SUTURE ANCHOR CARTRIDGE

Abstract

A suture anchor cartridge having a rectangular case portion that includes a top portion and a rectangular bottom portion, the bottom portion including an opening, and the top portion being slidably connected with the bottom portion. A suture anchor is suspended in the opening in the bottom portion. The suture anchor being held at a distal end and at a proximal end by the suture anchor cartridge, and a suture-threading loop is disposed within the bottom portion.

Claims

1. A suture anchor cartridge, comprising: a rectangular case portion, including: a top portion; and a rectangular bottom portion, the bottom portion including an opening, and the top portion being slidably connected with the bottom portion; a suture anchor suspended in the opening in the bottom portion, the suture anchor being held at a distal end and at a proximal end by the suture anchor cartridge; and a suture-threading loop disposed within the bottom portion.

2. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 1, wherein both free ends of the suture-threading loop are knotted to the top portion.

3. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 2, wherein the suture-threading loop passes underneath the top portion after the top portion is slid forward.

4. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 2, wherein the suture-threading loop passes through an eyelet disposed in the distal end of the suture anchor.

5. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a slot in the bottom portion aligned with the suture anchor body and terminating at the proximal end of the suture anchor.

6. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a groove disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom portion which receives the suture-threading loop.

7. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a sterile packaging unit.

8. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 6, wherein the rectangular case portion, the suture anchor and the suture-threading loop are sterile.

9. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the suture anchor held by the suture anchor cartridge is breakable at a predetermined point.

10. The suture anchor cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a clip disposed on the bottom of the bottom portion for attachment to a driver shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the suture anchor;

[0020] FIG. 2 shows the suture anchor secured in the anchor cartridge;

[0021] FIG. 3 shows the suture anchor cartridge with driver inserted;

[0022] FIG. 4 shows the suture anchor cartridge with pre-threaded suture guiding loop;

[0023] FIG. 5 shows the suture anchor cartridge and where the pre-threaded loop is tied off;

[0024] FIG. 6 shows the suture anchor cartridge after sliding the top cover forward;

[0025] FIG. 7 shows the suture anchor cartridge with the anchor broken out and ready for the suture to be inserted;

[0026] FIG. 8 shows the suture anchor cartridge attached to the driver;

[0027] FIG. 9 shows the suture anchor cartridge with a suture inserted into the pre-threaded loop;

[0028] FIG. 10 shows the suture anchor cartridge detached from the driver and drawing the suture through the eyelet of the suture anchor;

[0029] FIG. 11 shows the final result of the method using the suture anchor cartridge with suture threaded and ready for implantation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In the exemplary design shown in FIG. 1, the suture anchor 5 comprises an inner screw 3, an outer sleeve 2 and a detachable extension 1 for securing the anchor in the cartridge. On the left is a view before insertion of the inner screw and on the right is a view after insertion of the inner screw. The proximal end of the suture anchor provides a square head for insertion into a driver device.

[0031] The outer sleeve in this example includes grooves for engaging the bone tissue upon insertion. The head portion of the bone anchor includes an eyelet for receiving the suture thread which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the screw body.

[0032] The suture anchor 5 is also shown in FIG. 2 both inside and outside the cartridge 6. When manufactured, the suture anchor is be provided inside the cartridge along with a pre-threaded loop and surrounded by a sterile packaging unit (not shown). The left view of the cartridge is a top view showing the sliding lid portion and the cartridge body. The right view of the cartridge 6 is an underside view with thread slot visible.

[0033] In the assembled, ready-to-use state of the cartridge, the suture anchor 5 is positioned within a cartridge cavity that is located centrally within the cartridge 6. Here the suture anchor 5 is secured at its distal end with a short pin-like tip in a wall of the case of the cartridge 6. The suture anchor and the pin-like tip are connected to each other via a predetermined breaking point. The cartridge also contains a laterally located access-opening for viewing and detaching the suture anchor secured within the case.

[0034] The anchor driver 7 is then inserted into the cartridge 6 as shown in FIG. 3. The driver device can then be pushed forward until its distal end is totally inserted in the lumen of the socket provided by the suture anchor. The length of the distal end of the driver device preferably corresponds to the depth of the cavity in the cartridge. Likewise, the tip of the driver is dimensioned with proper depth and width such that it fits snugly on the socket of the bone anchor.

[0035] The cartridge is provided with a thread 8 that is looped within the cartridge and pre-inserted through the suture anchor eyelet. This configuration is shown in FIG. 4. The thread 8 is preferably easier to grip and handle (e.g. thicker, stiffer, more controllable) than the suture itself. Alternatively, the thread 8 could be a thin wire. These materials would allow the surgeon to feed the suture through the loop more easily, and pass the thread back through the suture anchor eyelet once it was detached.

[0036] In order to maintain the thread 8 in position through the anchor eyelet, both free ends of the thread are knotted to the sliding top portion of the cartridge when manufactured. This arrangement is shown in FIG. 5. The resulting loop is disposed within the a groove in the bottom of the cartridge but not fixed to it.

[0037] In the next step, the slidable lid is moved from a proximal position to a distal position as seen in FIG. 6. The suture anchor and the inserted driver device are then exposed. By leveraging out the driver device, the suture anchor preferably breaks at the predetermined breaking point which allows the suture anchor to be removed from the cavity. The driver device and suture anchor now constitute a functional device for a surgery.

[0038] After separation of the driver and anchor from the cartridge, the cartridge can then be clipped onto the shaft of the driver device as shown in FIG. 7. In this position, the cartridge can be moved along the shaft of the driver device. When moving the cartridge proximally, the thread is pulled out from the grooves on the bottom. After the separation of the driver and anchor, most of the thread will have been pulled out of the bottom of the cartridge leaving a loop outside the eyelet.

[0039] The thread and anchor are then usable by the surgeon. The suture 10 is then passed though the loop in the thread 8 as shown in FIG. 9. The cartridge can then be removed or unclipped as shown in FIG. 10. As the cartridge is moved away from the driver and anchor assembly, the suture is drawn through the eyelet. Additionally, if one free end of the suture is held, then the other end of the suture will be drawn through the eyelet.

[0040] Once a free end of the suture is completely drawn through the eyelet, the thread 8 and cartridge 6 assembly are separated from the driver 7, suture 10 and anchor 5 assembly. This final result is apparent in FIG. 11. The threaded suture is then ready for the surgeon to implant the anchor into the bone.

[0041] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.