Soft anchors with soft eyelets

Abstract

Soft anchor constructs and methods for soft tissue to bone repairs. The soft anchors may be knotted or knotless constructs. The soft anchors include a body formed of various soft materials (including, but not limited to, suture) and provided in various shapes and configurations that confer the anchors the ability to be easily inserted within bone tunnels or sockets and be bunched up within the bone tunnels or sockets. At least one closed loop or soft eyelet is attached to the soft anchor to allow additional sliding strands and/or shuttle/pull devices (suture passing devices) to pass through the eyelet and aid in the knotted or knotless fixation of tissue to bone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical system, comprising:
 an inserter including a forked portion; and   a soft anchor looped over the forked portion of the inserter,   wherein the soft anchor includes a sheath and a first flexible suture strand passed through at least one cannulation of the sheath,   wherein the sheath is comprised of polyester and the first flexible suture strand is comprised of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).   
     
     
         2 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the soft anchor is made exclusively of suture-based materials. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first flexible suture strand passes through the sheath multiple times. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first flexible suture strand passes through the sheath at multiple locations of the sheath. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the soft anchor includes a second flexible strand attached to the sheath. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the second flexible strand is comprised of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). 
     
     
         7 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sheath is configured to move from a first, non-compressed position to a second, compressed position in response to tensioning the first flexible suture strand. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the second, compressed position is a bunched-up position. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sheath is a woven, braided, or knitted suture structure. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the soft anchor extends along a first side of the forked portion, through a slot formed in the forked portion, and along a second side of the forked portion. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a first width of the sheath is larger than a second width of the first flexible suture strand. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the inserter includes a handle, a shaft, and the forked portion. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the forked portion is provided at a distal tip of the shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , comprising a knot formed in the first flexible suture strand. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first flexible suture strand protrudes outside of the sheath at a location of the sheath that is spaced apart from opposing open ends of the sheath. 
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 preparing a hole in a bone;   pushing a soft anchor into the hole with a forked portion of an inserter,   wherein the soft anchor includes a sheath and a flexible suture strand passed through the sheath; and   tensioning the flexible suture strand, thereby moving the soft anchor from a first, non-compressed position to a second, compressed, bunched-up position inside the hole.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the sheath is comprised of polyester and the flexible suture strand is comprised of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the flexible suture strand passes through the sheath at multiple locations of the sheath. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the soft anchor extends along a first side of the forked portion, through a slot formed in the forked portion, and along a second side of the forked portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the flexible suture strand protrudes outside of the sheath at a location of the sheath that is spaced apart from opposing open ends of the sheath.