Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090068057 | Finite and Multiple Sterilization Indication Method for Devices - The present invention relates to an indicator of sterilization and/or use, which may be affixed to or integrated in a limited use device. The indicator may include a plurality of layers wherein each of the layers includes a membrane. The indictor may also include indicia of the number of uses disposed between the layers. The membranes may breach upon the sterilization or use of the limited use device, wherein the device is exposed to a given environment, such as various gasses, steam, liquids, UV, plasma, etc. In addition, more than one membrane may be provided between each indicia, wherein each membrane may respond to a different environment. | 03-12-2009 |
20120253389 | SURGICAL FILAMENT SNARE ASSEMBLIES - A surgical filament snare assembly including an anchor capable of being fixated in bone and having a filament engagement feature. A first filament has a noose with first and second noose limbs connected, preferably slidably, to the filament engagement feature. The first and second noose limbs emerge from the anchor as first and second free filament limbs that are capable of being passed through tissue to be repaired and then passable through the noose. The noose is capable of receiving the free filament limbs and strangulating them when tension is applied to at least one of the free filament limbs and the noose to enable incremental tensioning of the tissue after anchor fixation. Preferably, the snare assembly further includes a flexible sleeve joining at least some portion of the first and second free filament limbs to facilitate passing of the free filament limbs as a single unit. | 10-04-2012 |
20130204366 | FLIPPING-TYPE GRAFT FIXATION DEVICE AND METHOD - A buckle useful for cortical fixation has a graft retention loop slidably affixed thereto for movement from a first position adjacent a first end of the buckle to a second position at about the midpoint of the buckle. The buckle, with a graft over the loop, is drawn up lengthwise through a bone tunnel through a tibia and then flipped sideways to rest against the surface of the bone with the loop and graft depending back into the tunnel. The sliding attachment of the loop permits flipping of the buckle minimizes the flipping distance, which is the excess amount of the loop which must be pulled free of the tunnel to allow the buckle to be flipped sideways. | 08-08-2013 |
20130317532 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR CUTTING AND REMOVING TISSUE FROM A BODY - Methods and devices are provided for cutting and removing tissue from a body. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical device is provided having a suction shaft and a cutting assembly. The suction shaft can have an inner passageway configured to receive tissue. The cutting assembly can include an outer shaft having at least one opening formed in a sidewall thereof configured to receive tissue. The cutting assembly can be configured to mate with the suction shaft, and it can include a cutting element configured to move relative to the opening to cut tissue disposed through the opening. Suction can be applied to cause the cut tissue to flow proximally through the suction shaft and away from the cutting assembly. | 11-28-2013 |
20140018917 | FLIPPING-TYPE GRAFT FIXATION DEVICE AND METHOD - A buckle useful for cortical fixation has a graft retention loop slidably affixed thereto for movement from a first position adjacent a first end of the buckle to a second position at about the midpoint of the buckle. The buckle, with a graft over the loop, is drawn up lengthwise through a bone tunnel through a tibia and then flipped sideways to rest against the surface of the bone with the loop and graft depending back into the tunnel. The sliding attachment of the loop permits flipping of the buckle minimizes the flipping distance, which is the excess amount of the loop which must be pulled free of the tunnel to allow the buckle to be flipped sideways. | 01-16-2014 |
20140081276 | CROSS PINNING GUIDE DEVICES AND METHODS - Methods and devices are provided for implanting a cross-pin through a bone tunnel, such as in an arthroscopic surgical procedure. In general, the methods and devices allow a cross-pin hole to be formed in a medial side of a knee bone such that it intersects a bone tunnel formed in the knee bone. In one embodiment, a cross-pinning guide device is provided that can be configured to angularly position the cross-pin hole relative to the bone tunnel to allow the cross-pin hole to intersect the bone tunnel without passing through another side, e.g., a lateral side, of the knee bone. The knee bone can be a femur or a tibia such that the cross-pin hole and the bone tunnel can each be entirely formed in the femur or in the tibia. | 03-20-2014 |
20140081320 | SUTURE LEADER - Methods and devices are provided for securing tissue to bone. In general, a suture leader can have leading and trailing ends, and an inner passageway configured to receive a strand of suture therein. More specifically, the trailing end of the leader can be configured to receive the strand of suture therein to form an overlapping region of suture leader and suture. When the suture is positioned in the leader, an outer diameter of the leading end of the leader can be less than an outer diameter of the over lapping region. The leader can have a lower bending stiffness than the suture so that the leader can be more easily folded into a bend. In certain aspects, the suture leader can be formed from a substantially flexible, braided material so that the leader can be configured to contract when a pulling force is applied to the leader. In another embodiment, the suture leader can have a pre-formed crease configured to mate with a threading tool. | 03-20-2014 |
