Tensionable knotless anchors and methods of tissue repair

Inventors

Valentin, Jason A. • GAMSO, Nathanael I.

Assignees

Arthrex Inc

Abstract

Tensionable, knotless, self-locking surgical constructs and methods for surgical repairs are disclosed. A soft suture anchor and a flexible strand (flexible coupler) are provided integrally, as a one-piece machine taper construct. The repair system can include one or more shuttle/pull devices. The suture comes out of the cannulated sheath and braids to a smaller diameter round suture which is then passed back through the sheath. The braided suture may be furcated or branched to provide a plurality of passing sutures.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a tensionable, knotless, self-locking all-suture soft anchor construct. The construct includes a flexible tubular member terminating into a smaller diameter suture, where the flexible tubular member is configured to be fixated in bone and the smaller diameter suture passes through itself and through the flexible tubular member at least once to form at least one splice within the flexible tubular member.

In the described machine-taper construct, the anchor is provided as a one-piece machine taper device with a cannulated flexible sheath and a flexible coupler or suture. The coupler/suture braids to a smaller-diameter round suture and is passed back through the sheath to enable self-locking after tensioning and cutting, with splicing inside the sheath.

The smaller-diameter suture is described as being furcated or branched to provide multiple passing sutures or legs that enable formation of adjustable, closed, continuous knotless loops around tissue. The construct is described for fixation of soft tissue to bone, including fixation of tendon/ligament or graft/ligament to bone via arthroscopic and endoscopic methods.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim coverage centers on two main inventive features: a flexible tubular member fixatable in bone with a smaller diameter suture, and a knotless self-locking splice created by threading the smaller diameter suture through itself and through the flexible tubular member at least once.

Across the independent claim and dependent claims, the coverage centers on a bone-fixated flexible tubular member and a smaller diameter suture that self-passes and forms an in-tubular splice, with refinements including a one-piece machine taper construct, round suture configuration, multiple threading, and loop formation around soft tissue for attachment to bone.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications