Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080319478 | KNOTLESS SUTURE ANCHOR HAVING DISCRETE POLYMER COMPONENTS AND RELATED METHODS - A knotless bone anchor and method for securing soft tissue, such as tendons, to bone, includes a plurality of discrete components. In one variation of the invention, the bone anchor includes a proximal toggle component, an intermediate plug component, and a distal sleeve component. Suture is looped around the plug component and once the anchor is actuated, the suture is compressed between the plug and the sleeve components. Advantageously, one or more of the components may be made of a biocompatible polymer. The polymeric components may be detachably joined to a drive shaft using a plurality of sacrificial fills. The sacrificial fills are broken or severed during deployment of the anchor. Related instruments and methods are also described. | 12-25-2008 |
20090069823 | IMPLANT AND DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR SOFT TISSUE REPAIR - Implant and delivery systems for soft tissue repair which affix soft tissue portions to a region of bone are described. Generally, the assembly includes two bone anchors preloaded through an inserter handle such that each anchor is penetrated into the bone directly. The first anchor is inserted through the tissue and into the bone, where it is locked into position. The first anchor has a suture or wire that protrudes through the tissue and threads through the second anchor and is secured to a rotatable suture reel located along the handle. The second anchor is inserted through the tissue and into the bone independently of the first anchor. Once the second anchor is deployed, the suture or wire is tensioned to secure the soft tissue to the bone and a suture plug within the second anchor is deployed to lock the suture or wire in place. | 03-12-2009 |
20090222040 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ATTACHING CONNECTIVE TISSUES TO BONE USING A KNOTLESS SUTURE ANCHORING DEVICE - A device for attaching connective tissue to bone has a longitudinal axis and comprises an annular toggle member and a body member disposed distally of the toggle member, such that there is an axial space between the toggle member and the body member. The toggle member is movable between an undeployed position wherein the toggle member has a smaller profile in a direction transverse to the axis and a deployed position wherein the toggle member has a larger profile in the direction transverse to the axis. When installed in a desired procedural site, in suitable bone, suturing material extends axially through a center aperture in the annular toggle member, without being secured to or contacting the toggle member. This approach permits a suture attachment which lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface, and which further permit the attachment of suture to the bone anchor without the necessity for tying knots, which is particularly arduous and technically demanding in the case of arthroscopic procedures. | 09-03-2009 |
20090222041 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ATTACHING CONNECTIVE TISSUES TO BONE USING A KNOTLESS SUTURE ANCHORING DEVICE - A device for attaching connective tissue to bone has a longitudinal axis and comprises an annular toggle member and a body member disposed distally of the toggle member, such that there is an axial space between the toggle member and the body member. The toggle member is movable between an undeployed position wherein the toggle member has a smaller profile in a direction transverse to the axis and a deployed position wherein the toggle member has a larger profile in the direction transverse to the axis. When installed in a desired procedural site, in suitable bone, suturing material extends axially through a center aperture in the annular toggle member, without being secured to or contacting the toggle member. This approach permits a suture attachment which lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface, and which further permit the attachment of suture to the bone anchor without the necessity for tying knots, which is particularly arduous and technically demanding in the case of arthroscopic procedures. | 09-03-2009 |
20100113920 | METHODS FOR DEFINING AND MARKING TISSUE - In order to later identify the location of a biopsy or surgery, various means and methods for permanently and non-surgically marking selected tissue in the human body are used. Later visualization of the markers is readily accomplished using state-of-the-art imaging systems. | 05-06-2010 |
20100191283 | KNOTLESS SUTURE ANCHORING DEVICE HAVING DEFORMING SECTION TO ACCOMMODATE SUTURES OF VARIOUS DIAMETERS - An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing soft tissue, such as tendons, to bone, which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. The suturing material between the soft tissue and the bone anchor may be secured without the need for tying a knot. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a length of suture around a suture return member or path within the bone anchor, tightening the suture and attached soft tissue, and compressing the suture against the bone anchor. The bone anchor may be a tubular body having a lumen with a locking plug that compresses the suture therein. One of the components of the locking structure may include a deformable or flexible section, member, or surface. The locking plug may include a shaft and an enlarged head that interferes with the tubular body to provide a positive stop. An actuation rod attached at a frangible section to the shaft may be manipulated by an external handle during locking of the suture within the bone anchor. The bone anchor further may include locking structure for securing itself within a bone cavity. | 07-29-2010 |
