Knotless suture anchor

Abstract

A suture anchor comprises a tubular body having an axial bore therethrough and having one or more purchase enhancements on an exterior surface of the body adapted to enhance purchase of the body within a bone hole, such as threads. A lateral port passes through the body from the bore to the exterior surface and is formed of a slot entering the body from its proximal end. A length of suture for attaching soft tissue to bone passes down along the exterior surface over the one or more purchase enhancements, over a distal end of the body, up into the bore through and then back out of the bore and up along the exterior surface over the one or more purchase enhancements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A suture anchor comprising:
 a tubular body having an axial bore therethrough and having a proximal end and a distal end;   one or more purchase enhancements on an exterior surface of the body adapted to enhance purchase of the body within a bone hole;   a lateral port through the body from the axial bore to the exterior surface, the port comprising a slot into the body from the proximal end.   
     
     
         2 . A suture anchor according to  claim 1  wherein the slot has a first portion extending from the proximal end of the body and a second portion extending partially circumferentially about the body. 
     
     
         3 . A suture anchor according to  claim 2  wherein the second portion also extends proximally. 
     
     
         4 . A suture anchor according to  claim 2  wherein the second portion extends counterclockwise about the body when viewed from the body proximal end. 
     
     
         5 . A suture anchor according to  claim 2  wherein the second portion passes through the body at an oblique angle to a distally extending portion of a central longitudinal axis through the body, whereby to allow suture to pass in a distal direction through the port and into the axial bore while forming an oblique angle with itself. 
     
     
         6 . A suture anchor according to  claim 1  wherein the slot further comprises a suture engaging lip to restrain proximal movement of suture out of the slot. 
     
     
         7 . A suture anchor according to  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the slot passes through the body at an oblique angle to a distally extending portion of a central longitudinal axis through the body, whereby to allow suture to pass in a distal direction through the port and into the axial bore while forming an oblique angle with itself. 
     
     
         8 . A suture anchor according to  claim 1  wherein the purchase enhancements comprise at least one thread about the body. 
     
     
         9 . A suture anchor according to  claim 8  and further comprising one or more additional thread leads at a proximal portion of the body. 
     
     
         10 . A suture anchor according to  claim 1  which is sterile and packaged within a sterile bacteria-proof enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . A suture anchor according to  claim 1  wherein the body is formed of a biodegradable material. 
     
     
         12 . A method for attaching tissue to bone comprising the steps of:
 threading a length of suture through the tissue;   loading the length of tissue into a suture anchor which comprises a tubular body having an axial bore therethrough and having a proximal end and a distal end, one or more purchase enhancements on an exterior surface of the body adapted to enhance purchase of the body within a bone hole, and a lateral port through the body from the bore to the exterior surface, the port comprising a slot into the body from the proximal end, the step of loading comprising passing the length of suture through the axial bore from its distal end and out of the body through the slot;   implanting the suture anchor into the bone with the suture passing from the tissue, between the bone and the exterior surface of the body into the axial bore distal end, out of the axial bore through the slot and between the bone and the body exterior surface proximal of where the length of suture passes out of the slot.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the slot comprises a suture engaging lip and the method further comprises retaining the length of suture in the slot with the lip prior to implanting the suture anchor into the bone. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the suture is loaded into the suture anchor manually without further assistance of a suture passing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the purchase enhancements comprise exterior threads and wherein the step of implanting the suture anchor into the bone comprises threading the suture anchor into the bone hole. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the exterior threads comprise one or more additional thread leads at a portion of the anchor proximal to where the suture exits the axial bore through the slot and wherein the method comprises implanting this portion within cortical bone. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the step of implanting the suture anchor into the bone comprises engaging the suture between the suture anchor and the bone at the bone hole and then threading the suture anchor into the bone hole while maintaining an essentially fixed length of the suture between the bone hole and the tissue.