Insertion tool for knotless suture anchor for soft tissue repair and method of use
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.
1. An insertion tool, comprising:
an elongated outer shaft having an inner wall, a distal end, and a proximal end, including an outer shaft handle at the proximal end and a first flange, extending outside of the outer shaft distal end;
an elongated inner shaft having an outer wall, a distal end, and a proximal end, including an inner shaft handle at the proximal end and an engaging member at the inner shaft distal end;
at least a portion of the inner shaft being positioned within the outer shaft and the inner shaft being rotatable relative to the outer shaft and the inner wall directly adjacent the outer wall along the majority of the length of the inner wall, wherein the inner shaft is axially fixed relative to the outer shaft, wherein the first flange and engaging member are adapted to engage an anchor thereon, and the inner shaft is axially fixed relative to the outer shaft during such engagement to the anchor,
wherein the anchor is adapted to be inserted into bone and includes a rotatable inner tubular member and an outer tubular member that are axially fixed relative one another prior to, during, and after engagement with the insertion tool, wherein the rotatable inner tubular member is adapted to wrap an engaged suture thread onto the rotatable inner tubular member thereby increasing tension on the suture thread and attached soft tissue, and wherein the first flange engages the outer tubular member and the engaging member engages the inner tubular member.
2. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the outer shaft distal end further includes a second flange.
3. The insertion tool of claim 2 , wherein the first flange and the second flange have a bend.
4. The insertion tool of claim 3 , wherein the first flange and the second flange are spring biased radially outwardly.
5. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is a notch-shaped member.
6. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is a blade-shaped member.
7. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is a three-lobed member on a phillips-shaped four-lobed member.
8. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is a square-shaped member.
9. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is a hex-shaped member.
10. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is a triangular-shaped member.
11. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is a rectangular-shaped member.
12. The insertion tool of claim 1 , wherein the first flange extends in a distal direction from the outer shaft distal end and the engaging member extends in a distal direction from the inner shaft distal end.