Corkscrew tissue anchor
A tissue anchor includes a driver head associated with a proximal portion of the tissue anchor, a pointed tip portion associated with a distal portion of the tissue anchor, a tissue-engagement portion disposed between the driver head and the pointed tip portion, and a cover configured to cover at least a portion of the tissue-engagement portion.
1. A tissue anchor comprising:
a driver head associated with a proximal portion of the tissue anchor;
a pointed tip portion associated with a distal portion of the tissue anchor;
a tissue-engagement portion disposed between the driver head and the pointed tip portion; and
a cover cinched to a neck portion of the tissue anchor between the driver head and the tissue-engagement portion and configured to cover the pointed tip portion and the tissue-engagement portion.
2. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the pointed tip portion is disposed within the cover.
3. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises cloth.
4. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises polymer film.
5. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , further comprising a swivel feature rotatably disposed around the neck portion of the tissue anchor between the driver head and the tissue-engagement portion.
6. The tissue anchor of claim 5 , wherein the swivel feature includes a suture-holding aperture configured to have a suture threaded therethrough, an axis of the suture-holding aperture being parallel with an axis of the neck portion of the tissue anchor.
7. The tissue anchor of claim 5 , wherein the swivel feature comprises a spike feature configured to be embedded in the cover to thereby rotatably lock the swivel feature to the cover.
8. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , further comprising a radiopaque material associated with the cover.
9. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the tissue-engagement portion has a helical form.
10. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the cover is configured to bunch up as the tissue-engagement portion passes through the cover and into tissue.
11. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the tissue-engagement portion is configured to pass through the cover as the driver head is rotated and pressed against biological tissue.
12. The tissue anchor of claim 11 , wherein the pointed tip portion is configured to puncture the cover and at least partially pass therethrough when pressed against the biological tissue.
13. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the tissue-engagement portion comprises one or more barbs.
14. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , wherein the tissue-engagement portion comprises a hypodermic tube.
15. The tissue anchor of claim 1 , further comprising a suture that is secured to one or more of the driver head and the tissue-engagement portion.
16. A tissue anchor comprising:
a driver head associated with a proximal portion of the tissue anchor;
a pointed tip portion associated with a distal portion of the tissue anchor;
a helical tissue-engagement portion disposed between the driver head and the pointed tip portion; and
a cover configured to cover the pointed tip portion and the helical tissue-engagement portion, the cover including a proximal collar portion disposed between the driver head and the helical tissue-engagement portion, the cover cinched to the proximal collar portion.
17. The tissue anchor of claim 16 , further comprising a swivel feature rotatably disposed around the tissue anchor between the driver head and the proximal collar portion.
18. The tissue anchor of claim 17 , wherein the swivel feature includes a suture-holding feature configured to have a suture engaged therewith such that the suture is oriented in parallel with an axil of the driver head in the suture-holding feature.
19. The tissue anchor of claim 17 , wherein the swivel feature comprises a spike feature configured to be embedded in the cover to thereby rotatably lock the swivel feature to the cover.
20. The tissue anchor of claim 16 , further comprising a radiopaque marker associated with a distal portion of the cover.