U.S. patent application number 13/252494 was filed with the patent office on 2012-01-26 for method for securing sutures to bones.
Invention is credited to Jeffrey H. Berg.
Application Number | 20120022588 13/252494 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41267479 |
Filed Date | 2012-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120022588 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Berg; Jeffrey H. |
January 26, 2012 |
METHOD FOR SECURING SUTURES TO BONES
Abstract
A method for securing a repair, such as a rotator cuff repair
and includes an anchor placed within a hole formed in bone and a
cannulated screw inserted into the hole after the anchor has been
inserted to effectuate a firm and secure connection of tissue to
bone, particularly when the quality of the bone does not permit
optimal fixation. The method allows superior tissue fixation to
bone with the ease of knotless suture anchor application.
Inventors: |
Berg; Jeffrey H.; (Ashburn,
VA) |
Family ID: |
41267479 |
Appl. No.: |
13/252494 |
Filed: |
October 4, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12453290 |
May 6, 2009 |
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13252494 |
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61071568 |
May 6, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
606/232 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 2217/00 20130101;
A61B 17/8645 20130101; A61B 17/8685 20130101; A61B 2017/0412
20130101; A61B 17/86 20130101; A61B 2017/0448 20130101; A61B
17/8872 20130101; A61B 2017/0446 20130101; A61B 2017/0409 20130101;
A61B 17/864 20130101; A61B 17/88 20130101; A61B 2090/062 20160201;
A61B 17/8897 20130101; A61B 2017/044 20130101; A61B 17/0401
20130101; A61B 17/8875 20130101; A61B 2017/0414 20130101; A61B
2017/0445 20130101; A61B 17/0469 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
606/232 |
International
Class: |
A61B 17/04 20060101
A61B017/04 |
Claims
1-3. (canceled)
4. A method of firmly securing tissue to a bone mass comprising the
steps of: a) drilling or punching a hole in the bone mass; b)
inserting a fixation anchor, having at least one suture element
attached thereto, into the hole, thereby drawing tissue that has
been secured by the at least one suture, into secure attachment
with the bone mass; and c) inserting a cannulated bone screw into
the hole to prevent movement of the anchor.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the cannulated bone screw is
screwed into the hole for secure engagement.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the anchor and the screw are both
inserted by an inserter rod which passes through the cannulated
bone screw and inserts the anchor into the hole drilled in the bone
mass.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein the suture element is captured by
the anchor during the anchor's insertion into the hole.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the inserter rod has markings to
measure the distance the anchor has been inserted into the bone
mass and allow for correctly sizing of a length of the screw.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the inserter rod is removed once
the screw has been placed into secure engagement with the
anchor.
10. The method of claim 4, wherein the suture element is first
inserted via a screw anchor into the bone mass; the suture is
passed through the tissue element and then captured by an anchor
for insertion into the hole.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the screw anchor has one or
more suture loops attached thereto.
12. The method of claim 4, wherein the anchor has at least one
adjustable length suture loop attached thereto.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one adjustable
length suture loop is adjustable using a sliding, self-locking
knot.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a division of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/453,290, filed May 6, 2009, entitled
"METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING SUTURES TO BONE", which is
currently pending, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Serial No. 61/071,568, filed on May 6, 2008. The
subject matter of the provisional patent application is
incorporated by reference herewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] During surgery, anchors have been used with sutures to
reattach tissue to bone. The anchors have been inserted into holes
that have been pre-drilled. Difficulties arise when the anchor has
been inserted and is not flush with the top of the bone mass.
