Depth penetration limiter for a tissue repair device

Inventors

Yeoh, Han Teik • Cunningham, Matthew D. • Karasic, Geoffrey Ian • Fu, Rick

Assignees

Smith and Nephew Orthopaedics AG • Smith and Nephew Asia Pacific Pte Ltd • Smith and Nephew Inc

Abstract

Depth penetration limiters for use with meniscal repair devices which have a built-in, self-stopper feature to prevent the limiter from disengaging from the device housing. The self-stopper feature is a cantilevered flexure on a bottom surface of the limiter that deflects as it is moved through the housing. As the flexure passes the edge of a recess in the housing, the flexure returns to its original shape, trapping the flexure within the recess and preventing further distal movement of the limiter/depth tube. A connection feature on the limiter provides increased pull-off resistance of the depth tube from the limiter.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a tissue repair device with a handle, a hub, a needle assembly, and a depth tube having a cannulation configured to receive at least a portion of the needle assembly therein. A limiter member includes a housing disposed within the hub and a shaft extending from a distal end of the hub, where the shaft is configured to engage the cannulation of the depth tube. The limiter member defines a cannulation extending along a longitudinal axis for passage of an actuator into the needle assembly, and the limiter member has a flexible portion positioned above the longitudinal axis and engageable by a user for allowing axial movement of the depth tube relative to the needle assembly.

A housing of the limiter member comprises a flexure positioned below the longitudinal axis and configured to engage a recess in the hub to limit distal movement of the limiter member relative to the hub. The flexure is coupled to an inner surface of the cannulation of the limiter member and extends proximally from the cannulation of the limiter member. The limiter arrangement allows controlled axial movement of the depth tube relative to the needle assembly while restricting distal movement of the limiter member.

In further refinements, the limiter member can include a connection feature on an outer surface of the limiter-member shaft that increases pull-out resistance between the shaft and the cannulation of the depth tube. The device can include multiple barbs on the outer surface of the shaft as a form of the connection feature, and coordinated markings on the depth tube and needle assembly to indicate a tissue penetration depth of the needle assembly.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim is clm-00001. It contains inventive features centered on a limiter member that cooperates with a flexure and hub recess to limit distal movement while enabling axial movement of the depth tube relative to the needle assembly. Dependent claims refine the limiter-to-hub engagement, pull-out resistance, and tissue penetration depth indication.

Overall claim coverage centers on a depth penetration limiter in a tissue repair device where a limiter member enables axial movement of the depth tube relative to the needle assembly and limits distal movement through a flexure engaging a recess in the hub. Additional claim coverage refines limiter-to-hub interaction, increases pull-out resistance at the limiter-to-depth-tube interface, and provides coordinated tissue penetration depth markings.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications