Tack anchor systems, bone anchor systems, and methods of use

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for securing tissue to bone using tack anchors, bone anchoring systems are described. The tack anchor may include a body and a securing element. The body may include one or more compressible flanges, an opening and, a cavity. The cavity may include an opening near or proximate the flanges, and be configured to receive a suture. The securing element may be configured to slide into the opening of the body to secure a portion of one or more sutures in the cavity such that the ends of the sutures are accessible through the cavity opening. In some embodiments, tack anchor tool for insertion of a tack anchor into tissue and/or bone is described.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of inserting one or more anchors into a bone, comprising:
 coupling a portion of a suture to the anchor, wherein the anchor comprises one or more compressible flanges;   coupling the anchor to an anchor tool; and   positioning a distal end of the anchor on the bone; and   applying force to a handle of the tack anchor tool such that the distal end of the anchor is inserted into the bone and the flanges of the anchor open outward;   removing the anchor tool by sliding the anchor tool in a proximal direction along the longitudinal axis of the sutures.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the anchor tool further comprises a stop and a spacer, and the method further comprises positioning the spacer between the stop and the handle to inhibit a second elongated member of the anchor tool from displacing the anchor from a first elongated member of the anchor tool. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein applying force to the handle comprises forcing the handle to contact the stop. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising inserting at least 2 anchors into the bone. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising inserting at least 3 anchors into the bone. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising positioning at least 2 anchors near or proximate one or more other of the tack anchors. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising drilling a hole into the bone and threading the anchor into the bone. 
     
     
         35 . A method of connecting tissue to bone, comprising:
 pulling tissue onto an area of bone;   inserting a first anchor through the tissue and into the bone,   wherein the first anchor comprise one or more compressible flanges and one or more sutures, and wherein, upon insertion, at least one of the flanges of the first anchor opens outward;   inserting a second anchor into the bone such that the second anchor is positioned proximate to the first anchor,   wherein the second anchor comprises a two bar locking assembly at least partially disposed in a cavity of the bone anchor main body, and wherein the two bar locking assembly comprises at least two interacting locking elements; and   securing at least one of the sutures of the first tack anchor to the two bar locking assembly of the second bone anchor.   
     
     
         36 - 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . A method for coupling tissue to bone, the method comprising:
 providing an anchor comprising a cavity, a first locking element having a first opening, a second locking element having a second opening, and a securing element spanning the cavity and passing through each of the two locking elements, wherein the first and second locking elements are movable with respect to the cavity; and   threading a suture along a suture path through the first opening in the first locking element in a direction toward the second locking element, through a gap between the first locking element and the second locking element, around the second locking element, through the second opening in the second locking element, and back through the first opening in the first locking element.   
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , further comprising positioning the first and second locking elements with respect to each other such that the suture is moveable along the suture path in a first direction and inhibited from moving in a second direction. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 68 , further comprising moving the first and second locking elements in an axial direction with respect to each other such that movement of the suture in one direction is inhibited. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 68 , further comprising inhibiting the anchor from moving out of a bone with one or more compressible flanges. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the first locking element comprises a first locking ring, and wherein the second locking element comprises a second locking ring. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 68 , further comprising moving at least one of the first and second locking elements in an axial direction with respect to another of the first and second locking elements to allow or inhibit movement of the suture. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 68 , further comprising inserting the anchor into a bone. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , further comprising drilling a hole into the bone prior to inserting the anchor into the bone. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 68 , further comprising reversibly coupling an inserter to the anchor and positioning the anchor in a bone using the inserter. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the anchor comprises a first anchor component comprising a first body and an opening formed within the first body; a second anchor component comprising a second body, further comprising compressing and advancing the second body of the second anchor component into the opening formed within the first body of the first anchor component. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , further comprising deploying the first anchor component in bone and advancing the second body of the second anchor component into the opening formed within the first body of the first anchor component. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 77 , further comprising securing the second body to the first body when a second stop surface of the second body engages a first stop surface of the first body.