199 results about "Soft tissue fixation" patented technology

Devices for affixing sutures, grafts and tissues to bone, and soft tissue such as periosteum. Such devices are designed to be deployed and selectively positioned at a target site and remain seated thereat. The devices are further provided with attachment structures for securing sutures, grafts, synthetic materials or tissues thereto which facilitates the ability of such devices to remain more firmly in position.

A method for securing soft tissue to bone which does not require the surgeon to tie suture knots to secure the tissue to the bone. A pilot hole or socket is created in the bone at the location that the graft is to be secured. Suture is passed through the graft at desired points. A cannulated plug or screw is pre-loaded onto the distal end of a driver provided with an eyelet implant at its distal end. Suture attached to the graft is passed through the eyelet of the implant located at the distal end of the driver. The distal end of the driver together with the eyelet implant is inserted into the bottom of the hole, with the screw or plug disposed just outside the hole. Tension is applied to the suture to position the graft at the desired location relative to the bone hole. The screw or plug is then frilly advanced into the pilot hole by turning the interference screw or tapping the plug until the cannulated screw or plug securely engages and locks in the eyelet implant, so that the cannulated plug or screw with the engaged eyelet implant is flush with the bone. Once the screw or plug is fully inserted and the suture is impacted into the pilot hole, the driver is removed and any loose ends of the sutures protruding from the anchor site are then clipped short.

A method for securing soft tissue to bone with excellent pull-out strength which does not require the surgeon to tie suture knots to secure the tissue to the bone. A blind hole or socket is created in the bone at the location the graft is to be secured. Preferably, suture is then passed through the graft at desired points. A cannulated driver is pre-loaded with a cannulated plug or screw slidably disposed onto the distal portion of the driver. In a preferred embodiment, a separate piece of suture is passed through the cannula of the driver with a loop end of that suture exposed at the distal end of the driver. The ends of the suture attached to the graft are fed through the suture loop at the end of the driver. Alternatively, the graft itself may be fed through the suture loop, in which case it is not necessary to attach suture through the graft. In another embodiment, the suture loop exposed at the distal end of the cannula of the driver may be omitted, and the sutures attached to the graft may then be fed through the driver cannula from the distal end to position the graft relative to the driver. The driver is inserted into the hole with the screw or plug just outside the hole. Tension is then placed on the suture. Once adequate tension is achieved on the suture, the driver is pressed into the hole, which engages the first thread or bump of the screw or plug on the bone. The screw or plug is then fully advanced into the hole using the driver. When the screw or plug is fully inserted, the suture loop is freed and the driver is removed. The loose ends of the sutures protruding from the anchor site can be cleaned up by clipping them short.

Devices and methods are disclosed for securing soft tissue to bone, and particularly for axially anchoring suture which attaches the soft tissue to adjacent bone structure.

A suture anchor for securing soft tissue to bone, including a body and a continuous suture loop. The body extends along a longitudinal axis between opposing first and second ends, and has an external threaded portion extending coaxial with the axis, and a bore extending from the second end towards the first end. The continuous suture loop is secured within the bore of the body so that at least a portion of the loop extends from the second end of the body to form an eyelet.

Devices and methods for improved soft tissue securement are disclosed, and, in particular, to tissue anchoring elements and deployment thereof. Such tissue anchoring elements may comprise a linkage element and an array of spreading elements. Endoscopic devices and methods are disclosed for deploying multiple anchoring elements to multiple sites and manipulating at least some of the associated linkage elements to approximate selected sites. Applications of such endoscopic devices and methods may include endoluminal therapy such as gastroplasty, which may be used for the treatment of obesity and gastroesophageal disease. Such devices and methods may also include the attachment of a foreign body to a tissue mass. Further aspects of the invention include devices and methods for the modification of mechanical properties of the anchoring sites so as to decrease the likelihood that anchoring elements will pull out. Such modification may include irritating or injuring the tissue within the anchoring sites, thereby causing a healing or scarification response, or may alternatively include deploying a solidifying agent within the anchoring sites.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A bone anchor is described that comprises a base and a top such that suture material may be compressed between surfaces on the base and top to secure the suture to the anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the anchor top relative to the anchor base to clamp suture material there between. Also described is a soft-tissue and bone piercing anchor and associated inserter. Methods are described that allow use of the bone anchors to provide multiple lengths of suture material to compress a large area of soft tissue against bone.

