Knotless suture anchor with breakaway tip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10582922-B2
Application number	US-201615739412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 13, 2015
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A one-piece knotless suture anchor with a breakaway distal tip is disclosed. The suture anchor includes a thin section connecting a distal anchor portion and proximal anchor portion. The thin section has a cutaway geometry allowing it to break in a repeatable manner. Force from a driver breaks the thin section connecting the distal and proximal anchor portions. The proximal anchor portion slides distally over the elongated member (either distal or proximal to the distal eyelet) and a repair suture is pinched between the distal and proximal anchor portions, or in between the bone tunnel walls and outer diameter of the sleeve, thereby fixing the repair suture in place without tying an arthroscopic knot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A suture anchor comprising:
a sleeve having a plurality of threads and defining a longitudinal axis;
an elongate member extending from a distal end of the sleeve, along the longitudinal axis, the elongate member being coupled to the sleeve by a break-away coupling; and
a tip extending from a distal end of the elongate member, the tip being rigidly coupled to the elongate member;
wherein the sleeve, the elongate member, and the tip are rotationally coupled when the break-away coupling is intact; and
wherein the sleeve is rotationally decoupled from the elongate member and tip when the break-away coupling is broken.

2. The suture anchor of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a first lumen and the elongate member comprises a second lumen co-axial with the first lumen.

3. The suture anchor of claim 2 , wherein an inner diameter of the first lumen of the sleeve is greater than an outer diameter of the elongate member.

4. The suture anchor of claim 3 , further comprising:
an anchor driver comprising an elongate body and a driver tip positioned at a distal end of the driver body, the driver tip further including:
a first portion dimensioned for receipt within the first lumen of the sleeve; and
a second portion, distal to the first portion, dimensioned for receipt within the second lumen of the elongate member.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first portion of the driver tip and inner walls of the first lumen are adapted to mate such the first portion of the driver tip is capable of transmitting a rotational and/or axial force to the sleeve.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second portion of the driver tip and inner walls of the second lumen are adapted to mate such the second portion of the driver tip is capable of transmitting a rotational force to the elongate member.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second portion of the driver tip is dimensioned to contact a proximal end of the anchor tip such that the second portion of the driver tip is capable of transmitting an axial and/or rotational force to the anchor tip.

8. The suture anchor of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of threads of the sleeve are spaced apart by first openings in communication with the first lumen and wherein the elongate member further comprises a plurality of second openings in communication with the second lumen.

9. The suture anchor of claim 8 , wherein the first and second openings are dimensioned to align when the sleeve is in a second position.

10. The suture anchor of claim 1 , further comprising an eyelet extending through one of the elongate member and the tip.

11. The suture anchor of claim 10 , wherein, when the break-away coupling is broken, the sleeve is adapted to slide over an outer surface of the elongate member between a first position, where the distal end of the sleeve is positioned proximal to the eyelet, and a second position, where the distal end of the sleeve is positioned distal to the eyelet.

12. The suture anchor of claim 10 , further comprising one or more sutures extending through the eyelet, wherein the suture is interposed between an outer diameter of the elongate member and an inner diameter of the sleeve when the sleeve is in the second position.

13. The suture anchor of claim 10 , wherein, when the break-away coupling is broken, the sleeve is adapted to slide over the outer surface of the elongate member between a first position, where the distal end of the sleeve is positioned proximal to the eyelet, and an alternative position, where the distal end of the sleeve is positioned proximal to a distal terminus of the eyelet.

14. The suture anchor of claim 10 , further comprising one or more sutures extending through the eyelet, wherein the suture is interposed between the plurality of threads of the sleeve and surrounding bone.

15. The suture anchor of claim 1 , wherein the break-away coupling comprises a region of reduced cross-sectional area between a proximal end of the elongate member and a distal end of the sleeve.

16. The suture anchor of claim 1 , wherein the break-away coupling comprises a plurality of ligaments spaced apart by cut-out regions extending transverse through or at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member, the ligaments connecting a proximal end of the elongate member to a distal end of the sleeve.

17. The suture anchor of claim 1 , wherein the break-away coupling is adapted to separate the elongate member from the sleeve upon application of an axial force and/or a torque greater than a selected level at the break-away coupling.

18. A method of anchoring a suture, comprising:
providing a suture anchor comprising:
a sleeve extending along a longitudinal axis, the sleeve having a plurality of threads and defining a first lumen;
an elongate member extending from a distal end of the sleeve, along the longitudinal axis, the elongate member being coupled to the sleeve by a break-away coupling;
a tip extending from a distal end of the elongate member, the tip being rigidly coupled to the elongate member; and
an eyelet formed in one of the elongate member and the sleeve;

inserting one or more sutures within the eyelet;
breaking the break-away coupling; and
distally advancing the sleeve over an outer surface of the elongate member.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the tip and elongate member are axially and rotationally decoupled from the sleeve when the break-away coupling is broken.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, prior to breaking the break-away coupling, inserting the suture anchor and the one or more sutures into a bone hole.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein distally advancing the sleeve comprises rotationally advancing the threads through the bone hole surrounding the suture anchor tip and elongate member which are retained in place.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein distally advancing the sleeve over the outer surface of the elongate member comprises distally advancing the sleeve to a position where the distal end of the sleeve is distal to the eyelet, wherein the suture is interposed between the outer diameter of the elongate member and the inner diameter of the sleeve in the second position of the sleeve.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein distally advancing the sleeve over the outer surface of the elongate member comprises distally advancing the sleeve to a position where the distal end of the sleeve is proximal to a distal terminus of the eyelet, wherein the suture is interposed between the plurality of threads of the sleeve and surrounding bone in the alternative position of the sleeve.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein breaking the break-away coupling comprises applying at least one of an axial force and/or a torque greater than a selected level at the break-away coupling.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of threads of the sleeve are spaced apart by first openings in communication with the first lumen and wherein the elongate member further comprises a plurality of second openings in communication with a second lumen formed within the elongate member.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein distally advancing the sleeve further comprises moving the sleeve into the second position such that at least a portion of the first and second openings are longitudinally aligned.

27. The method of claim 18 , wherein the suture anchor further compr

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew Inc

Inventors

• Lunn Richard M
• Young Timothy
• Koski Matthew Edwin
• Rogers Jon-Paul

Classifications

• A61B2017/0454

  the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture · CPC title

• A61B2017/0412

  having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body · CPC title

• A61B2017/0409

  Instruments for applying suture anchors · CPC title

• A61B2017/0414

  having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening · CPC title

• A61B17/0401 Primary

  Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors (A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811) · CPC title