Suture tensioning device

Claim 2

A suture tensioning device, comprising: a support arm; a first jaw attached to said support arm; a second jaw slidably attached to said support arm in facing relationship with and oriented in parallel to said first jaw, so that said second jaw is adapted for slidable and parallel movement towards and away from said first jaw, said jaws defining a variable gap therebetween; and a suture retainer on said first or second jaw, said suture retainer comprising an element selected from the group consisting of: a slit, a groove, a clip, a wire, and any other means for holding a suture in place during tying.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein said suture retainer is on said second jaw and said first jaw is shaped to conform to a surface from which a suture emanates.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2, wherein said support arm comprises first and second support arms, said first jaw is attached to said first support arm in an orthogonal relationship, and said second jaw is attached to said second support arm in an orthogonal relationship.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3, wherein said first and second support arms are telescopingly disposed relative to each other to allow said first and second jaws to slide relative to each other.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4, wherein said first support arm has a channel defined therein and said second support arm includes a dovetail for slidable engagement with said channel of said first support arm.

Claim 7

A suture tensioning device, comprising: first and second support arms telescopingly disposed relative to each other; a first jaw attached to said first support arm in an orthogonal relationship; a second jaw slidably attached to said second support arm in an orthogonal relationship with said second support arm and in facing relationship with and oriented in parallel to said first jaw, so that said second jaw is adapted for slidable and parallel movement towards and away from said first jaw, said jaws defining a variable gap therebetween, said second jaw being shaped to conform to a surface from which a suture emanates; and a suture retainer on said first jaw; and a biasing element disposed inside said first support arm and engaged with said second support arm.

Claim 8

A suture tensioning device, comprising: first and second support arms telescopingly disposed relative to each other; a first jaw attached to said first support arm in an orthogonal relationship; a second jaw slidably attached to said second support arm in an orthogonal relationship with said second support arm and in facing relationship with and oriented in parallel to said first jaw, so that said second jaw is adapted for slidable and parallel movement towards and away from said first jaw, said jaws defining a variable gap therebetween, said second jaw being shaped to conform to a surface from which a suture emanates; and a suture retainer on said first jaw; and a biasing element disposed inside said first support arm and engaged with said second support arm.

Claim 9

A suture tensioning device, comprising: first and second support arms; a first jaw attached to said first support arm in an orthogonal relationship; a second jaw slidably attached to said second support arm in an orthogonal relationship with said second support arm and in facing relationship with and oriented in parallel to said first jaw, so that said second jaw is adapted for slidable and parallel movement towards and away from said first jaw, said jaws defining a variable gap therebetween, said second jaw being shaped to conform to a surface from which a suture emanates; a suture retainer on said first jaw; and a stopper attached to the device in such a way that it is capable of being engaged with at least one support arm for fixing a position of said first and second jaws relative to each other without slidable movement.

Claim 10

A suture tensioning device, comprising: first and second support arms; a first jaw attached to said first support arm in an orthogonal relationship; a second jaw slidably attached to said second support arm in an orthogonal relationship with said second support arm and in facing relationship with and oriented in parallel to said first jaw, so that said second jaw is adapted for slidable and parallel movement towards and away from said first jaw, said jaws defining a variable gap therebetween, said second jaw being shaped to conform to a surface from which a suture emanates; a suture retainer on said first jaw; and a stopper attached to the device in such a way that it is capable of being engaged with at least one support arm for fixing a position of said first and second jaws relative to each other without slidable movement.

Claim 11

The device of claim 3, further comprising a manually graspable handle attached to at least said first support arm.

Claim 12

The device of claim 8, wherein said handle is arranged at angle relative to said first support arm.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9, wherein said handle is adjustably mounted on said first support arm so that said angle between said handle and said first support arm may be varied.

Claim 16

The device of claim 11, wherein said first long arm is hollow.

Claim 17

The device of claim 12, wherein said long arms are telescopingly disposed relative to each other.

