Stitch lock for attaching two or more structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9743919-B2
Application number	US-201113283002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2011
Priority date	Apr 27, 2010
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An anchor assembly can include at least one anchor member, such as a pair of anchor members that are configured to be implanted in a target anatomical location in a first configuration, and can subsequently be actuated to an expanded configuration that secures the anchor members in the target anatomy. The anchor assembly can further include a connector member configured as a stitch lock that attaches the pair of anchor members together across a gap so as to approximate the anatomical defect.

First claim

We claim:

1. A stitch lock assembly, comprising:
a common strand of suture having a body including a first segment and a second segment of the common strand, the common strand being elongate along a central axis so as to define a length, the second segment including a first side and a second side that are on opposite sides of the central axis, the first segment woven through the second segment along a portion of the length of the second segment so as to define a stitch lock having at least two woven segments of the first segment that are woven through the second segment, each of the at least two woven segments defined at least by a respective entry location where the first segment enters one of the first and second sides of the second segment, and a respective exit location where the first segment exits from the other of the first and second sides of the second segment, wherein the respective entry and exit locations are formed on the body, and the common strand at the first segment passes through the body between the respective entry and exit locations at the second segment so as to define each of the at least two woven segments,
wherein 1) the at least two woven segments are configured to translate through the second segment when the second segment is in tension at a first level of tension that is less than a threshold level of tension, and 2) the second segment applies a compressive force to the first segment when the second segment is in tension at a second level of tension that is at least substantially equal to the threshold level of tension so as to prevent the at least two woven segments of the first segment from translating through the second segment; and
wherein the common strand is configured to attach to first and second anchors, such that as the at least two woven segments translate through the second segment, the common strand 1) applies a respective actuation force to each of the first and second anchors so as to cause the first and second anchors to expand, and 2) biases the first and second anchors toward each other.

2. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first segment is elongate along a first portion of the central axis, the second segment is elongate along a second portion of the central axis, and the first portion of the central axis defines an angle with respect to the second portion of the central axis at least at one of the entry locations, the angle between and including approximately 0 degrees and approximately 180 degrees.

3. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein adjacent ones of the at least two woven segments extend through the second segment at locations spaced apart a distance including approximately 0 mm and approximately 3 mm.

4. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first segment is elongate along the first portion of the central axis, the second segment is elongate along the second portion of the central axis, and each of the first and second segments defines a respective first end and a respective second end spaced from each other along the respective first and second portions of the central axis, such that the woven segments are disposed between the first and second ends of the first segment, and the woven segments are disposed between the first and second ends of the second segment.

5. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 4 , wherein, when the second segment is in tension at the first level of tension, the first segment is translatable through the second segment so as to bias the first and second anchors toward each other.

6. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second anchors are expandable anchors, wherein the first anchor includes a first anchor body and a first actuation member that is configured to receive the respective actuation force that causes the first anchor body to expand.

7. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first actuation member is integral with the first anchor body and defines one of the first and second segments.

8. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first actuation member is separate from the first anchor body and defines one of the first and second segments.

9. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein the second anchor includes a second anchor body and a second actuation member configured to receive the respective actuation force that causes the second anchor body to expand.

10. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the respective first and second anchor bodies include respective first and second eyelets, and the respective first and second actuation members are inserted through the respective first and second eyelets.

11. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first actuation member defines the first and second segments.

12. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 10 , wherein the stitch lock is a first stitch lock, the stitch lock assembly further comprising a second stitch lock that includes a respective first segment and a respective second segment, wherein the respective first segment is woven at least into the respective second segment, the first segment of the second stitch lock is defined by the second actuation member, and the second segment of the second stitch lock is defined by the second actuation member.

13. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 12 , further comprising a loop that is disposed between the first and second stitch locks, wherein the loop is configured to decrease in size as the first segment of at least one of the first and second stitch locks is translated through the associated second segment.

14. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first and second segments of at least one of the first and second stitch locks are separate from and attached to the first and second actuation members.

15. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first and second stitch locks define a first pair of stitch locks, the stitch lock assembly further comprising a second pair of the first and second stitch locks.

16. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 15 , comprising a first loop disposed between the first and second pairs of stitch locks, a second loop disposed between the first and second stitch locks of the first pair of stitch locks, and a third loop disposed between the first and second stitch locks of the second pair of stitch locks.

17. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first, second, and third loops are configured to decrease in size when the first segments of each of the stitch locks of the first and second pairs of stitch locks are translated through the associated second segment.

18. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 10 , wherein one of the first and second anchors includes an eyelet, and the first and second segments are attached to the eyelet.

19. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the common strand defines a loop that is closed by the stitch lock, and the loop is configured to decrease in size as the at least two woven segments translate through the second segment.

20. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 19 , wherein the loop is slidably attached to the first and second anchors.

21. The stitch lock assembly as recited in claim 19 , wherein, as the loop decreases in size, the first anchor is biased toward the second anchor.

22. The stitch lock assembly as recited in cla

Assignees

• Manos Jamie
• Henrichsen Kevin
• Miller William
• Vennard Daniel
• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Manos Jamie
• Henrichsen Kevin
• Miller William
• Vennard Daniel

Classifications

• A61B2017/0477

  with pre-tied sutures · CPC title

• A61B2017/06176

  with protrusions, e.g. barbs · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2017/0414

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

• A61B2017/06042

  located close to needle tip · CPC title