Medical device for repair of tissue and method for implantation and fixation

Abstract

The present invention relates to medical devices for repairing tissue and more specifically to devices which facilitate tissue regeneration and to surgical methods for the implantation and fixation of such devices. In one embodiment, the medical device is an elongate conduit that includes a longitudinal bore extending therethrough to facilitate the transfer of blood from a vascular region of tissue to a tear or damaged area located in an avascular and/or semi-vascular region of tissue. A filament and/or filaments are attached to the conduit and are positioned to secure the conduit and fixate the adjacent tear walls in mutual engagement. In another embodiment, a series of conduits are connected via a filament and/or filaments to facilitate the implantation of multiple conduits.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A medical device comprising:
 a first elongate conduit having a first end, a second end, and a wall defining a longitudinal bore, the wall having an exterior surface and at least one surface feature protruding from the exterior surface;   a second elongate conduit having a first end, a second end, and a wall defining a longitudinal bore, the wall having an exterior surface; and   a filament attached to the first conduit and the second conduit.   
     
     
         9 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the longitudinal bore of the first conduit extends between the first end and the second end along an axis, the first conduit having a length dimension parallel to the axis and a width dimension transverse to the axis, the length dimension being greater than the width dimension, and
 wherein the longitudinal bore of the second conduit extends between the first end and the second end along an axis, the second conduit having a length dimension parallel to the axis and a width dimension transverse to the axis, the length dimension being greater than the width dimension.   
     
     
         10 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the wall of each of the first and second conduits includes at least one aperture in communication with the respective longitudinal bore and disposed between the respective first and second ends. 
     
     
         11 . The medical device of  claim 10 , wherein the filament is connected to the first and second conduits at the respective at least one aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one surface feature includes ribs or threads. 
     
     
         13 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the longitudinal bores of the first and second conduits are non-circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         14 . The medical device of  claim 13 , wherein the cross-sections of the longitudinal bores of the first and second conduits are substantially similar in size. 
     
     
         15 . The medical device of  claim 13 , wherein the cross-sections of the longitudinal bores of the first and second conduits are rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         16 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the first end of the second conduit includes at least one slot extending into the wall. 
     
     
         17 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second conduits are bioabsorbable. 
     
     
         18 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the filament is selected from the group consisting of a strand, a thread, a fiber, a string, a wire, and a suture. 
     
     
         19 . A method for implanting a medical device in tissue, the tissue having a first area of vascularity and a second area of vascularity, the vascularity of the second area being less than the vascularity of the first area, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a medical device including an elongate conduit, an anchor, and a filament attached to the conduit and the anchor, the conduit having a first end, a second end, and a wall defining a longitudinal bore, the wall having an exterior surface;   inserting the conduit within the tissue;   positioning the first end of the conduit adjacent to a face of a tear in the tissue such that the longitudinal bore is in communication with the tear;   positioning the second end of the conduit in the first area of vascularity of the tissue;   inserting the anchor through the tissue;   positioning the anchor against an outer wall of the tissue; and   securing the filament.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the anchor includes a first end, a second end, and a wall defining a longitudinal bore, the wall having an exterior surface. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the conduit includes at least one surface feature protruding from the exterior surface, and further comprising the step of securing the conduit within the tissue by engaging the at least one surface feature with the tissue. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the longitudinal bore of the conduit extends between the first end and the second end along an axis, the conduit having a length dimension parallel to the axis and a width dimension transverse to the axis, the length dimension being greater than the width dimension, and the longitudinal bore of the anchor extends between the first end and the second end along an axis, the anchor having a length dimension parallel to the axis and a width dimension transverse to the axis, the length dimension being greater than the width dimension. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one surface feature includes ribs or threads. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the longitudinal bore of the conduit is non-circular in cross-section, and wherein the step of inserting the conduit includes rotating the conduit about an axis parallel to the longitudinal bore of the first axis. 
     
     
         25 . The medical device of  claim 19 , wherein the filament includes a first end and a second end, and the walls of the conduit and the anchor each include two apertures in communication with the respective longitudinal bore and disposed between the respective first and second ends, further comprising the steps of:
 inserting the first end of the filament through the two apertures of the conduit;   inserting the first end of the filament through the two apertures of the anchor; and   connecting the first end of the filament to the second end of the filament to form a slipknot.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of securing the filament includes sliding the slipknot with respect to the filament.