Anchors and method for securing suture to bone

1. An anchoring system for securing suture to bone, comprising:

an implant comprising a suture securing aperture extending transversely through the implant from at least one side thereof, having a distal tip and a proximal end, and having external surface features for securing the implant within surrounding bone;

a proximal member, having a proximal end which is proximal to the proximal end of the implant, said proximal member being movable distally to engage said implant and to fix the suture in place within said implant and relative to the bone;

said implant further comprising an internal suture cavity having a tapered surface and extending axially along the implant, wherein one leg of a length of suture running through said implant extends axially along an external side of the implant, and a second leg of the length of suture is compressed against the proximal member and along the tapered edge of the internal suture cavity, axially along the internal suture cavity; and

an inserter which is engaged with said proximal member to move said proximal member distally to engage said implant, and is removably connected to the proximal end of said implant;

wherein said implant and said proximal member have mating surfaces which lock together when the implant and the proximal member are fully engaged.

2. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said proximal member comprises a screw member.

3. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said proximal member comprises a wedge member.

4. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said transverse suture securing aperture comprises a suture eyelet which extends entirely through a transverse width of the implant.

5. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising an engagement tube for coupling the proximal member and the implant to the inserter.

6. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising a handle portion connected to a proximal end of the inserter.

7. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising internal surface texturing disposed within said implant at a pinch point within said implant, for improving suture retention after fixation.

8. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising a suture channel on an external surface of said implant for permitting the suture to slide freely along said external surface for tissue tensioning.

9. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising an internal thread in said implant.

10. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising snap features for securing said mating surfaces together.

11. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising a suture channel disposed on one of said mating surfaces.

12. The anchoring system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said implant and said proximal member are configured to be complementary in shape, so that when the proximal member and the implant are engaged, an enlarged implant is created which has an external surface comprised substantially equally of external surfaces of each of the implant and the proximal member.

13. A method for securing suture to bone, comprising:

drilling a hole in a desired portion of bone at a desired procedural site;

passing a strand of suture through a portion of soft tissue to be approximated to said portion of bone, and extending the free suture ends proximally from the soft tissue;

loading the suture into a distal anchor implant having external surface features for securing the implant within surrounding bone;

using an inserter, on a distal end of which is attached the distal anchor implant, to manipulate the distal anchor implant into the bone hole;

tensioning the suture to a desired level by pulling on the free suture ends, after the distal anchor implant is positioned and anchored in place within the bone hole;

wrapping the free suture ends about a suture cleat on an inserter handle once the desired tension level is achieved;

moving a proximal anchor implant distally, from a position wherein a proximal end of the proximal anchor implant is proximal to a proximal end of the distal anchor implant, to engage the proximal anchor implant with the distal anchor implant to lock the anchor in place within the bone hole, and to lock the suture in place within the anchor, so that one leg of a length of suture running through the implant extends axially along an external side of the implant, and a second leg of the length of suture is compressed against the proximal anchor implant and along a tapered edge of an internal suture cavity disposed within the distal anchor implant, axially along the internal suture cavity; and

removing the inserter from the procedural site.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , and further comprising a step of trimming the free suture ends.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the removing step includes a step of physically separating the inserter from the anchor implant.