Additionally, the anchor has been known to move or adjust thereby
jeopardizing a secure repair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Part of a successful surgery to reconnect tissue to bone
requires that sutures firmly secure the tissue to the bone. It is
important that the repair have long term stability. The disclosed
method, system and device for securing the repair includes an
anchor placed within a pre-drilled hole formed in bone and a
cannulated screw inserted into the hole after the anchor, and
holding same in place, to effectuate a firm and secure connection
of tissue to bone, particularly when the quality of the bone does
not permit optimal fixation. The method, system and device allows
superior screw in fixation with the ease of knotless suture anchor
application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1a is a view of a cannulated screw used with the system
and method;
[0005] FIGS. 1b-1f depict steps of the repair;
[0006] FIGS. 2a and 2b show different types of anchors used with a
multirow repair;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a view of the inserter rod, screw and anchor;
[0008] FIGS. 4a-4h depict the method in a single row rotator cuff
repair; and
[0009] FIGS. 5a-5i depict the system and method in a double row
rotator cuff repair.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] FIG. 1a shows the cannulated fastener, such as a cannulated
bone screw 10 having a central bore 12 extending the entire length
of the screw, allowing the screw to move along a bone anchor
inserter rod. The fastener may be made of any suitable material,
including bioabsorbable material, and may be a barbed fastener
which is driven into a bone hole, rather than screwed. The fastener
that is inserted need only have a flattened distal aspect to block
the fixation anchor from migrating. In FIG. 1b, an anchor 14 has
been inserted within a hole 16 in a bone 18. The anchor has a
suture loop 20, either fixed or adjustable in length, passing
through tissue 22, such as a rotator cuff, to secure the tissue 22
to the bone 18. The anchor has captured the loop, allowing for
fixation without needing to tie a knot. As can be seen, there is a
distance between the top of the anchor and the top of the opening
in the bone. This distance can be measured by markings 25 along the
inserter rod 24 seen in FIG. 1c. In FIG. 1d, the cannulated screw
10 is movable along the inserter rod 24, as is the cannulated screw
driver 26. The screw driver 26 allows the screw 10 to be driven
into the bone hole 16 as the end of the screw driver engages the
head of the screw to rotate the screw. FIG. 1e shows the screw 10
having been successfully driven into the hole and now on top of the
bone anchor 14 to prevent the anchor's movement. Having been
successfully accomplished, the inserter rod 24 is removed as seen
in FIG. 1f. The standard knotless anchor inserter rod is modified
to have a reverse threaded tab 27. This enables the tab to be
removed without removing the inserter rod from the anchor.
[0011] FIGS. 2a and 2b depict just one of the many types of bone
anchors 30 that may be used with a double row repair. The bone
anchor may accommodate one or multiple suture loops 32 which may be
either of fixed or adjustable length. Utility sutures 34 extend
from the suture loops. FIG. 3 shows the entire assembly of the
inserter rod 24, a bone anchor 14 such as a knotless bone anchor
and a cannulated screw 10 and screw driver 26 placed over and
movable along the inserter rod.
[0012] FIGS. 4a-4h depict a single row rotator cuff repair. A
lateral hole 16 is made, by either drilling, or is produced with an
awl-like device 36, in the bone 18, as shown in FIG. 4a and a
suture 20 is passed through the tissue 22. The suture 20 is
captured by the bone anchor 14, as seen in FIGS. 4b and 4c. The
anchor 14 is inserted to the appropriate depth 16 and the suture
loop is tightened in order to approximate the tissue to the repair
site. The loop need not be tightened when the loop is of a fixed
length. Once the anchor 14 is successfully seated within the hole,
the screw 10 is advanced along the inserter rod 24 and driven into
the hole by the cannulated screw driver 26 as seen in FIG. 4f. Once
successfully inserted, the inserter rod 24 is removed and the
repair is complete as seen in FIG. 4g. FIG. 4h shows a completed
two anchor repair.
[0013] FIGS. 5a-5i depict a double row repair with a spiral bone
anchor 30 with attached suture loop(s) 32, such as the anchors seen
in FIGS. 2a and 2b, driven into a first hole 38. The suture passes
through tissue 22 and is captured by the bone anchor 14 as seen in
FIG. 5d. At this point, the anchor 14 is set within the second hole
16, followed by the setting of the bone screw 10 in a manner
described earlier with reference to the single row repair. The
completed multiple row repair is depicted in FIG. 5i.
[0014] The method can be applied to any repair requiring tissue to
be reattached to bone. Further, the bone anchor, or cannulated bone
screw can be made of any desirable material and may be of
bioabsorbable or bioreplaceable material. Either implanted device
may change over time.
* * * * *