20140100609 | DIRECTIONALLY SPECIFIC BONE ANCHORS AND METHOD - A suture anchor and method is disclosed in which a pair of anchor elements connected by a flexible cord are passed through a piece of soft tissue and embedded deeply into a bone. The cord holds the soft tissue securely to the bone and the anchors are embedded into more dense bone away from the location where the soft tissue contacts the bone. | 04-10-2014 |
20140188137 | SUTURE PASSER WITH EXPELLING MECHANISM - A suture passing mechanism is disclosed having an elongated delivery member and a suture capture fitting at a distal end of the delivery member. The suture capture fitting includes a recess for receiving a length of suture. The recess is bounded by a proximal wall and a lateral opening leads therein. An expeller at the recess is adapted to expel suture out of the recess through the lateral opening. | 07-03-2014 |
20140257346 | Implant Having Adjustable Filament Coils - A device having one or more adjustable loops or coils associated with an implant body for use in soft tissue reconstructions is provided. One exemplary embodiment of a device includes a body and a suture filament, with the filament being used to form a self-locking sliding knot disposed on a top side of the body and a plurality of adjustable coils that are substantially disposed on the body's bottom side. Terminal ends of the filament located above the body's top side can be passed through an opening of a Lark's Head knot from opposite sides, thus forming a self-locking sliding knot, and then the terminal ends can be tensioned to adjust a circumference of the coils. Changing a coil's circumference changes a location of a ligament graft disposed on the coil. Other configurations of devices and systems, as well as methods for performing ACL repairs, are also provided. | 09-11-2014 |
20140276884 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR GAUGING A BONE TUNNEL - Devices, systems, and methods are provided for gauging a bone tunnel. In one exemplary embodiment, a graft repair system can include an elongate pin, an elongate pusher shaft configured to be positioned over one opposed end of the pin when the pin is positioned within a bone tunnel, and a gauge member configured to be positioned over another opposed end of the pin when the pin is positioned within the bone tunnel. When the pusher shaft abuts the bone adjacent one of the open ends of the bone tunnel and the gauge member abuts the bone adjacent the other open end of the bone tunnel, an indicator mark on the pin can be visible through one or more windows formed in the gauge member. The indicator mark's position relative to each of the one or more windows can indicate one or more characteristics related to the bone tunnel. | 09-18-2014 |
20140330312 | SURGICAL FILAMENT ASSEMBLIES - A suture anchor, and a surgical filament assembly using same, capable of being fixated in a hole formed in a bone of a patient. The suture anchor preferably includes an anchor body with a passage extending from a proximal end toward a distal end, and at least one bone engaging feature on the exterior of the anchor. A knot patency element disposed within the passage holds a removable sliding knot formed, using the surgical filament. A tightening limb of the sliding knot enables the user to tighten the sliding knot against an object extending through a capture loop to secure the object to the anchor. | 11-06-2014 |
20150088197 | Bone Anchor Inserter - Methods and devices are provided for deploying a bone anchor into bone. An inserter for deploying a bone anchor into bone can have an elongate shape with a proximal portion configured to be grasped by user and a distal tip configured to releasably mate with a bone anchor. In certain aspects, a distal portion of the inserter can be more flexible than remaining portions of the inserter and this can facilitate deploying the anchor into a bone tunnel. For example, as the bone anchor is being inserted into the bone tunnel, the distal portion of the inserter can be configured to bend to align the anchor with the tunnel. In one embodiment, the distal portion of the inserter has a plurality of grooves spaced along the inserter that define a series of rings such that when the inserter bends, the adjacent rings contact one another to limit the applied strain. | 03-26-2015 |
20150088198 | SELF-ASSEMBLING SUTURE ANCHOR ASSEMBLY, SURGICAL KIT, AND SURGICAL REPAIR METHOD - A suture anchor assembly includes a main suture strand, a plurality of suture arms, and a plurality of suture anchor elements connected to the main suture strand by a suture arm. The suture anchor elements are configured to rest against a cortex of a bone to provide an anchor when they are in a deployed configuration. The suture anchor assemblies can be employed in place of or in addition to traditional suture anchors. The assemblies, kits, and methods described herein can be utilized in a variety of procedures and locations in the body where anchoring a graft or tissue adjacent a bone is desired, including, for example, rotator cuff repair and ligament (e.g., the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL) reconstruction and/or repair. | 03-26-2015 |