Suture Anchor and Method of Use

Abstract

A suture anchor 20 is inserted within the spongy bone 22″ such that only suture segments 40 and 42 extend into the cortical bone 22′ . Suture anchor 20 is inserted with a suture inserting device 58 that holds suture anchor 20 until suture inserting device 58 has entered spongy bone 22″ . Deployment device 62 pushes suture anchor 20 from suture inserting device 58 into spongy bone 22″ . Suture anchor 20 is positioned such that suture anchor 20 spans the hole 24 through which suture inserting device 58 inserted suture anchor 20.

1 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) comprising:
 a first anchor segment ( 34 ) having a first hole ( 36 ), a second hole ( 38 ), and a bottom side ( 108 ), said first anchor segment ( 34 ) being centered about a first axis ( 112 ); and   a second anchor segment ( 94 ) having a third hole ( 96 ), a fourth hole ( 98 ), and a top side ( 110 ), said top side ( 110 ) facing said bottom side ( 108 ), said second anchor segment ( 94 ) being centered about a second axis ( 114 ), and said second axis ( 114 ) being aligned with said first axis ( 112 ) prior to deployment of said suture anchor ( 20 );   wherein said first and second anchor segments ( 34 ,  94 ) are physically separate elements that are coupled together via a first suture segment ( 40 ) of a suture ( 32 ) passing through both of said first and third holes ( 36 ,  96 ) and a second suture segment ( 42 ) of said suture ( 32 ) passing through both of said second and fourth holes ( 38 ,  98 ), and said second segment ( 94 ) rotates relative to said first anchor segment ( 34 ) such that said first and second axes ( 112 ,  114 ) move out of alignment when said suture anchor ( 20 ) is deployed.   
     
     
         2 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 1  wherein:
 a distance ( 100 ) between said first hole ( 36 ) and said second hole ( 38 ) and a distance ( 102 ) between said third hole ( 96 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are substantially equal; and 
 when said first hole ( 36 ) and said third hole ( 96 ) are aligned and said second hole ( 38 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are aligned, said first axis ( 112 ) is offset from said second axis ( 114 ) and said second anchor segment ( 94 ) is rotated relative to said first anchor segment ( 34 ). 
 
     
     
         3 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said bottom side ( 108 ) of said first anchor segment ( 34 ) is tapered toward a top surface ( 104 ) of said first anchor segment ( 34 ). 
     
     
         4 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said top side ( 110 ) of said second anchor segment ( 94 ) is tapered toward a bottom surface ( 106 ) of said second anchor segment ( 34 ). 
     
     
         5 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said top surface  104  of said first anchor segment ( 34 ) and said bottom surface ( 106 ) of said second anchor segment ( 94 ) are substantially parallel when said bottom surface ( 108 ) of said first anchor segment ( 34 ) and said top side ( 110 ) of said second anchor segment ( 94 ) are adjacent. 
     
     
         6 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first anchor segment ( 34 ) has rounded corners. 
     
     
         7 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first anchor segment ( 34 ) has a groove ( 48 ) configured to accept one of said first suture segment ( 40 ) and said second suture segment ( 42 ). 
     
     
         8 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first anchor segment ( 34 ) has a groove ( 48 ) configured to permit fluid flow from a spongy bone ( 22 ″) to a cortical bone ( 22 ′). 
     
     
         9 . A suture anchor as claimed in  claim 1  wherein:
 said first and second holes ( 36 ,  38 ) are located at diagonally opposing corners of said bottom side ( 108 ) of said first anchor segment ( 34 ); and 
 said third and fourth holes ( 96 ,  98 ) are located at diagonally opposing corners of said top side ( 110 ) of said second anchor segment ( 94 ). 
 
     
     
         10 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 1  wherein:
 said first hole ( 36 ) and said second hole ( 38 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of said first axis ( 112 ); and 
 said third hole ( 96 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of said second axis ( 114 ). 
 
     
     
         11 . A suture anchor ( 20 ) as claimed in  claim 10  wherein prior to deployment of said suture anchor ( 20 ) said first hole ( 36 ) and said third hole ( 96 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of the aligned first and second axes ( 112 ,  114 ) and said second hole ( 38 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of the aligned first and second axes ( 112 ,  114 ). 
     
