Corkscrew suture anchor

Abstract

A suture anchor has a continuous thread spiraling around a tapering central core. At the distal end, the suture anchor terminates in a rounded point. At the proximal end of the suture anchor is an eye for receiving suture. The suture anchor has a large thread surface per turn of thread. Anti-backout ridges can be formed on the front and/or back faces of the threads. A driver for the suture anchor is provided, the driver including a shaft having a central axis, a length, a distal end, and a proximal end. The shaft is provided at its distal end with an opening aligned with the central axis of the shaft, for receiving the hexagonal proximal end of the suture anchor. One or more sutures threaded through the suture eye are threaded through the hollow tubular shaft. The suture is pulled into and captured by V-shaped notches on the proximal end of the handle to hold the suture anchor in place on the distal end of the driver under the tension of the captured sutures.

1 . A suture anchor to secure a suture to a bone, the suture anchor comprising:
 a central body having a central axis, a distal end region and a proximal end region;   a drivable region disposed on the proximal end region of the central body, wherein the drivable region is hexagonal; and   a continuous thread disposed around the central body and having an inner diameter, an outer diameter, and a thickness that increases proximally along at least a region of the continuous thread.   
     
     
         2 . The suture anchor of  claim 1 , including at least one suture attached to the suture anchor. 
     
     
         3 . The suture anchor of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one suture includes two sutures. 
     
     
         4 . The suture anchor of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one suture is threaded through an eyelet in the suture anchor. 
     
     
         5 . The suture anchor of  claim 1 , wherein a driver receives the proximal end region of the suture anchor to secure at least one suture to a bone. 
     
     
         6 . The suture anchor of  claim 5 , wherein the driver includes a cleat, and at least one suture is wrapped around the cleat. 
     
     
         7 . The suture anchor of  claim 5 , wherein the driver is formed of a cannulated tube secured to a cannulated handle. 
     
     
         8 . The suture anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the central body tapers from the proximal end region to the distal end region. 
     
     
         9 . The suture anchor of  claim 1 , wherein a distal tip is rounded. 
     
     
         10 . The suture anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end region includes a concave surface that terminates in a tip, and a taper of the concave surface is more pronounced than a taper of the central body. 
     
     
         11 . A suture anchor to secure a suture to a bone, the suture anchor comprising:
 a central body having a central axis, a distal end region and a proximal end region, wherein the distal end region includes a concave surface that terminates in a tip;   a drivable region disposed on the proximal end region of the central body; and   a continuous thread disposed around the central body and having an inner diameter, an outer diameter, and a thickness that increases proximally along at least a region of the continuous thread.   
     
     
         12 . The suture anchor of  claim 11 , including at least one suture attached to the suture anchor. 
     
     
         13 . The suture anchor of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one suture includes two sutures. 
     
     
         14 . The suture anchor of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one suture is threaded through an eyelet in the suture anchor. 
     
     
         15 . The suture anchor of  claim 11 , wherein a driver receives the proximal end region of the suture anchor to secure at least one suture to a bone. 
     
     
         16 . The suture anchor of  claim 15 , wherein the driver includes a cleat, and at least one suture is wrapped around the cleat. 
     
     
         17 . The suture anchor of  claim 15 , wherein the driver is formed of a cannulated tube secured to a cannulated handle. 
     
     
         18 . The suture anchor of  claim 11 , wherein the central body tapers from the proximal end region to the distal end region. 
     
     
         19 . The suture anchor of  claim 11 , wherein the tip is rounded. 
     
     
         20 . The suture anchor of  claim 19 , wherein a taper of the concave surface is more pronounced than a taper of the central body. 
     
     
         21 . A suture anchor to secure a suture to a bone, the suture anchor comprising:
 a central body having a central axis, a distal end region and a proximal end region;   a drivable region disposed on the proximal end region of the central body; and   a continuous thread disposed around the central body and having an inner diameter, an outer diameter, a pitch distance from flight to flight of the continuous thread, and a thickness that increases proximally along at least a region of the continuous thread, and the pitch distance is less than 0.130 inches.   
     
     
         22 . The suture anchor of  claim 21 , including at least one suture attached to the suture anchor. 
     
     
         23 . The suture anchor of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one suture includes two sutures. 
     
     
         24 . The suture anchor of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one suture is threaded through an eyelet in the suture anchor. 
     
     
         25 . The suture anchor of  claim 21 , wherein a driver receives the proximal end region of the suture anchor to secure at least one suture to a bone. 
     
     
         26 . The suture anchor of  claim 25 , wherein the driver includes a cleat, and at least one suture is wrapped around the cleat. 
     
     
         27 . The suture anchor of  claim 25 , wherein the driver is formed of a cannulated tube secured to a cannulated handle. 
     
     
         28 . The suture anchor of  claim 21 , wherein the central body tapers from the proximal end region to the distal end region. 
     
     
         29 . The suture anchor of  claim 21 , wherein a distal tip is rounded. 
     
     
         30 . The suture anchor of  claim 21 , wherein the distal end region includes a concave surface that terminates in a tip, and a taper of the concave surface is more pronounced than a taper of the central body.