Claim 18

The device of claim 13, wherein one of said hollow first long arm includes a biasing element disposed therein, said biasing element in simultaneous contact with each of said arms.

Claim 19

The device of claim 14, wherein said biasing element is a spring.

Claim 20

The device of claim 11, further comprising a stopper engaged with at least said hollow first long arm for fixing said size of said gap between said short arms.

Claim 21

The device of claim 16, wherein said stopper comprises a rod that is engaged within an aperture defined in a peripheral surface of said hollow first long arm, said rod adapted for frictional engagement with an outer peripheral surface of said second long arm.

Claim 22

The device of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of calibration marks defined on an outer peripheral surface of said second long arm, said calibration marks being visible when no pressure is applied between said short arms, and increasingly not visible as bias is applied to said short arms.

Claim 23

The device of claim 18, further comprising a manually graspable handle integral with at least said hollow first long arm, said handle being arranged at an angle relative to said hollow first long arm.

Claim 24

The device of claim 19, wherein said handle is adjustably mounted on said hollow first long arm so that said angle between said handle and said hollow first long arm may be varied.

Claim 27

A kit for performing suspension of a tissue, comprising: a bone anchor adapted to insert into a bore in a bone and secure a suture therein; a suture passer adapted to pass said suture secured by said bone anchor in said bone through tissue to be attached to said bone; and a suture tensioning device, comprising: a support arm; a first jaw attached substantially perpendicular to said support arm; a second jaw slidably attached and substantially perpendicular to said support arm in facing relationship with and oriented in parallel to said first jaw, so that said second jaw is adapted for slidable and parallel movement towards and away from said first jaw, said jaws defining a variable gap therebetween; and a suture retainer on said first or second jaw, said suture retainer being adapted to hold said suture passed by said suture passer for tying off of said suture.

Claim 28

A kit for performing suspension of a tissue, comprising: a bone anchor adapted to insert into a bore in a bone and secure a suture therein; a suture passer adapted to pass said suture secured by said bone anchor in said bone through tissue to be attached to said bone; and a suture tensioning device, comprising: a support arm; a first jaw attached substantially perpendicular to said support arm; a second jaw slidably attached and substantially perpendicular to said support arm in facing relationship with and oriented in parallel to said first jaw, so that said second jaw is adapted for slidable and parallel movement towards and away from said first jaw, said jaws defining a variable gap therebetween; and a suture retainer on said first or second jaw, said suture retainer being adapted to hold said suture passed by said suture passer for tying off of said suture.

Claim 29

The kit of claim 22, further comprising a tray for supporting and packaging said bone anchor, suture passer and suture tensioning device.

Claim 30

The kit of claim 23, wherein said suture tensioning device and suture passer are sterilizable.

Claim 31

A suture tensioning device comprising: a first L-shaped member comprising a first support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a first jaw, said first support arm being hollow and having a channel therein; a second L-shaped member comprising a second support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a second jaw, said second support arm being disposed in a slidable telescoping arrangement within said channel in said first support arm so that said first and second jaws extend from said telescoped support arms in substantially facing parallel arrangement, and define a variable gap therebetween; and a suture retainer on said second jaw, said suture retainer comprising an element selected from the group consisting of: a slit, a groove, a clip, a wire, and any other means for holding a suture in place during tying.

Claim 32

A suture tensioning device comprising: a first L-shaped member comprising a first support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a first jaw, said first support arm being hollow and having a channel therein; a second L-shaped member comprising a second support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a second jaw, said second support arm being disposed in a slidable telescoping arrangement within said channel in said first support arm so that said first and second jaws extend from said telescoped support arms in substantially facing parallel arrangement, and define a variable gap therebetween; and a suture retainer on said second jaw, said suture retainer comprising an element selected from the group consisting of: a slit, a groove, a clip, a wire, and any other means for holding a suture in place during tying.

Claim 33

The device of claim 25 further comprising a bias element disposed within said channel in contact with said second support arm at a point at which said second support arm is attached to said second jaw, said bias element providing some resistance against relative motion of said first and second L-shaped members.

