Soft Suture Anchor

Abstract

A suture anchor assembly, adapted to be attached to a bone, that includes an anchor, which has an undeployed state in which it is soft and flexible, and which can be deployed into a deployed state which is compacted and hard, relative to the undeployed state, and defining a hold region, where the anchor is optimally held as the anchor is deployed. Also, one or more deployment strands are engaged into the anchor and extend out of the anchor, and wherein, when the anchor is in the undeployed state, holding the anchor at the hold region and pulling on the deployment strands compacts the anchor into the deployed state. Accordingly, the anchor can be introduced into a hole in bone and held in place at the hold region, as it is transformed into the deployed state by pulling on the deployment strands, thereby anchoring the anchor in the hole.

1 . A suture anchor assembly, adapted to be attached to a bone, comprising:
 (a) an anchor, which has an undeployed state in which it is soft and flexible, and which can be deployed into a deployed state which is compacted and hard, relative to said undeployed state, and defining a central hold region, where said anchor is optimally held as said anchor is deployed, portions of said anchor extending laterally on both sides from said central hold region;   (b) one or more deployment strands engaged into said anchor and extending out of said anchor, and wherein, when said anchor is in said undeployed state, holding said anchor in place at said hold region and pulling on said one or more deployment strands compacts said anchor into said deployed state by pulling said portions of said anchor extending laterally on both sides into a ball at said hold region;   (c) wherein said anchor includes tape having a periphery and a central location and wherein each of said one or more deployment strands are engaged to said periphery, and wherein said one or more deployment strands exit said anchor at said central location, which is the hold region, of said anchor, so that when said anchor is held at said hold region and said one or more deployment strands are pulled, said periphery is pulled toward said central location of said anchor, causing said anchor to compact into its deployed state; and   (d) whereby said anchor can be introduced into a hole in bone and held in place at said hold region, as it is transformed into said deployed state by pulling on said one or more deployment strands, thereby anchoring said anchor in said hole.   
     
     
         2 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said anchor is woven out of strands that are of the same material and construction as said one or more deployment strands. 
     
     
         3 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more deployment strands is a suture strand. 
     
     
         4 . The suture anchor of  claim 1 , wherein said tape is woven tape. 
     
     
         5 . The suture anchor of  claim 4 , wherein said tape is woven of suture material. 
     
     
         6 . The suture anchor of  claim 5 , wherein said one or more deployment strands are woven into said tape, passing through the periphery in a weave, and extending out through the central portion. 
     
     
         7 . A method of attaching a suture to a bone, comprising:
 (a) providing an anchor, which has an undeployed state in which it is soft and flexible, and which can be deployed into a deployed state which is compacted and hard, relative to said undeployed state, and defining a hold region, where said anchor is optimally held as said anchor is deployed; and one or more deployment strands engaged into said anchor and extending out of said anchor, and wherein, when said anchor is in said undeployed state, holding said anchor at said hold region and pulling on said one or more deployment strands compacts said anchor into said deployed state;   (b) wherein said anchor, in said undeployed state, includes tape having a periphery and a central location and wherein each of said one or more deployment strands are engaged to said periphery, and wherein said one or more deployment strands exit said sheet at said central location, which is the hold region of said anchor, so that when said anchor is held at said hold region and said one or more deployment strands are pulled, said periphery is pulled toward said central location of said anchor, causing said anchor to compact into its deployed state   (c) creating a pilot hole in said bone;   (d) providing an insertion tool sized to push said suture into said pilot hole;   (e) placing said hold region of said anchor onto said insertion tool and using said insertion tool to push said hold region of said anchor into said pilot hole, portions of said anchor extending laterally from said insertion tool and using a portion of said insertion tool that is introduced into and remains inside said pilot hole as said anchor is deployed, to hold said hold region of said anchor in place inside said pilot hole, as said anchor is transformed into said deployed state by pulling on said one or more deployment strands, causing said portions of said anchor extending laterally on both sides from said central hold region to collapse toward said hold region, thereby entering said deployed state and thereby anchoring said anchor in said hole.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said anchor is woven out of strands that are of the same material and construction as said one or more deployment strands. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of said one or more deployment strands is a suture strand. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said tape is woven tape. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said tape is woven of suture material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said one or more deployment strands are woven into said tape, passing through the periphery in a weave, and extending out through the central portion.