     
         12 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) comprising:
 a suture anchor ( 20 ) comprising:
 a first anchor segment ( 34 ) having a first hole ( 36 ), a second hole ( 38 ), and a bottom side ( 108 ), said first anchor segment ( 34 ) being centered about a first axis ( 1120 ; and 
 a second anchor segment ( 94 ) having a third hole ( 96 ), a fourth hole ( 98 ), and a top side ( 110 ), said top side ( 110 ) facing said bottom side ( 108 ), said second anchor segment ( 94 ) being centered about a second axis ( 114 ), and said second axis ( 114 ) being aligned with said first axis ( 112 ) prior to deployment of said suture anchor ( 20 ); 
   wherein said first and second anchor segments ( 34 ,  94 ) are physically separate elements that are coupled together via a first suture segment ( 40 ) of a suture ( 32 ) passing through both of said first and third holes ( 36 ,  96 ) and a second suture segment ( 42 ) of said suture ( 32 ) passing through both of said second and fourth holes ( 38 ,  98 ), and said second anchor segment ( 94 ) rotates relative to said first anchor segment ( 34 ) such that said first and second axes ( 112 ,  114 ) move out of alignment when said suture anchor ( 20 ) is deployed; and   a suture anchor inserting device ( 58 ) comprising:
 a positioning unit ( 60 ) configured to hold said suture anchor ( 20 ); and 
 a deployment device ( 62 ) configured to push said suture anchor ( 20 ) held by said positioning unit ( 60 ) from said positioning unit ( 60 ) into a bone ( 22 ). 
   
     
     
         13 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 12  wherein
 a linear distance ( 100 ) between said first hole ( 36 ) and said second hole ( 38 ) and a linear distance ( 102 ) between said third hole ( 96 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are substantially equal; and 
 when said first hole ( 36 ) and said third hole ( 96 ) are aligned and said second hole ( 38 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are aligned, said second anchor segment ( 94 ) is rotated relative to said first anchor segment ( 34 ) such that said first axis ( 112 ) is offset from said second axis ( 114 ). 
 
     
     
         14 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said deployment device ( 62 ) pushes said suture anchor ( 20 ) from said positioning unit ( 60 ) at a point ( 86 ) off-center of said suture anchor ( 20 ). 
     
     
         15 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said point ( 86 ) encourages rotation of a leading edge ( 88 ) of said suture anchor ( 20 ) away from a blocked side ( 82 ) of said suture anchor ( 20 ) of said positioning unit ( 60 ). 
     
     
         16 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 12  wherein:
 said deployment device ( 62 ) has an end ( 76 ) that contacts said suture anchor ( 20 ) at a point ( 86 ); and 
 said positioning unit ( 60 ) has an open side ( 80 ) and a blocked side ( 82 ), said point ( 86 ) being proximal to said blocked side ( 82 ). 
 
     
     
         17 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said positioning unit ( 60 ) comprises:
 an open end ( 80 ) having an edge ( 90 ), said open end ( 80 ) configured to:
 hold said suture anchor ( 20 ) and release said suture anchor ( 20 ) when said suture anchor ( 20 ) is pushed by said deployment device ( 62 ); and 
 position said suture anchor ( 20 ) inside said bone ( 22 ) when said suture anchor ( 20 ) touches said edge ( 90 ) after said suture anchor ( 20 ) is released from said positioning unit ( 60 ). 
 
 
     
     
         18 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 12  wherein:
 said first and second holes ( 36 ,  38 ) are located at diagonally opposing corners of said bottom side ( 108 ) of said first anchor segment ( 34 ); and 
 said third and fourth holes ( 96 ,  98 ) are located at diagonally opposing corners of said top side ( 110 ) of said second anchor segment ( 94 ). 
 
     
     
         19 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 12  wherein:
 said first hole ( 36 ) and said second hole ( 38 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of said first axis ( 112 ); and 
 said third hole ( 96 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of said second axis ( 114 ). 
 
     
     
         20 . A suture anchor system ( 84 ) as claimed in  claim 19  wherein prior to deployment of said suture anchor ( 20 ), said first hole ( 36 ) and said third hole ( 96 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of the aligned first and second axes ( 112 ,  114 ) and said second hole ( 38 ) and said fourth hole ( 98 ) are displaced from one another on opposing sides of the aligned first and second axes ( 112 ,  114 ).