Claim 34

The device of claim 26 wherein said bias element is calibrated to indicate how much force is exerted when said L-shaped members are moved relative to each other.

Claim 35

A suture tensioning device comprising: a first L-shaped member comprising a first support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a first jaw, said first support arm being having a channel defined in a peripheral surface thereof; a second L-shaped member comprising a second support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a second jaw, said second support arm including a dovetail element, said dovetail element being slidably engaged with said channel in said first support arm so that said first and second jaws extend from said telescoped support arms in substantially facing parallel arrangement, and define a variable gap therebetween; and a suture retainer on said second jaw, said suture retainer comprising an element selected from the group consisting of: a slit, a groove, a clip, a wire, and any other means for holding a suture in place during tying.

Claim 36

A suture tensioning device comprising: a first L-shaped member comprising a first support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a first jaw, said first support arm being having a channel defined in a peripheral surface thereof; a second L-shaped member comprising a second support arm attached substantially perpendicularly to a second jaw, said second support arm including a dovetail element, said dovetail element being slidably engaged with said channel in said first support arm so that said first and second jaws extend from said telescoped support arms in substantially facing parallel arrangement, and define a variable gap therebetween; and a suture retainer on said second jaw, said suture retainer comprising an element selected from the group consisting of: a slit, a groove, a clip, a wire, and any other means for holding a suture in place during tying.

Claim 37

A kit for performing suspension of a tissue, comprising: a bone anchor adapted to insert into a bore in a bone and secure a suture therein; a suture passer adapted to pass said suture secured by said bone anchor in said bone through tissue to be attached to said bone; and a device for variably tensioning a suture, comprising: first and second L-shaped support elements in sliding engagement with one another, said first L-shaped support element comprising: a first short arm; and a first long arm attached to said first short arm in an orthogonal relationship, said second L-shaped support element comprising: a second short arm; and a second long arm attached to said second short arm in an orthogonal relationship, said first and second L-shaped support elements being arranged relative to one another so that said first and second short arms are in registration with one another and define a gap of variable size therebetween, said size of said gap being changeable by motion of one of said L-shaped support elements relative to said other L-shaped support element; a conforming element on said first short arm, said conforming element being shaped to matingly engage said tissue from which said suture emanates; and a suture retainer on said second short arm, said suture retainer adapted for tying off ends of said suture passed through and emanating from said surface, said device being arranged and constructed so that said tied-off suture exerts a tension of variable magnitude on said surface, said magnitude of said tension being determined by said size of said gap between said short arms.

Claim 38

A kit for performing suspension of a tissue, comprising: a bone anchor adapted to insert into a bore in a bone and secure a suture therein; a suture passer adapted to pass said suture secured by said bone anchor in said bone through tissue to be attached to said bone; and a device for variably tensioning a suture, comprising: first and second L-shaped support elements in sliding engagement with one another, said first L-shaped support element comprising: a first short arm; and a first long arm attached to said first short arm in an orthogonal relationship, said second L-shaped support element comprising: a second short arm; and a second long arm attached to said second short arm in an orthogonal relationship, said first and second L-shaped support elements being arranged relative to one another so that said first and second short arms are in registration with one another and define a gap of variable size therebetween, said size of said gap being changeable by motion of one of said L-shaped support elements relative to said other L-shaped support element; a conforming element on said first short arm, said conforming element being shaped to matingly engage said tissue from which said suture emanates; and a suture retainer on said second short arm, said suture retainer adapted for tying off ends of said suture passed through and emanating from said surface, said device being arranged and constructed so that said tied-off suture exerts a tension of variable magnitude on said surface, said magnitude of said tension being determined by said size of said gap between said short arms.

Claim 39

The kit of claim 29, further comprising a tray for supporting and packaging said bone anchor, suture passer and suture tensioning device.

Claim 40

The kit of claim 30, wherein the suture tensioning device and suture passer are sterilizable.