Apparatus and method for anchoring sutures

Abstract

A suture anchor having a conical surface and a bore in which an end of an insertion tool is inserted. The insertion end of the insertion tool is made of material having elastic properties. The bore and base of the suture anchor are angled with respect to the central axis of the suture anchor and preferably are parallel to each other. During insertion, the suture anchor is reoriented to fit into the hole, thereby bending the elastic end of the insertion tool. When the suture anchor is within cancellous bone tissue, the elastic properties of the insertion tool deploys the suture anchor to an orientation in which the suture anchor cannot fit through the bone hole, thereby firmly anchoring the suture anchor in the human bone.

1 .- 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A suture anchor comprising:
 a truncated cone surface extending lengthwise of the anchor;   a first planar base surface at a first end of the anchor;   a second planar surface at a second end of the anchor;   the anchor having a central axis extending through the first and second surfaces, said first and second surfaces each being at an acute angle to the central axis; and   an anchor bore extending through the anchor at least in part parallel to said first planar base surface.   
     
     
         39 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 38  and further comprising a suture bore extending through the suture anchor and substantially perpendicular to said anchor bore. 
     
     
         40 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 38  wherein said first and second planar surfaces are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         41 . A suture anchor comprising:
 a conically-shaped member having a base portion at a first end thereof and an apex portion at a second end thereof; wherein
 the base portion is in part planar; 
 the apex portion is a selected one of (i) pointed, and (ii) truncated to provide a second planar surface; and 
 an anchor bore extends through the conically-shaped portion and parallel to the planar base portion, and is adapted to receive a suture therethrough. 
   
     
     
         42 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 41  wherein the planar base portion is oblique to a central axis extending from a center of the base portion to the selected one of the pointed apex portion and the second planar surface. 
     
     
         43 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 41  and further comprising a suture accessory bore extending through said conically-shaped member and substantially perpendicularly to said anchor bore. 
     
     
         44 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 41  wherein said base portion comprises at least in part a cylindrically-shaped portion extending between said suture bore and a planar end of said base portion. 
     
     
         45 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 41  wherein said suture anchor is formed of a non-metallic, bio-absorbable material selected from a group of materials consisting of cortical bone, allogenic cortical bone, xenogenic cortical bone tissue, cortical bone cut from a midshaft of a human femur, autologeous biocompatible metal, polymer, polyethylene, polymethylmethacrylate, polysulfone, polylactic acid, polydioxanone, and polyglycolic acid. 
     
     
         46 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 41  wherein the suture anchor is reorientable after insertion in the bone. 
     
     
         47 . The suture anchor in accordance with  claim 41  wherein the base portion comprises a second conical portion inserted relative to said apex portion. 
     
     
         48 . An insertion tool for inserting a suture anchor through a hole in a live human bone and anchoring the suture anchor in the live human bone, the suture anchor being substantially rigid and having a bore therein through which an end of the insertion tool is accepted, the suture anchor being shaped and the bore being oriented such that when the insertion tool is positioned in the bore and maintained parallel to the bone hole during insertion of the suture anchor, the suture anchor must be reoriented in order to fit into the bone hole, the insertion tool comprising:
 an elongated main body having a first end and a second end; and   an insertion end coupled to the first end of said main body for inserting into the bore of the suture anchor, said insertion end being provided with properties wherein:
 said insertion end exhibits an initial configuration before insertion of the suture anchor through the bone hole; 
 the suture anchor causes said insertion end to bend from an initial configuration such that the suture anchor fits through the bone hole while said main body of the insertion tool travels parallel to the bone hole; and 
 said insertion end substantially returns to the initial configuration when the suture anchor is positioned in bone tissue, thereby reorienting the suture anchor to be anchored in the live human bone. 
   
     
     
         49 . The insertion tool of  claim 48  and further comprising means for limiting movement of said insertion end into the bore. 
     
     
         50 . The insertion tool of  claim 49  wherein said means for limiting movement comprises a thickened area between said main body and said insertion end. 
     
     
         51 . The insertion tool of  claim 49  wherein said insertion end is tapered from said main body, and said main body is provided with a diameter wider than the bore. 
     
     
         52 . The insertion tool of  claim 48  wherein said insertion end is formed of a material having superelastic properties. 
     
     
         53 . A method for anchoring a suture to live human bone through a bone hole having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an insertion tool comprising a main body and a flexible insertion end having elastic properties for returning said insertion end to an initial configuration;   providing a substantially rigid suture anchor having a central axis and a bore at an angle to the central axis;   securing a suture to the suture anchor;   positioning the insertion end of the insertion tool through the bore;   advancing the insertion tool towards the bone hole with the main body parallel to the longitudinal axis and the insertion end in an initial configuration, wherein the suture anchor, as oriented on the insertion end, is too large to fit through the bone hole;   advancing the insertion tool and the suture anchor into the bone hole, causing the suture anchor to reorient by bending the insertion end of the insertion tool; and   advancing the insertion tool into the bone hole until the insertion end having elastic properties is able to return to an initial configuration, thereby reorienting the suture anchor to an orientation prior to insertion into the bone hole.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the step of securing the suture to the suture anchor further includes a step of inserting the suture through the bore in which the insertion end is inserted. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the suture anchor further comprises an accessory bore, and the step of securing the suture to the suture anchor further comprising the steps of inserting the suture through the accessory bore. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53  further comprising a step of pulling the suture away from the bone hole after the suture anchor has been reoriented inside the bone hole, to thereby further secure the suture anchor in the bone hole.