20120158051 | RE-TENSIONABLE KNOTLESS SUTURE SYSTEM - Systems and methods for a knotless suture system, so that soft tissue may be secured to bone without the need of a suture knot. The system may include a bone anchor that engages bone tissue, and an eyelet through which a suture loop bundle may or may not pass. This bundle includes a snare and at least one loop of a tail of a length of suture that is secured to the soft tissue. The snare may have a variable diameter with at least two sections, a first one having a smaller dimension and a second section having a second, larger dimension and the suture loop bundle may pass through the eyelet when the snare includes the first, smaller section, but not the second section. | 06-21-2012 |
20130197576 | FREE FLOATING WEDGE SUTURE ANCHOR FOR SOFT TISSUE REPAIR - A suture anchor device and method for attaching soft tissue to bone includes an anchor body and a suture locking wedge movably disposed within the anchor body. The suture locking wedge includes lateral portions which engage slots or windows in the anchor body. Tension applied to one limb of a suture causes the suture locking wedge to translate and rotate to a position which compresses the suture, thereby locking the suture in the anchor. | 08-01-2013 |
20130197579 | METHOD FOR SOFT TISSUE REPAIR WITH FREE FLOATING SUTURE LOCKING MEMBER - A suture anchor device and method for attaching soft tissue to bone includes an anchor body and a suture locking wedge movably disposed within the anchor body. The suture locking wedge includes lateral portions which engage slots or windows in the anchor body. Tension applied to one limb of a suture causes the suture locking wedge to translate and rotate to a position which compresses the suture, thereby locking the suture in the anchor. | 08-01-2013 |
20140018804 | DYNAMIC TISSUE HOLDING DEVICE WITH LOW PROFILE SPRING - A dynamic tissue holding device is disclosed for dynamically holding two tissue portions in contact with one another. The device comprises a biasing spring having a relatively low profile, and a band adapted for extending about the tissue portions to be held together. The band has a first end for attachment to a first attachment portion on the biasing spring and a second end for attachment to a second attachment portion on the biasing spring. The band establishes a path of tension along its length and extending linearly between the two ends of the band. Advantageously, more than one-half of the biasing spring is disposed outside of the path of tension when the dynamic tissue holding device is in place and holding the two tissue portions together. | 01-16-2014 |
20140207189 | KNOTLESS SUTURE ANCHORING DEVICE HAVING DEFORMING SECTION TO ACCOMMODATE SUTURES OF VARIOUS DIAMETERS - An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing soft tissue, such as tendons, to bone, which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. The suturing material between the soft tissue and the bone anchor may be secured without the need for tying a knot. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a length of suture around a suture return member or path within the bone anchor, tightening the suture and attached soft tissue, and compressing the suture against the bone anchor. The bone anchor may be a tubular body having a lumen with a locking plug that compresses the suture therein. One of the components of the locking structure may include a deformable or flexible section, member, or surface. The locking plug may include a shaft and an enlarged head that interferes with the tubular body to provide a positive stop. An actuation rod attached at a frangible section to the shaft may be manipulated by an external handle during locking of the suture within the bone anchor. The bone anchor further may include locking structure for securing itself within a bone cavity. | 07-24-2014 |
20140222033 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FOR MANIPULATING AND PASSING SUTURE - A suture manipulating instrument for passing and retrieving suture through a tissue includes a handle mechanism, an elongate shaft extending from the handle, and a working distal end. The working distal end includes a needle body, a lumen defined by the needle body, a tissue penetrating distal tip, and a lateral slot. A preformed inner member is movably disposed within the lumen of the needle. The handle mechanism is used to extend the wire from the lateral slot of the needle, and to retract the wire into the lateral slot, allowing the working end of the instrument to grasp and manipulate suture by pinning and/or trapping the suture against the needle. In embodiments the inner member is further retracted within the needle lumen, drawing a length of suture into the needle lumen. The suture is subsequently ejected from the needle lumen to form a suture loop. | 08-07-2014 |
20140277133 | TISSUE REPAIR ASSEMBLY - The present disclosure includes a soft material anchoring system including an elongate, tubular braided soft anchoring implant. The implant has a first elongate state where the implant may easily slide within a bone tunnel, and a second axially compressed state where the implant is wedged within the bone tunnel. The implant also includes at least one suture pathway that extends along and through an implant side wall; this pathway receives at least a portion of a length of suture that is also attached to soft tissue. This length of suture may slide along the suture pathway and transition the implant from the first elongate state to the second compressed state. The system also includes a binding element that at least partially extends within the implant, the binding element having both a first larger binding portion and a second smaller sliding portion. | 09-18-2014 |