A number of surgical procedures, particularly orthopaedic procedures, involve manual percussion, typically mallet-applied. As discussed in detail herein, such procedures can be problematic as they not only require a second set of hands but are often associated with incomplete and/or uncontrolled axial movement and/or injury to the surgeon's hands. Described herein are specialized hand-held devices, as well as systems, kits, and methods associated therewith, that avoid such problems by joining or replacing the external mallet with an internal hammer that can automate the delivery of controlled repetitive strikes, more particularly repeated strikes to a proximal end of a drill, driver and/or insertion device, so as to mete out pre-determined incremental movement to a distal end component, such as a sharpened socket-forming tip, an interference-plug type suture anchor, or a dilating device for modifying the cross-section of a tunnel formed in a bone. The present invention has particular utility in connection with ligament, tendon and joint reconstruction procedures, such as shoulder, ankle, and knee repair. The present invention is also applicable to those surgical procedures that require the production of and access to off-axis bone sockets.

A suture anchor is disclosed having an outer body with an axial bore which receives and inner body for rotation. Suture passes between the inner body and outer body and rotation of the inner body wraps the suture thereabout locking the suture thereto. Rotation of the inner body also effects radial expansion of at least a portion of the outer body to engage to anchor into a bone hole.

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a knotless suture anchor for implanting in bone including an outer tubular member having a distal end, a proximal end, an outer wall, and an at least one aperture through the outer wall; an inner member being rotatably disposed within the outer tubular member, the inner member having an at least one aperture for receiving at least one suture thread; a pointed tip configured to facilitate impaction of the anchor into the bone; and at least one suture thread guide positioned on the outer tubular member, wherein the at least one suture thread is positioned through the at least one suture thread guide, the at least one aperture of the outer tubular member, and the at least one aperture of the inner member.

A knotless button includes a body defining a proximal portion and a distal portion. The body further defines an internal cavity and a first loop opening extending from the internal cavity to an outer surface of the body. A locking insert is slideably positioned within the internal cavity. The locking insert defines a second loop opening extending from a first side of the locking insert to a second side of the locking insert. The locking insert is slideably moveable from a first position to a second position within the internal cavity. A flexible strand defines a first adjustable loop extending through the first loop opening and the second loop opening. The locking insert is slideably moveable from a first position configured to allow adjustment of the first adjustable loop to a second position configured to lock the first adjustable loop.

Apparatus for attaching a suture to an object, the apparatus comprising: an anchor comprising a body having a distal end and a proximal end, and a vertical bore extending through the body substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body; wherein the anchor further comprises a recess formed on one side of the body and a U-shaped slot formed on the opposing side of the body, whereby to form a flexible finger extending distally within the body, and further wherein the distal end of the finger is spaced from an opposing portion of the body; and wherein at least one of the flexible finger and the body comprises a cutout extending therethrough, with the cutout cooperating with the U-shaped slot and the recess so as to together form a suture loading hole extending through the body, with the suture loading hole being sized to receive a suture therein.

The present invention relates to a suture which is firmly maintained and fixed to an operation site to stably sustain suturing or lifting effects for a long time. More specifically, the present invention provides a suture having a conic or pyramidal shape with a cut top, wherein a suture supporter comprising a communication hole penetrating the both ends is provided at one end. The suture support can have one or more portions which are cut vertically from a lower end at a lower end portion having a larger diameter between the both ends, or a part of the lower end can be removed so as to form one or more gaps formed from the end at a wall of the end portion.

A soft tissue fixation assembly includes a plurality of deformable bone anchors and a suture that is configured to fixedly attach to each of the bone anchors. One or more of the bone anchors can be inserted into a bone, and one or more of the bone anchors can be inserted through soft tissue and into the bone. The suture can be inserted through the bone anchors, and energy can be applied to the anchors, thereby causing a deformable material of the bone anchors to deform, thereby capturing the strand of suture in the bone anchor. The strand of suture can be placed in tension, and can extend over the soft tissue so as to retain the soft tissue in contact with the bone.

A soft tissue fixation assembly includes a plurality of deformable bone anchors and a suture that is configured to fixedly attach to each of the bone anchors. One or more of the bone anchors can be inserted into a bone, and one or more of the bone anchors can be inserted through soft tissue and into the bone. The suture can be inserted through the bone anchors, and energy can be applied to the anchors, thereby causing a deformable material of the bone anchors to deform, thereby capturing the strand of suture in the bone anchor. The strand of suture can be placed in tension, and can extend over the soft tissue so as to retain the soft tissue in contact with the bone.

A device and method for fixating soft tissue to hard tissue with the aid of a suture anchor and a suture or with the aid of a headed anchor, wherein the anchor is forced into the hard tissue and then anchored therein by in situ liquefaction of a material having thermoplastic properties. The device includes a vibration tool and the anchor and possibly a support element, wherein the anchor includes an anchor foot and a thermoplastic sleeve. The thermoplastic sleeve includes the material having thermoplastic properties. The anchor foot has a distal end suitable for being forced into hard tissue and it is connected to the distal end of the vibration tool and the thermoplastic sleeve sits on a proximal face of the anchor foot, the vibration tool and/or a proximal portion of the anchor foot extending into or through the thermoplastic sleeve.

Collapsible tissue anchor device and method for inserting into a tissue structure in a first non-collapsed configuration and collapsing into a second collapsed configuration. A sleeve is provided having a bolt or shank extending through an interior. The bolt or shank exerts a force upon the sleeve to collapse it thereby forming flanges that engage or abut tissue. A sling, suture, mesh or the like may be coupled to a portion of the anchor to support tissue or an organ.