Cannulated suture anchor system

Abstract

A system and associated method for arthroscopic repair is particularly adapted in reattaching a ligament and/or tendon to cortical bone of the shoulder. A suture anchor system includes a suture anchor, preferably, a screw anchor, and an installation tool for installing the suture anchor in tissue. The suture anchor defines a longitudinal axis and has a longitudinal cannulation for reception and passage of a guide wire. The suture anchor has trailing and leading ends, and an anchor head adjacent the trailing end thereof. The anchor head includes at least one eyelet for reception of a suture and an internal bore therein. The installation tool includes a main body and a driver head extending from the main body. The main body includes an outer surface having a longitudinal recess therein to accommodate the suture. The driver head is correspondingly dimensioned to be received within the internal bore of the anchor head of the suture anchor whereby movement of the installation tool about a longitudinal axis, e.g., rotational movement, thereof causes corresponding movement, e.g., rotational, of the suture anchor. The installation tool may also define a longitudinal cannulation for reception and passage of the guide wire.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be more readily appreciated by reference to the drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1-3 are perspective views of the suture anchor system of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1 illustrating the arrangement of the insertion tool within the screw head of the screw anchor; and

FIGS. 5-6 illustrate a preferred method of use of the suture anchor system in shoulder repair.

Claims

1. A suture anchor system, which comprises: a suture anchor defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal cannulation for reception and passage of a guide wire, the suture anchor having trailing and leading ends, the suture anchor including an anchor head adjacent the trailing end thereof, the anchor head including at least one eyelet for reception of a suture and an internal bore; andan installation tool for installing the suture anchor in tissue, the installation tool including a main body and a driver head extending from the main body, the main body including an outer surface having a longitudinal recess therein to accommodate the suture, the driver head being correspondingly dimensioned to be received within the internal bore of the anchor head of the suture anchor whereby movement of the installation tool about a longitudinal axis thereof causes corresponding movement of the suture anchor.

2. The suture anchor system according to claim 1 wherein the suture anchor includes an external screw whereby rotational movement of the installation tool causes corresponding movement rotational movement of the suture anchor and advancement within tissue.

3. The suture anchor system according to claim 1 wherein the anchor head includes first and second eyelets for reception of respective sutures.

4. The suture anchor system according to claim 3 wherein the outer surface of the installation tool includes first and second longitudinal recesses for receiving respective sutures extending from the respective first and second eyelets of the anchor head.

5. The suture anchor system according to claim 4 wherein the first and second longitudinal recesses of the installation tool are in general alignment with the first and second eyelets of the anchor head when the suture anchor is mounted to the installation tool.

6. The suture anchor system according to claim 5 wherein the driver head of the installation tool is dimensioned to define first and second clearances between respective outer surfaces of the driver head and internal surfaces of the internal bore of the anchor head when the driver head is mounted within the anchor head, the clearances accommodating suture portions of the sutures and being in general alignment with respective longitudinal recesses in the outer surface of the installation tool.

7. The suture anchor system according to claim 1 wherein the driver head of the installation tool is dimensioned to define a clearance between an outer surface of the driver head and an internal surface of the internal bore of the anchor head when the driver head is mounted within the anchor head, the clearance accommodating a suture portion of the suture and being in general alignment with the longitudinal recesses in the outer surface of the installation tool.

8. The suture anchor system according to claim 1 wherein the installation tool defines a longitudinal cannulation for reception and passage of the guide wire.

9. A method for attaching soft tissue to bone tissue within a bone of a patient, comprising the steps of: accessing an internal target of a bone area of a patient;positioning a guide wire in relation to the internal target of the bone area;mounting a cannulated anchor onto the guide wire, the cannulated anchor having at least one suture connected thereto;advancing the cannulated anchor along the guide wire to the internal target;securing the cannulated anchor within bone tissue of the internal target; andattaching soft tissue to the cannulated anchor with the at least one suture.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the cannulated anchor is a screw anchor and wherein the step of securing the cannulated anchor includes rotating the screw anchor to engage and advance the screw anchor within the bone tissue.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of securing the cannulated anchor includes mounting a cannulated insertion tool to the screw anchor and onto the guide wire and rotating the insertion tool to cause corresponding rotational movement of the screw anchor.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the cannulated insertion tool includes at least one longitudinal recess in an outer surface thereof and including the step of arranging a portion of the at least one suture within the at least one longitudinal recess of the insertion tool.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the screw anchor has first and second sutures connected thereto and wherein the step of securing the cannulated anchor includes securing the first and second sutures to the screw anchor.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the cannulated insertion tool includes first and second longitudinal recesses in the outer surface thereof and including the step of arranging a portion of each suture within a corresponding longitudinal recess of the insertion tool.

15. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of positioning the guide wire includes advancing the guide wire to contact the bone tissue.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of advancing the guide wire includes embedding at least a portion of the guide wire into the bone tissue.

17. The method according to claim 9 wherein the internal target includes the shoulder area of the patient and the step of accessing includes accessing the shoulder area.