Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for attaching connective tissues to bone using a knotless suture anchoring device

US6524317B1 · kind B1 · utility

346Cited by
38References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 30, 1999
Grant dateFeb 25, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 30, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61F2002/0888
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing connective tissue, such as tendons, to bone are disclosed which permit a suture attachment which lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface, and wherein the suturing material between the connective tissue and the bone anchor is oriented in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bone anchor, so that axial pull-out forces exerted on the bone anchor are minimized. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a substantial length of suturing material around a shaft of the anchor, thereby avoiding an eyelet connection which requires a knot and which concentrates stress on a very small portion of the suturing material. Thus, failure rates are greatly decreased over conventional techniques, and the inventive procedures are significantly easier to perform than conventional techniques.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.