Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A suture anchor comprising a force distributing and tissue abutting support surface and including a bore sized to accept at least one strand of suture therethrough, a first suture support comprising a first suture gripping member positioned adjacent to said bore remote from said tissue abutting and supporting surface, and a second suture gripping member mounted on a second support connected to said first suture support and movable into engagement with said first suture support, wherein said first and second suture supports include engaging surfaces which grip said suture between them.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
A suture anchor comprising a force distributing and tissue abutting support surface and including a bore sized to accept at least one strand of suture therethrough, a first suture support comprising a first suture gripping member positioned adjacent to said bore remote from said tissue abutting and supporting surface, and a second suture gripping member mounted on a second support connected to said first suture support and movable into engagement with said first suture support, wherein said first and second suture supports include engaging surfaces which grip said suture between them.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A suture anchor according to claim 1 wherein said first and second supports define a suture crimp disposed in spaced relation to a disk including said force distributing and tissue abutting support surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A suture anchor according to claim 2 wherein said first and second supports define a suture crimp disposed in confronting relation to said disk.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A suture anchor according to claim 3 wherein said first and second supports are deformable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A suture anchor according to claim 4 wherein said suture crimp is disposed in confronting spaced relation to said disk both before and after crimping of a suture within said suture crimp.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A suture anchor according to claim 4 wherein said suture crimp engages said suture over a gripping area which is distant from an adjoining tissue portion so as to minimize damage to said adjoining tissue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A suture anchor according to claim 6 wherein said suture anchor provides for more accurate location of said adjoining tissue portion when viewed in a subsequent radiographic image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A suture anchor according to claim 2 wherein said first and second supports define a suture crimp disposed in confronting relation to said disk and supported on a pedestal that connects said suture crimp to said disk so as to maintain said suture crimp in substantially confronting relation to said bore.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
144 words
A suture anchor comprising a suture crimp including a first suture support and a second suture support said suture supports being joined together at an end by a deformable beam for pivotal movement so that said suture supports are movable from an open state to a closed state, wherein said closed state corresponds to a substantial deforming of said beam for maintaining said first and second supports in gripping engagement with one another; said suture supports having opposed mating surfaces that mate in said closed state to secure a suture disposed between said mating surfaces; and a tissue abutting disk having a force distributing and tissue abutting support surface and interconnected with one of said two suture supports and disposed in spaced-relation to said mating surfaces, said tissue abutting disk including a through bore sized to accept at least one strand of suture therethrough.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
A suture anchor comprising a suture crimp including a first suture support and a second suture support said suture supports being joined together at an end by a deformable beam for pivotal movement so that said suture supports are movable from an open state to a closed state, wherein said closed state corresponds to a substantial deforming of said beam for maintaining said first and second supports in gripping engagement with one another; said suture supports having opposed mating surfaces that mate in said closed state to secure a suture disposed between said mating surfaces; and a tissue abutting disk having a force distributing and tissue abutting support surface and interconnected with one of said two suture supports and disposed in spaced-relation to said mating surfaces, said tissue abutting disk including a through bore sized to accept at least one strand of suture therethrough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A suture anchor according to claim 9 wherein said tissue abutting disk comprises a crimp side surface and wherein said suture crimp is disposed in confronting relation to said crimp side surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A suture anchor according to claim 10 wherein said suture crimp is disposed in spaced relation to said crimp side surface and said first and second supports provide an outwardly directed bias to said suture relative to said disk.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A suture anchor according to claim 10 wherein said suture crimp is disposed in confronting spaced relation to said crimp side surface of said disk both before and after crimping of a suture within said suture crimp and wherein said suture is outwardly biased relative to said disk.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A suture anchor according to claim 10 wherein said suture crimp maintains a point of gripping of a suture crimped therein distant from a point of exit from an adjoining tissue portions so as to minimize damage to said adjoining tissue.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A suture anchor according to claim 10 wherein said suture anchor provides for more accurate location of said suturing point in said adjoining tissue when that site is viewed in a subsequent radiographic image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
A suture anchor according to claim 10 wherein said suture crimp is disposed in spaced relation to said crimp side surface and supported on a pedestal that connects said suture crimp to said crimp side surface so as to maintain said suture crimp in substantially confronting and spaced relation to said bore.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A suture anchor according to claim 10 wherein said tissue side surface comprises a broad perimeter.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of tying surgical sutures so as to close a separated portion of tissue which comprises the steps of: (a) mechanically gripping one end of a suture in a suture anchor so that said suture is biased outwardly relative to said tissue when a tensile force is applied to said gripped suture; (c) suturing the tissues together; (d) positioning a second suture anchor on the other side of the tissues to be sutured; (e) pulling the suture to a desired tension with the first and second suture anchors abutting the tissues and elastically opposing said pulling; and (f) mechanically gripping the free end of the suture in said second suture anchor.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of tying surgical sutures so as to close a separated portion of tissue which comprises the steps of: (a) mechanically gripping one end of a suture in a suture anchor so that said suture is biased outwardly relative to said tissue when a tensile force is applied to said gripped suture; (c) suturing the tissues together; (d) positioning a second suture anchor on the other side of the tissues to be sutured; (e) pulling the suture to a desired tension with the first and second suture anchors abutting the tissues and elastically opposing said pulling; and (f) mechanically gripping the free end of the suture in said second suture anchor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
120 words
A suture anchor comprising a tissue abutting and supporting surface and including a bore defined within said tissue abutting and supporting surface, and sized to accept at least one strand of suture therethrough, a first suture support comprising a first suture gripping member positioned adjacent said bore and remote from said tissue abutting and supporting surface, and a second suture gripping member mounted on a second support connected to said first suture support and movable into engagement with said first suture support, wherein said first and second suture supports include engaging surfaces which grip said suture between them wherein said first and second supports provide an outwardly directed bias to said suture relative to said tissue abutting and supporting surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
120 words
A suture anchor comprising a tissue abutting and supporting surface and including a bore defined within said tissue abutting and supporting surface, and sized to accept at least one strand of suture therethrough, a first suture support comprising a first suture gripping member positioned adjacent said bore and remote from said tissue abutting and supporting surface, and a second suture gripping member mounted on a second support connected to said first suture support and movable into engagement with said first suture support, wherein said first and second suture supports include engaging surfaces which grip said suture between them wherein said first and second supports provide an outwardly directed bias to said suture relative to said tissue abutting and supporting surface.