Apparatus and method for securing suture to bone
View Patent ↗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.
1. A suture anchor for securing soft tissue to bone, comprising:
A) a rigid body extending along a longitudinal axis between opposing first and second ends, and having,
an external threaded portion extending coaxially with the axis,
a bore extending from the second end towards the first end; and
B) a flexible eyelet fixedly attached to said body and formed by a continuous suture loop that has no knot and is secured within the bore of the body, wherein at least a portion of the loop extends from the second end of the body, and forms said flexible eyelet, and wherein the suture loop is captively held in the bore by a retainer secured to the body and traversing the bore and extending through the loop generally laterally with respect to the axis.
2. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the suture loop is bonded to an inner surface of the bore of the body.
3. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the loop is movable between the body and the retainer.
4. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the retainer is unitary with the body.
5. A suture anchor according to claim 4 , wherein the body and the retainer are formed about the suture loop from at least two longitudinal portions.
6. A suture anchor according to claim 5 , wherein the longitudinal portions of the body are ultrasonically bonded.
7. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the continuous suture loop is braided.
8. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the body further includes a drive head at the second end.
9. A suture anchor according to claim 8 , wherein the drive head has a hexagonal engagement surface facing laterally outwardly from the axis.
10. A mature anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-tapping threads.
11. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-drilling tip at the first end of the body.
12. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the external threaded portion extends from the first end of the body.
13. A suture anchor according to claim 1 , wherein said continuous suture loop has a substantially constant diameter.
14. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the suture loop is bonded to an inner surface of the bore of the body.
15. A suture anchor according to claim 14 , wherein the bore includes a shoulder facing towards the first end and the retainer contacts the shoulder.
16. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein the loop is movable between the body and the retainer.
17. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein the retainer is unitary with the body.
18. A suture anchor according to claim 17 , wherein the body and the retainer are formed about the suture loop from at least two longitudinal portions.
19. A suture anchor according to claim 18 , wherein the longitudinal portions of the body are ultrasonically bonded.
20. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein the continuous suture loop is braided.
21. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein the body further includes a drive head at the second end.
22. A suture anchor according to claim 21 , wherein the drive head has a hexagonal engagement surface facing laterally outwardly from the axis.
23. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-tapping threads.
24. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein the external threaded portion includes a self-drilling tip at the first end of the body.
25. A suture anchor according to claim 13 , wherein the external threaded portion extends from the first end of the body.