A catheter device is described. The device is for implanting an artificial chordae line (14) in the heart. The catheter device comprises: a leaflet anchor (10) for placement in a leaflet (12) of a heart valve, wherein the leaflet anchor (10) is arranged to be coupled to the artificial chordae line (14); and a leaflet anchor deployment mechanism (6, 30, 38) for deploying the leaflet anchor (10), wherein the leaflet anchor deployment mechanism (6, 30, 38) comprises a mechanical gripper device (30, 32, 32′), for grasping the leaflet (12), wherein the gripper device (30, 32, 32′) comprises a leaflet anchor tube 38 for housing the leaflet anchor (10) in a folded configuration. The gripper device (6, 30, 38) and the leaflet anchor (10) are arranged such that when, in use, the gripper device (6, 30, 38) grasps the leaflet (12), the leaflet anchor (10) can be pushed out of the leaflet anchor tube (38) to pierce the leaflet (12) and form the leaflet anchor (10) into an unfolded configuration so that hooked formations of the leaflet anchor (10) can, in use, secure the leaflet anchor (10) in the leaflet (12). The mechanical gripper device (6, 30, 38) includes a first gripper arm (30) rotatably coupled to a main body (4) of the catheter device so that the gripper arm (30) can rotate relative to the catheter device to move an outer end (42) of the first gripper arm (30) away from the main body (4) of the catheter device and a second gripper arm (32, 32′) rotatably and/or slideably coupled to the main body (4) of the catheter device so that the second gripper arm (32, 32′) can rotate and/or slide relative to the main body (4) of the catheter device to move an outer end 46 of the second gripper arm (32, 32′) away from the main body (4). The first and second gripper arms (30, 32, 32′) are arranged so that they can move to come into contact with one another at a point spaced apart from the main body (4) of the catheter device.

Devices, systems and/or methods for fixating soft tissue to bone are provided. In one embodiment, a repair device for fixating soft tissue to bone with a bone anchor includes a soft tissue anchor and one or more flexible members. The soft tissue anchor includes a base with multiple legs extending from the base. The one or more flexible members are coupled to the base and configured to extend from the base to the bone anchor with a fixed length. With this arrangement, the fixed length of the one or more flexible members is configured to maintain a substantially fixed pre-determined distance between the soft tissue anchor and the bone anchor such that, as the bone anchor is seated into bone, the one or more flexible members pulls the soft tissue anchor down against the soft tissue to fixate the soft tissue to the bone.

A suspensory fixation device has an elongated anchor member adapted to be transversely situated at the exit of a bone tunnel. A graft supporting loop member formed of a pair of parallel suture limbs extending from a bight portion is suspended transversely from the anchor member and has a loop length which is adjustable so the graft ligament can be supported in the bone tunnel at varying distances from the anchor member. When a graft ligament is attached to the saddle end of the loop member, the length may be shortened by pulling distally on the pair of limbs to pull the graft ligament into the bone tunnel. When tension is applied to the loop member by the graft pulling the loop proximally, the bight portion of the suture automatically locks the graft supporting loop member in place.

A method for coupling tissue includes aligning a guide tool on an outer surface of a first tissue; forming a bore in the first tissue aligned with the guide tool; deploying a non-slip suture construct through the guide tool and into the bore; adjusting a saddle along a flexible member to a position adjacent to a soft anchor, wherein the saddle prevents the flexible member from slideably moving relative to the soft anchor; and threading the flexible member through a second tissue to secure the second tissue to the first tissue.

Self-retaining sutures having a first end for penetrating tissue and an elongated suture body comprising a plurality of intermittent apertures structured to enable formation of knotless suture loop closures that securely hold opposing tissue faces together due to the presence of the intermittent apertures through the suture that permit one-way passage of the suture body thus forming a self-retaining or self-engaging loop in the suture that does not slip backwards. Once a desired loop size is formed between tissue faces by pulling the suture through one of the intermittent apertures in the suture thread, the suture thread is clipped and a further loop is begun using the remainder of the suture thread affixed to the suture needle.

Assemblies and methods suitable for knotless arthroscopic repair of tissue defects include two fixation members coupled by two limbs of suture comprising a continuous loop. A unidirectional restriction element that can be a preformed locking, sliding suture knot proximate to one of the fixation members, provides tensioning of the repair.

Disclose herein are suture anchor constructs. The suture anchor constructs can include an anchor, a first suture, and a second suture. The anchor can include a post and a body. The body can define a central hole extending from a trailing end of the body along a central axis towards a leading end of the body. The first suture can have a first tail, a second tail, and a first intermediate potion located proximate the post. The second suture can have a third tail, a fourth tail, and a second intermediate portion secured to the post. The first, second, third, and fourth, tails can pass through the central hole.

A knotless suture anchor construct for securing a tissue in a desired position relative to a bone hole. The construct includes a substrate having a first end and a second end, and a filament woven through a plurality of passing locations along the substrate. The filament forms a first loop extending to a passing limb and reducing limb. There is a passing portion in the reducing limb between two adjacent passing locations of the plurality of passing locations. In a pre-deployment configuration, the first loop of the filament extends from a first end of the substrate and the passing limb and the reducing limb extend from the second end of the substrate. Also, in the pre-deployment configuration, the passing portion extends through the first loop, forming a second loop in the reducing limb.

An apparatus includes a flexible fixation member having a body with a longitudinal extent and a width, the body defining a plurality of openings through the body, each of the plurality of openings formed substantially cross wise through the width of the body, and a suture having two terminal ends, the suture being interwoven through each of the plurality of openings in the body of the fixation member such that multiple portions of the fixation member are slidably coupled to the suture and configurable to form a cluster within a surgical site.

An anchor construct having an anchor having a length of suture material passing therethrough, the suture material having a loop strand terminating at a first end and a post strand terminating at a second end, a splice loop formed by first end, a sliding construct formed by the first end and the second end, wherein the sliding construct is configured to adjust the relative position of the splice loop and the anchor. The anchor construct can be deployed by passing the first end through a first body and through the splice, creating a locking loop of a first size around the first body, implanting the anchor into a bone hole, pulling the post strand to decrease the perimeter of the positioning loop to a second size smaller than the first size, and pulling the loop strand to decrease the perimeter of the locking loop to a smaller second size.