A suture anchor for affixing soft tissue to bone. The anchor has a hollow outer member, and an actuation member slidably mounted within the outer member. The actuation member has at least two engagement members that are pivotally mounted to the actuation member. Proximal movement of the actuation member with respect to the outer member causes the engagement members to move outward to a deployed position, wherein the engagement members are deployed in bone. A surgical suture is mounted to the anchor.

An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing soft tissue, such as tendons, to bone are described herein Such devices and methods permit a suture attachment that lies beneath the cortical bone surface and does not require tying of knots in the suture.

Self-anchoring slings and deployment mechanisms for use therewith in selectively positioning a sling into position within the body. According to a preferred embodiment, the sling comprises an elongate sling portion having opposed ends. Formed upon each respective opposed end is an anchor member operative to be percutaneously advanced through soft tissue at a selected target site in a first direction but resist movement in an opposed direction. Such anchor members are operative to extend in opposed directions to thus enable a sling to be securely affixed into position and resist sag or otherwise lose its ability to support a given structure.

A surgical suture staple and an application appliance for the secure and permanent attachment of a soft tissue to a bone provides a staple having a first and second metal or composite pin which will not adversely affect the bone within which it is attached, the first and second pin connected by a synthetic fiber suture. At least one suture is swedged into each first pin near an upper pin head and either swedged into or adjustably attached through the second pin also near an upper pin head, the first and second pins further comprising an extendable securing means which prevents the first and second pin from being removed from the bone within which it is implanted and a depression within the upper pin head receiving the driving end of an application appliance. The first and second pins are driven into a bone slightly below the bone surface on each side of a soft tissue being anchored to the bone, the suture securing the soft tissue with or without penetration.

A knotless suture anchor provides a method for securing soft tissue to a rigid structure such as bone. The anchor has an inner member that receives suture thread and rotates within an outer tubular member. As the inner member rotates, the suture thread is wrapped onto the inner member thereby increasing contact with the outer tubular member which applies pressure to the wrapped suture thread to retain it in position on the inner member while simultaneously and adjustably tensioning the suture thread. A ratchet prevents undesirable counter-rotation, although the ratchet can be released to permit loosening of the suture thread. Also described is a suture bridge and suture platform for providing further stabilization of a tendon. A method for repairing rotator cuff tears is also described.

A chain of loops of braided high strength suture for soft tissue to bone fixation. The suture chain is advantageous for use in knotless fixation of soft tissue to bone, and can be used for knotless side-to-side suturing of U-shaped defects, such as rotator cuff tears. The soft tissue to bone fixation includes: (i) providing a first medial row constructed with a first plurality of fixation devices, at least one of the first plurality of fixation devices being an anchor; (ii) providing a second lateral row constructed with a second plurality of fixation devices, at least one of the second plurality of fixation devices being a knotless fixation device, (iii) providing a suture loop construct that includes at least two loops formed of and connected by suture; and (iv) fixating the suture loop construct so that it extends over the soft tissue and is secured in place by at least one of the fixation devices or anchors.

An insertion tool is used to implant a knotless suture anchor to secure soft tissue to a rigid structure such as bone. The anchor has an inner member that receives suture thread and rotates within an outer tubular member. An inner shaft on the insertion tool engages the inner tubular member and is used to rotate the inner tubular member so that the suture thread is wrapped onto the inner tubular member thereby increasing contact with the outer tubular member of the anchor which applies pressure to the wrapped suture thread to retain it in position on the inner tubular member while simultaneously and adjustably tensioning the suture thread. The insertion tool has an outer shaft that engages the outer tubular member of the anchor and prevents the outer tubular member from rotating as the inner shaft on the insertion tool rotates the inner tubular member on the anchor.

A soft tissue fixation system, most typically applicable to orthopedic joint repairs, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee repair procedures, comprises an implant which is placeable in a tunnel disposed in a portion of bone, wherein the tunnel is defined by walls comprised of bone. A first member is deployable outwardly to engage the tunnel walls for anchoring the implant in place in the tunnel, and a second member is deployable outwardly to engage tissue material to be fixed within the tunnel. The second member also functions to move the tissue material outwardly into contact with the tunnel walls to promote tendon-bone fixation. Extra graft length is eliminated by compression of the tendon against the bone at the aperture of the femoral tunnel, which more closely replicates the native ACL and increases graft stiffness. The inventive device provides high fixation of tendon to bone and active tendon-bone compression. Graft strength has been found to be greater than 1,000 N (Newtons), which is desirable for ACL reconstruction systems.

Methods and apparatuses for repairing a tear in soft tissue are disclosed. A method according to the principles of the present disclosure includes connecting an intermediate member to a bone anchor and placing the intermediate member on the soft tissue. The method further includes inserting a first suture through the intermediate member and the soft tissue to attach the intermediate member to the soft tissue and fixing the bone anchor to bone to secure the soft tissue to the bone.

