Fully threaded suture anchor with transverse anchor pin

Abstract

A suture anchor has a pin that is disposed transversely within the suture anchor, over which one or more strands of suture is looped. The anchor body is threaded and has a tapered distal portion. The proximal end portion of the suture anchor body has a hexagonally shaped opening to accept a hexagonal drive head. The peripheral surface defining hexagonally shaped opening is rounded and smooth to prevent abrading sutures placed in contact therewith.

1 . A suture anchor comprising:
 an anchor body having a central bore extending from an opening at an end of the anchor body and through a portion of a length thereof, wherein the central bore has a cross-sectional shape to accommodate a driver head for driving the suture anchor; and   a pin disposed in the central bore transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the anchor body, wherein at least one suture strand is looped around the pin.   
   
   
       2 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the central bore includes a first section and a second section, the first section accommodates the driver head, and the pin is disposed in the second section. 
   
   
       3 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first section and the second have different cross-sectional shapes. 
   
   
       4 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first section has a hexagonally shaped cross section and the second section is substantially cylindrical. 
   
   
       5 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the anchor body includes a thread extending from an outer surface of the anchor body. 
   
   
       6 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the central bore includes a first section and a second section, the first section accommodates the driver head, the pin is disposed in the second section, and the thread surrounds both the first section and the second section. 
   
   
       7 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one suture strand and the pin contact in the second section of the central bore. 
   
   
       8 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one suture strand includes two suture strands. 
   
   
       9 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pin has a length and the central bore has an inner diameter, and the length of the pin is greater than the inner diameter of the central bore. 
   
   
       10 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the central bore includes two passages that each define an aperture in the anchor body, the pin includes two ends, and each end is disposed in one of the apertures. 
   
   
       11 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one suture is unknotted to the pin. 
   
   
       12 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the anchor body is made of metal. 
   
   
       13 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pin is made of metal. 
   
   
       14 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the anchor body is tapered. 
   
   
       15 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the anchor body is tapered to a substantially narrow point. 
   
   
       16 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the anchor body is self-tapping. 
   
   
       17 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pin is disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchor body. 
   
   
       18 . A suture anchor assembly for attachment of tissue to bone, the suture anchor assembly comprising:
 a suture anchor including an anchor body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central bore extending from an opening at the proximal end of the anchor body and through a portion of a length thereof, wherein the central bore has a cross-sectional shape to accommodate a driver head for driving the suture anchor, the suture anchor also including a pin disposed in the central bore transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the anchor body; and   at least one suture strand looped around the pin, wherein the at least one suture strand includes ends that extend through the central bore and out the proximal end of the anchor body.   
   
   
       19 . The suture anchor assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the central bore includes a first section and a second section, the first section accommodates the driver head, and the pin is disposed in the second section. 
   
   
       20 . The suture anchor assembly as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the first section has a hexagonally shaped cross section and the second section is substantially cylindrical. 
   
   
       21 . The suture anchor assembly as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the anchor body includes a thread extending from an outer surface of the anchor body, and the thread surrounds both the first section and the second section. 
   
   
       22 . The suture anchor assembly as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the at least one suture strand and the pin contact in the second section of the central bore. 
   
   
       23 . The suture anchor assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the central bore includes two passages that each define an aperture in the anchor body, the pin includes two ends, and each end is disposed in one of the apertures. 
   
   
       24 . The suture anchor assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the at least one suture is unknotted to the pin. 
   
   
       25 . A method of assembling a suture anchor, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an anchor body having a central bore extending from an opening at an end of the anchor body and through a portion of a length thereof, wherein the central bore has a cross-sectional shape to accommodate a driver head for driving the suture anchor;   disposing a pin in the central bore transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the anchor body; and   looping at least one suture strand around the pin.