IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,727,871
Granted Patent B2
US 12,727,871 · App. 17/577,188 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Method for tissue fixation

Inventors: Kevin T. Stone (Winona Lake, IN); Gregory J. Denham (Warsaw, IN); Ryan Harper (Warsaw, IN)
Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
A61B17/0401A61B2017/0409A61B2017/0414A61B2017/0432A61B2017/044A61B2017/0445A61B2017/0448
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,727,871
App. No.
17/577,188
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for securing a strand to a fixation member for arthroscopic fixation, wherein the fixation member includes a channel on an exterior surface and an aperture therethrough. The method includes passing a strand having first and second ends through a flexible sleeve, passing the sleeve through the aperture of the fixation member in a first direction, tensioning the strand, and pulling the sleeve in a second direction different than the first direction to secure the sleeve to the fixation member without tying the strand on the fixation member.

Claims (29)

1 . A method of anchoring a flexible strand to bone, the method comprising:

locating an anchor and an auxiliary strand coupled to the anchor in a first bone hole with a first end of the auxiliary strand and a second end of the auxiliary strand extending away from the anchor outside the first bone hole, wherein the auxiliary strand being coupled to the anchor includes the auxiliary strand extending through a passage in the anchor inside the first bone hole; and

pulling on the second end of the auxiliary strand, after said locating, so as to pull the first end of the auxiliary strand completely through the passage in the anchor and thereby pull a portion of a flexible strand that is coupled to the first end of the auxiliary strand completely through the passage, wherein, prior to said pulling, the flexible strand is already anchored in a second bone hole that is spaced apart from the first bone hole,

wherein said locating leaves the first end of the auxiliary strand extending out of the anchor through a first exterior opening in the anchor and the second end of the auxiliary strand extending out of the anchor through a second exterior opening in the anchor such that said pulling on the second end of the auxiliary strand pulls the first end of the auxiliary strand and the portion of the flexible strand that is coupled to the first end of the auxiliary strand into the anchor through the first exterior opening, along said passage, and back out of the anchor through the second exterior opening.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising tensioning the flexible strand after said pulling.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said tensioning of the flexible strand applies tension to a soft tissue positioned over the bone.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the soft tissue comprises a rotator cuff.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the passage is generally U-shaped in the anchor during said pulling.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said pulling brings the portion of the flexible strand outside the first bone hole.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first exterior opening and the second exterior opening are both situated opposite a leading end of the anchor as the anchor is delivered into the first bone hole during said locating.

8 . A method of anchoring a flexible strand to bone, the method comprising:

locating an anchor in a first bone hole with an auxiliary strand extending through a passage in the anchor inside the first bone hole; and

pulling on a second end of the auxiliary strand outside the first bone hole, after said locating, so as to pull a looped first end of the auxiliary strand into the passage in the anchor and thereby pull a portion of a flexible strand that is coupled to the looped first end of the auxiliary strand into the passage, wherein, prior to said pulling, the flexible strand is already anchored in a second bone hole that is spaced apart from the first bone hole,

wherein said pulling is effective to pull the looped first end of the auxiliary strand and the portion of the flexible strand that is coupled to the looped first end of the auxiliary strand completely through the passage.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said pulling brings the portion of the flexible strand outside the first bone hole.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein, after being pulled completely through the passage, the portion of the flexible strand extends out of the anchor through a first exterior opening in the anchor, the first exterior opening being situated opposite a leading end of the anchor as the anchor is delivered into the first bone hole during said locating.

11 . The method of claim 8 further comprising tensioning the flexible strand after said pulling.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said tensioning of the flexible strand applies tension to a soft tissue positioned over the bone.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the soft tissue comprises a rotator cuff.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the passage is generally U-shaped in the anchor during said pulling.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said locating leaves the looped first end of the auxiliary strand extending out of the anchor through a first exterior opening in the anchor and the second end of the auxiliary strand extending out of the anchor through a second exterior opening in the anchor, and wherein said pulling on the second end of the auxiliary strand pulls the looped first end of the auxiliary strand and the portion of the flexible strand that is coupled to the looped first end of the auxiliary strand into the anchor through the first exterior opening, along said passage, and back out of the anchor through the second exterior opening.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first exterior opening and the second exterior opening are both situated opposite a leading end of the anchor as the anchor is delivered into the first bone hole during said locating.

17 . A method of anchoring a flexible strand to bone, the method comprising:

locating an anchor in a first bone hole with an auxiliary strand extending through a passage in the anchor inside the first bone hole, wherein said locating leaves a first end of the auxiliary strand and a second end of the auxiliary strand outside the first bone hole; and

pulling on the second end of the auxiliary strand, after said locating, so as to pull the first end of the auxiliary strand completely through the passage in the anchor and thereby pull a portion of a flexible strand that is coupled to the first end of the auxiliary strand completely through the passage, wherein, prior to said pulling the flexible strand is already anchored in a second bone hole that is spaced apart from the first bone hole,

wherein the passage is generally U-shaped in the anchor during said pulling.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising tensioning the flexible strand after said pulling so as to apply tension to a soft tissue positioned over the bone.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the passage extends through the anchor between a first exterior opening in the anchor and a second exterior opening in the anchor which are both situated opposite a leading end of the anchor as the anchor is delivered into the first bone hole during said locating.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said locating leaves the first end of the auxiliary strand extending out of the anchor through the first exterior opening in the anchor and the second end of the auxiliary strand extending out of the anchor through the second exterior opening in the anchor such that said pulling on the second end of the auxiliary strand pulls the first end of the auxiliary strand and the portion of the flexible strand that is coupled to the first end of the auxiliary strand into the anchor through the first exterior opening, along said passage, and back out of the anchor through the second exterior opening.

Continuity (14)
Continuation 16380742 · Apr 10, 2019
Continuation 15945425 · Apr 4, 2018
Continuation 14983108 · Dec 29, 2015
Continuation 13625413 · Sep 24, 2012
Division 13412116 · Mar 5, 2012
Division 12489181 · Jun 22, 2009
Continuation In Part 12474802 · May 29, 2009
Continuation In Part 12196410 · Aug 22, 2008
Continuation In Part 12196407 · Aug 22, 2008
Continuation In Part 12196405 · Aug 22, 2008
Continuation In Part 12014340 · Jan 15, 2008
Continuation In Part 12014399 · Jan 15, 2008
Continuation In Part 11935681 · Nov 6, 2007
Related Publication 20220133296A1 · May 5, 2022
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