Patent Application
20110004242
This invention relates to suture fixation devices, more particularly, a knotless suture fixation device and method that permits a user to quickly and easily fixate a suture to a bone without the need to tie conventional suture knots.
Currently, during surgeries to repair torn tendons, such as arthroscopic rotator cuff operations, a tendon is positioned on and re-attached to the bone using a plurality of sutures which are inserted through the tendon, usually on the greater tuberosity, wherein the sutures are ultimately knotted to maintain tension on the tendon, thereby permitting a person to have function of the tendon once again. However, the act of tying knots and overall suture management is very time-consuming. In addition, the greater the number of sutures used, the more confusion is created when ultimately tying the suture knots.
There are currently devices on the market that are designed to fixate the tendon without having to tie suture knots. However, the current devices are complicated, unreliable and, like all current techniques, often require multiple implants if multiple sutures are being used. Sutures are commonly attached to these anchors by passing the suture through an eyelet or aperture located in the tip of an anchor prior to the anchor being mounted in a bone. These sutures are not tied or locked into the anchors leaving the possibility that they can become loose over time. Further, the anchors themselves may become loose over time due to their structure. In addition, the tension applied to the tendon is often unevenly distributed across the tendon because the anchors cannot hold multiple sutures.
Therefore, a need exists for a knotless suture fixation device and method that provides a strong anchor in a bone and can securely lock multiple sutures in place without the need to tie conventional suture knots.
The relevant prior art includes the following references:
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a knotless suture fixation device and method that does not require a surgeon to tie any sutures.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a knotless suture fixation device and method that will allow a surgeon to easily adjust the amount of tension on a suture and tendon.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a knotless suture fixation device and method that will allow a surgeon to easily mount an anchor into a bone and lock a suture into place in one step.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a knotless suture fixation device and method that permits a surgeon to secure multiple sutures to a bone using only one anchor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a knotless suture fixation device and method that reduces the amount of time the wound is exposed to the air, thereby reducing the risk of contamination and infection.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a knotless suture fixation device and method that reduces the length of time a person is spent under anesthesia.
The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a knotless suture fixation device and method having a anchor with a top portion, a middle portion and a bottom portion, the top portion having at least two wings and the bottom portion having an aperture that passes through the anchor. The interior of the middle portion is threaded to accept a screw. The anchor may also have stress points that allow the wings to bend outward more easily while a screw is being inserted into the anchor. The screw comprises a head, a body and a tip. The head may be flat, but it is preferably tapered so that the head will exert pressure on the wings while being screwed downward into the threaded middle portion of the anchor, thereby bending the wings outward. Alternatively, the anchor may be secured without wings by the use of pressure fit ridges. In addition, the head may have ridges or teeth that lock the screw into place and prevent the screw from turning counter-clockwise, thereby preventing the screw from loosening after being fully engaged in a anchor. An opening between the middle portion of the anchor and the bottom portion of the anchor allows the screw to pass through the aperture and make contact with the tip of the anchor as the screw is tightened, thereby locking any sutures that have been inserted through the aperture in place. The tip of the screw is preferably flat but may have a raised edged, which maximizes the compression between the screw tip and the tip of the anchor, thereby ensuring a strong hold on the suture. Alternatively, the tip of the screw may have a conical shape so that the tip of the screw pierces through suture, thereby ensuring a strong hold.
To use the knotless suture fixation device, a suture is first passed through a torn tendon. Then, a hole is made in a bone using a punch or a drill. Next, the suture is passed through the aperture in the anchor. Then, the anchor and the suture are inserted into the hole in the bone so that the top of the anchor sits below the surface of the bone. Next, tension is placed on the suture to pull the torn tendon into the desired position on the bone. Then, a screw in the anchor is turned thereby exerting outward pressure bending on the upper portion of the anchor and bending the wings outward. In addition, as the screw is tightened, the tip of the screw extends all the way through the anchor to the tip of the anchor, thereby clamping the suture in place.
In an alternative embodiment of the knotless suture fixation device the top portion of the anchor does not have wings, rather the anchor is held in a bone by at least one press fit ridge located on the outer surface of the anchor. A threaded inner surface of the middle portion of the anchor extends through the top portion and to the top of the anchor. An opening between the middle portion of the anchor and the bottom portion of the anchor allows the screw to pass through the aperture and make contact with the tip of the anchor as the screw is tightened, thereby locking any sutures that have been inserted through the aperture in place.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.
In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:
For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered components in the drawings is as follows:
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It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.
