Tissue repair assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12465348-B2
Application number	US-202117143241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2021
Priority date	Nov 14, 2011
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A tissue repair assembly for attachment of tissue to bone or tissue to tissue having a soft anchoring implant 100 with a length of suture 120 there through for tensioning the implant and facilitating attachment of other tissue. The implant 100 is a soft, flexible, three-dimensional structure that has a resident volume 200 . An inserter tube 310 facilitates the placement of the implant 100 into bone or adjacent soft tissue where it may be deployed. Upon deployment, the soft anchoring implant 100 shortens axially and expands radially, achieving a larger diameter than the hole through which it was placed, thus resisting pull out.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A soft anchor system for tissue repair comprising:
an insertion instrument; a soft anchor disposed at a distal end of the insertion instrument, the soft anchor formed of a braided wall defining a tubular body having a distal and a proximal end, an inner lumen of the tubular body defining a resident inner space; wherein the braided wall is loosely braided at 25 pics per inch (PPI) or less; a suture operatively coupled to the soft anchor such that tension on the suture is configured to deploy the soft anchor, laterally expanding the braided wall of the soft anchor and longitudinally reducing the soft anchor and also substantially eliminate the resident inner space.

2 . The soft anchor system of claim 1 wherein the insertion instrument comprises a tensioning actuator operatively coupled to the suture, the tensioning actuator configured to tension the suture to a predetermined distance or predetermined force, the predetermined distance or force configured to substantially eliminate the resident inner space.

3 . The soft anchor system of claim 2 wherein the insertion instrument includes a back stop member and an outer tube, the outer tube configured to advance into a target tissue to place the entire soft anchor therein and the back stop member is configured to engage the soft anchor, while remaining at an entrance to the target tissue and provide counter traction while actuating the tensioning actuator.

4 . The soft anchor system of claim 1 wherein the insertion instrument includes an outer tube and a stationary inner body disposed within the outer tube, the outer tube axially retractable relative to the stationary inner body, the outer tube having a distal open end configured to house the soft anchor therein.

5 . The soft anchor system of claim 4 wherein the stationary inner body is configured to remain at an entrance to a target tissue while the outer tube places the soft anchor in the target tissue, the stationary inner body configured to engage a proximal end of the soft anchor and limit proximal movement of the soft anchor during deployment.

6 . The soft anchor system of claim 4 wherein the outer tube includes a sharp distal edge configured to penetrate tissue.

7 . The soft anchor system of claim 4 wherein the outer tube is configured to retract to eject the soft anchor into a target tissue in a pre-deployed configuration.

8 . The soft anchor system of claim 7 wherein the outer tube is configured to retract while the stationary inner body remains stationary and within a bone hole.

9 . The soft anchor system of claim 1 wherein the suture extends from the soft anchor and through the insertion instrument and couples to a tensioning actuator of the insertion instrument, the tensioning actuator configured to tension the suture to a predetermined distance or predetermined force; the predetermined distance or force configured to substantially eliminate the resident inner space.

10 . The soft anchor system of claim 1 wherein the suture extends through the braided wall of the soft anchor and around the resident inner space, the suture extending through the braided wall to an outer surface of the soft anchor for an axial distance that is less than four pics before extending back into the braided wall.

11 . The soft anchor system of claim 1 wherein the soft anchor forms an oval shaped bundle upon deployment.

12 . The soft anchor system of claim 11 wherein the oval shaped bundle bunches up against an instrument body distal end during deployment and has a diameter larger than a hole into which the soft anchor is inserted.

13 . The soft anchor of claim 1 wherein the braided wall includes braided threads formed with fibers between 200 and 1000 denier.

14 . The soft anchor of claim 1 wherein the braided wall is defined by a biaxially helically wound braid, loosely braided between 7 and 25 PPI.

15 . The soft anchor system of claim 1 further comprising a second suture operatively coupled to the soft anchor, and wherein both the suture and the second suture are woven between the braided wall, at circumferentially offset locations and wherein both the suture and second suture cross over each other at the soft anchor distal end.

16 . A soft anchor system for installing a soft anchor within a tissue:
an insertion instrument including a handle with a tensioning actuator at a proximal end of the insertion instrument, and an outer tube and a stationary inner body extending distally from the handle, the stationary inner body coaxially disposed within the outer tube, the outer tube slidingly coupled to the handle; and a soft anchor including opposite distal and proximal ends housed within a distal end of the outer tube and distal to the stationary inner body; and a suture operatively coupled to the soft anchor and also operatively coupled to the tensioning actuator; wherein the outer tube is configured to slidingly retract relative to the soft anchor to place the soft anchor entirely within a target bone and wherein actuating the tensioning actuator is configured to apply tension on the suture to bunch the soft anchor up against the stationary inner body after the outer tube has been retracted and radially expand the soft anchor, and wherein the tensioning actuator is configured to apply and limit the tension; wherein the tensioning actuator is configured to rotate about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the insertion instrument and axially move a threaded component of the tensioning actuator in a proximal direction, to move the suture axially in a proximal direction.

17 . The soft anchor system of claim 16 wherein the soft anchor defines a tubular body having an inner lumen formed of braided walls, braided at between 7 and 25 pics per inch (PPI).

18 . The soft anchor system of claim 16 wherein the stationary inner body is a tube.

19 . The soft anchor system of claim 16 wherein the suture is woven through the soft anchor and around the distal end of the soft anchor.

20 . The soft anchor system of claim 16 wherein the outer tube includes a sharp distal edge configured to penetrate tissue.

21 . The soft anchor system of claim 16 wherein the soft anchor forms an oval shaped bundle when installed within the tissue.

22 . The soft anchor system of claim 16 wherein the tensioning actuator is configured to tension the suture to at least 50N.

23 . The soft anchor of claim 16 wherein the soft anchor is a tubular body formed of braided threads and wherein when radially expanded, the braided threads have a more orthogonal orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body than when configured to fit within the outer tube.

24 . A soft anchor system for installing a soft anchor within a tissue:
an insertion instrument including a handle with a tensioning actuator at a proximal end of the insertion instrument, an outer tube and a stationary inner body extending distally from the handle, the stationary inner body coaxially disposed within the outer tube, the outer tube slidingly coupled to the handle; and a soft anchor including opposite distal and proximal ends housed within a distal end of the outer tube and distal to the stationary inner body; and a suture operatively coupled to the soft anchor and also operatively coupled to the tensioning actuator; wherein the outer tube is configured to slidingly retract relative to the soft anchor to place the soft anchor entirely withi

Assignees

• Arthrocare Corp

Inventors

• Brown Treg
• Cohen Nathaniel
• Fernandez Robert
• D'Elia Richard
• D'Elia Christopher
• Branger Annette
• Golden Steve
• Atkinson Marnette
• Kume Stewart

Classifications

• A61B2090/033

  Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin · CPC title

• A61B2017/0464

  for soft tissue · CPC title

• A61B2017/0459

  Multiple holes in the anchor through which the suture extends and locking the suture when tension is applied · CPC title

• A61B2017/0458

  Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot · CPC title

• A61B2017/045

  snug fit within the anchor · CPC title