IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,336,701
Granted Patent B2
US 12,336,701 · App. 18/134,897 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Method and apparatus for soft tissue fixation

Inventors: Kevin T. Stone (Winona Lake, IN); Gregory J. Denham (Warsaw, IN)
Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
A61B17/0401A61B17/06166A61B2017/0406A61B2017/0417A61B2017/06185
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,336,701
App. No.
18/134,897
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surgical method can include passing at least two adjustable loops of a flexible construct through at least the first tissue to extend from an outer surface of the first tissue opposite a tissue engaging surface facing the second tissue, and attaching the two adjustable loops to a first selected area of the second tissue. The method can further include positioning an elongated locking member within the two adjustable loops such that the locking member extends between the two adjustable loops adjacent the outer surface, engaging the locking member with the outer surface by drawing the two adjustable loops towards the outer surface, and compressing the first tissue between the locking member and the second tissue by tensioning the two adjustable loops. Related tissue fixation devices are also provided.

Claims (46)

1. A method of securing a suture anchor system to bone, comprising:

locating a suture anchor with a braided suture coupled thereto in a hole in a bone; and

passing, after said locating, a first free end of the braided suture longitudinally through a longitudinal passage in the braided suture inside the bone to form a first self-locking adjustable loop that is anchored in the bone by the suture anchor, wherein said passing leaves a segment of the first self-locking adjustable loop outside the bone, and wherein, following said passing, the first free end of the braided suture is left outside the bone available for pulling for reducing a size of the first self-locking adjustable loop.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising pulling on the first free end of the braided suture after said passing so as to reduce the size of the first self-locking adjustable loop.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suture anchor is threaded.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bone is a humerus.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said passing leaves the first self-locking adjustable loop encircling a portion of the suture anchor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the braided suture includes a first aperture and a second aperture therein that are each longitudinally spaced apart from the first free end and which are longitudinally spaced apart from each other such that, along the braided suture, the first aperture is situated between the first free end and the second aperture, and wherein said passing includes passing the first free end into the braided suture through the second aperture, longitudinally within the braided suture along said longitudinal passage, and out of the braided suture through the first aperture to form the first self-locking adjustable loop.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein, following said passing, the first aperture and the second aperture are located outside the suture anchor.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein, following said passing, the first aperture and the second aperture are located inside the bone.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein, following said passing, the first aperture and the second aperture are located outside the suture anchor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said locating includes delivering the suture anchor into the hole in the bone in a folded delivery condition.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein, in the folded delivery condition, the suture anchor includes a folded leading portion that leads the suture anchor into the hole and a first trailing end and a second trailing end that trail the folded leading portion into the hole.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein neither the first trailing end nor the second trailing end is occupied by the braided suture.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising converting the suture anchor from the folded delivery condition to a deformed anchoring condition in the hole in the bone.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suture anchor comprises a deformable braided body.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suture anchor comprises a deformable sleeve construct.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the deformable sleeve construct includes a passageway extending longitudinally within the deformable sleeve construct.

17. A method of securing a suture anchor system to bone, comprising:

positioning a suture anchor in a hole in a bone; and

coupling an adjustable suture construct to the suture anchor after positioning the suture anchor in the hole in the bone, wherein the adjustable suture construct comprises a braided suture with a first free end, and wherein said coupling includes passing the first free end longitudinally through a longitudinal passage in the braided suture inside the bone to form a first self-locking adjustable loop that is anchored in the bone by the suture anchor, wherein said coupling leaves a part of the first self-locking adjustable loop outside the bone and additionally leaves the first free end of the braided suture outside the bone available for pulling for reducing a size of the first self-locking adjustable loop.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the bone is a humerus.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said coupling leaves the first self-locking adjustable loop encircling a portion of the suture anchor.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the braided suture includes a first aperture and a second aperture therein that are each longitudinally spaced apart from the first free end and which are longitudinally spaced apart from each other such that, along the braided suture, the first aperture is situated between the first free end and the second aperture, and wherein said passing includes passing the first free end into the braided suture through the second aperture, longitudinally within the braided suture along said longitudinal passage, and out of the braided suture through the first aperture to form the first self-locking adjustable loop.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein, following said coupling, the first aperture and the second aperture are located outside the suture anchor.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein, following said coupling, the first aperture and the second aperture are located inside the bone.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein, following said coupling, the first aperture and the second aperture are located outside the suture anchor.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein said positioning includes delivering the suture anchor into the hole in the bone in a folded delivery condition.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein, in the folded delivery condition, the suture anchor includes a folded leading portion that leads the suture anchor into the hole and a first trailing end and a second trailing end that trail the folded leading portion into the hole.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein neither the first trailing end nor the second trailing end is occupied by the braided suture.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the suture anchor comprises a deformable braided body.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising converting the deformable braided body from the folded delivery condition to a deformed anchoring condition in the hole in the bone.

29. A method of securing a suture anchor system to a bone, comprising:

locating a suture anchor in a hole in a bone with a first portion of a braided suture extending into the hole along with the suture anchor and with a first free end of the braided suture remaining outside the bone, wherein the first portion of the braided suture includes a longitudinal passage therein that extends longitudinally within the first portion; and

passing the first free end of the braided suture longitudinally through the longitudinal passage in the first portion after said locating so as to form a first self-locking adjustable loop that is anchored in the hole by the suture anchor, wherein said passing leaves a first part of the first self-locking adjustable loop inside the bone and a second part of the first self-locking adjustable loop outside the bone, wherein, following said passing, the first free end of the braided suture is left outside the bone available for pulling for reducing a size of the first self-locking adjustable loop.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the bone is a humerus.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein said passing leaves the first self-locking adjustable loop encircling a portion of the suture anchor.

32. The method of claim 29 , wherein the braided suture includes a first aperture and a second aperture therein that are each longitudinally spaced apart from the first free end and which are longitudinally spaced apart from each other such that, along the braided suture, the first aperture is situated between the first free end and the second aperture, and wherein said passing includes passing the first free end into the braided suture through the second aperture, longitudinally within the braided suture along said longitudinal passage, and out of the braided suture through the first aperture to form the first self-locking adjustable loop.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein, following said passing, the first aperture and the second aperture are located outside the suture anchor.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein, following said passing, the first aperture and the second aperture are located inside the bone.

35. The method of claim 34 , wherein, following said passing, the first aperture and the second aperture are located outside the suture anchor.

36. The method of claim 29 , wherein said locating includes delivering the suture anchor into the hole in the bone in a folded delivery condition.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein, in the folded delivery condition, the suture anchor includes a folded leading portion that leads the suture anchor into the hole and a first trailing end and a second trailing end that trail the folded leading portion into the hole.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein neither the first trailing end nor the second trailing end is occupied by the braided suture.

39. The method of claim 37 , wherein the suture anchor comprises a deformable braided body.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising converting the deformable braided body from the folded delivery condition to a deformed anchoring condition in the hole in the bone.

Continuity (6)
Continuation 18093114 · Jan 4, 2023
Continuation 16895246 · Jun 8, 2020
Continuation 15682187 · Aug 21, 2017
Continuation 14182038 · Feb 17, 2014
Division 13098927 · May 2, 2011
Related Publication 20230293165A1 · Sep 21, 2023
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