A method of securing soft tissue to a prosthesis that has a retaining member secured thereto is disclosed. The method includes looping a first end portion of a first band around the retaining member such that both the first end portion of the first band and a second end portion of the first band extend outwardly from the retaining member. The method further includes looping a first end portion of a second band around the retaining member such that both the first end portion of the second band and a second end portion of the second band extend outwardly from the retaining member. Moreover, the method includes securing the soft tissue to (i) the first end portion and the second end portion of the first band, and (ii) the first end portion and the second end portion of the second band.

Self-anchoring slings and deployment mechanisms for use therewith in selectively positioning a sling into position within the body. According to a preferred embodiment, the sling comprises an elongate sling portion having opposed ends. Formed upon each respective opposed end is an anchor member operative to be advanced through soft tissue at a selected target site in a first direction but resist movement in an opposed direction. Such anchor members are operative to extend in opposed directions to thus enable a sling to be securely affixed into position and resist sag or otherwise lose its ability to support a given structure. The deployment system is operative to selectively anchor the respective anchor members into position within a tissue mass. Although suitable for a wide variety of applications, it is believed that the system and sling of the present invention are particularly well suited for the deployment of suburethral slings via a trans-obturator route.

A reconstruction system and method for fixation of bone to bone, or soft tissue to bone. The reconstruction system comprises two fixation devices (for example, two buttons) joined by a continuous loop of flexible material. Each button is provided with at least one opening that allows the passage of the flexible material. The button may be formed, for example, of metal, PEEK or PLLA. The flexible material may be FiberWire® suture.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A bone anchor is described that comprises an anchor body with expandable tines and a spreader that expands the tines into bone. Also disclosed is a bone anchor that comprises a base and a top such that suture material may be attached to apertures in the anchor top or else compressed between surfaces on the base and top to secure the suture to the anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the spreader relative to the anchor body attach suture material. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the anchor top relative to the anchor body or anchor base to attach to or clamp suture material there between. Methods are described that allow use of single bone anchor to secure tissue to bone or also to use more than one bone anchor to provide multiple lengths of suture material to compress a large area of soft tissue against bone.

Self-anchoring slings and deployment mechanisms for use therewith in selectively positioning a sling into position within the body. According to a preferred embodiment, the sling comprises an elongate sling portion having opposed ends. Formed upon each respective opposed end is an anchor member operative to be advanced through soft tissue at a selected target site in a first direction but resist movement in an opposed direction. Such anchor members are operative to extend in opposed directions to thus enable a sling to be securely affixed into position and resist sag or otherwise lose its ability to support a given structure. The deployment system is operative to selectively anchor the respective anchor members into position within a tissue mass. Although suitable for a wide variety of applications, it is believed that the system and sling of the present invention are particularly well suited for the deployment of suburethral slings via a trans-obturator route.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A bone anchor is described that comprises a base and a top such that suture material may be compressed between surfaces on the base and top to secure the suture to the anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the anchor top relative to the anchor base to clamp suture material there between. Also described is a soft-tissue and bone piercing anchor and associated inserter. Methods are described that allow use of the bone anchors to provide multiple lengths of suture material to compress a large area of soft tissue against bone.

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.

A polymeric suture anchor for deployment in a preformed bone hole to secure soft tissue to bone in a knotless manner. The suture anchor comprises a hollow outer member and a hollow inner member longitudinally movable within the outer member. Suture is directed along a tortuous path distally through the lumens of both the inner and outer members, transversely across an eyelet situated at the distal end of the inner member and proximally through the lumens of both the inner and outer members. A suture-locking mechanism is provided along the tortuous path to crimp the suture by placing the anchor in a suture locked configuration. This is accomplished by moving the inner member proximally relative to the outer member in order to engage the suture-locking mechanism. The anchor is maintained in this configuration by the engagement of interlocking surfaces on the inner and outer members. Simultaneously, the inner member is provided with radially outwardly extending prongs which pass through slots in the outer member in order to engage bone surrounding the bone hole.

A suture-locking apparatus comprising a body member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an axial lumen in between the proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal end adapted for passing a portion of a suture into the lumen; and a plug member movable from a first position to a second position in the lumen, the plug member comprising a radial protrusion adapted for compressing the suture against the body member on moving to the second position. In a further embodiment the invention is a method of anchoring soft tissue in a body cavity with a suture using the present apparatus and without tying a knot.