receive the suture therebetween and a second position in which the members are close together and able to grip the suture.
1 more element
A suture passer comprising:
- a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide;
- and
- a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer;
- wherein the receiver includes an opening coaxial with the guide axis and the receivable portion of the suture includes a stopper insertable into the opening;
- and further comprising a cutter engageable with the guide, the guide being operable to guide the cutter along the guide axis to form a tunnel in a bone positioned in the space between the guide and receiver.
2 more elements
A suture passer comprising:
- a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide;
- and
- a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer;
- wherein the guide comprises an elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side wall defining an inner surface and an outer surface, the guide further having a slot formed through the guide wall from the inner surface to the outer surface and from the proximal end to the distal end.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- positioning a receiver of a suture retriever at a first position on a bone adjacent a bone joint;
- forming a tunnel through the bone;
- passing a first portion of a suture through the bone until the first portion of the suture is received by the receiver;
- retaining the first portion with the receiver;
- and
- moving the receiver away from the first position to advance the suture into the bone;
- wherein the suture retriever further includes a guide aligned with the receiver and
- wherein forming a tunnel through the bone comprises guiding a cutter with the guide to form the tunnel;
- and wherein the cutter comprises a drill having a hollow drill tube and an obturator receivable coaxially in the drill tube and further wherein forming a tunnel comprises driving the drill tube and obturator together into the bone and receiving a portion of the drill tube in the receiver.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- positioning a receiver of a suture retriever at a first position on a bone adjacent a bone joint;
- forming a tunnel through the bone;
- passing a first portion of a suture through the bone until the first portion of the suture is received by the receiver;
- retaining the first portion with the receiver;
- and
- moving the receiver away from the first position to advance the suture into the bone;
- wherein passing a first portion of a suture through the bone comprises passing the first portion of the suture through a drill tube.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- positioning a receiver of a suture retriever at a first position on a bone adjacent a bone joint;
- forming a tunnel through the bone;
- passing a first portion of a suture through the bone until the first portion of the suture is received by the receiver;
- retaining the first portion with the receiver;
- and
- moving the receiver away from the first position to advance the suture into the bone;
- attaching the suture to a graft;
- and
- pulling the graft into the bone tunnel.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.