US6086591A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Soft tissue anchor
Assignee: Smith and Nephew Inc
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Filing: 1999-01-29
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Granted: 2000-07-11
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Expires: 2019-01-29
Abstract
Abstract An anchor for fixing soft tissue within a bone tunnel includes a distal end sized and shaped for passage through the tunnel and a proximal end for extending into the tunnel. The distal end is constructed to engage bone cortex adjacent the tunnel opening. The proximal end includes a mount for attaching soft tissue to the anchor. The distal end defines a hook having a sharp or rounded tip and teeth for engaging the bone cortex. The mount is a loop through which soft tissue is passed. A method for attaching soft tissue to bone includes passing the anchor through the tunnel, distal end first, and positioning the anchor in the tunnel with the distal end protruding from the tunnel such that the distal end engages bone cortex adjacent the opening of the tunnel and the proximal end extends into the tunnel.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond A. Bojarski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:52
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/08; A61F2/0811; A61F2002/0847; A61F2002/0852; A61F2002/0876; A61F2002/0882
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A soft tissue anchor for fixing soft tissue within a bone tunnel comprising: a rigid body having a distal end and a proximal end, the body extending longitudinally between the distal and proximal ends and being sized to be longitudinally passed through the bone tunnel, the distal end being constructed to engage a bone surface exterior to and adjacent an open end of the bone tunnel with the proximal end of the body extending longitudinally into the bone tunnel, and a mount at the proximal end for attaching soft tissue to the body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A soft tissue anchor for fixing soft tissue within a bone tunnel comprising: a rigid body having a distal end and a proximal end, the body extending longitudinally between the distal and proximal ends and being sized to be longitudinally passed through the bone tunnel, the distal end being constructed to engage a bone surface exterior to and adjacent an open end of the bone tunnel with the proximal end of the body extending longitudinally into the bone tunnel, and a mount at the proximal end for attaching soft tissue to the body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The anchor of claim 1 wherein the distal end defines a hook for engaging bone cortex adjacent the open end of the bone tunnel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The anchor of claim 2 wherein the hook includes a rounded tip.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The anchor of claim 2 wherein the hook includes a sharp-pointed tip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The anchor of claim 2 wherein the hook includes an undersurface having a pointed tooth for engaging bone cortex.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The anchor of claim 5 wherein the undersurface of the hook includes a plurality of pointed teeth for engaging bone cortex.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The anchor of claim 5 further comprising a neck connecting the distal end and the proximal end, the neck having a hook-facing surface, the undersurface of the hook an the hook-facing surface defining and angle therebetween in the range of about 35 to 45 degrees.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The anchor of claim 1 wherein the distal end defines a hole for threading of a suture therethrough.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The anchor of claim 8 wherein the distal end defines a plurality of holes for threading of suture therethrough.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The anchor of claim 1 wherein the distal end includes a crown having a generally rounded shape.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The anchor of claim 1 wherein the mount comprises a loop defining an opening for passage of soft tissue therethrough.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The anchor of claim 11 wherein the loop is generally circular in shape.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The anchor of claim 11 wherein the loop is generally oblong in shape.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The anchor of claim 11 wherein the body further comprises a neck connecting the distal end and the loop.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The anchor of claim 14 wherein the loop and the neck are centered along a common longitudinal axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The anchor of claim 14 wherein a center of the proximal loop is off-set from a longitudinal axis of the neck.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The anchor of claim 14 wherein the loop has a width greater than a width of the neck.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The anchor of claim 14 wherein the loop has a width approximately equal to a width of the neck.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The anchor of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises an elongated neck disposed longitudinally between the distal end and the proximal end for positioning within the bone tunnel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The anchor of claim 19 wherein a longitudinal length of the neck is approximately equal to a longitudinal length of the mount.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The anchor of claim 1 wherein the body is a one piece body.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
The anchor of claim 11 wherein the body further comprises an elongated neck disposed longitudinally between the distal end and the loop, and a longitudinal length of the neck is approximately equal to a longitudinal length of the loop.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
116 words
A soft tissue anchor for fixing soft tissue within a bone tunnel, comprising: a distal end sized and shaped for passage through the bone tunnel, the distal end including a hook for engaging bone cortex adjacent an opening of the bone tunnel, the hook including an undersurface having a pointed tooth for engaging bone cortex, a proximal end for extending into the bone tunnel, the proximal end including a loop for attaching soft tissue to the body, and a neck connecting the distal end and the proximal end, the neck having a hook-facing surface, the undersurface of the hook and the hook-facing surface defining and angle therebetween in the range of about 35 to 45 degrees.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
116 words
A soft tissue anchor for fixing soft tissue within a bone tunnel, comprising: a distal end sized and shaped for passage through the bone tunnel, the distal end including a hook for engaging bone cortex adjacent an opening of the bone tunnel, the hook including an undersurface having a pointed tooth for engaging bone cortex, a proximal end for extending into the bone tunnel, the proximal end including a loop for attaching soft tissue to the body, and a neck connecting the distal end and the proximal end, the neck having a hook-facing surface, the undersurface of the hook and the hook-facing surface defining and angle therebetween in the range of about 35 to 45 degrees.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for attaching soft tissue to bone, comprising: forming a tunnel through the bone to receive the soft tissue, providing an anchor having a rigid body extending longitudinally between a distal end and a proximal end, attaching soft tissue to a mount at the proximal end of the body, longitudinally passing the anchor through the bone tunnel, distal end first, and positioning the anchor in the bone tunnel with the distal end protruding from the bone tunnel such that the distal end engages a bone surface exterior to and adjacent an open end of the bone tunnel and the proximal end extends into the bone tunnel.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for attaching soft tissue to bone, comprising: forming a tunnel through the bone to receive the soft tissue, providing an anchor having a rigid body extending longitudinally between a distal end and a proximal end, attaching soft tissue to a mount at the proximal end of the body, longitudinally passing the anchor through the bone tunnel, distal end first, and positioning the anchor in the bone tunnel with the distal end protruding from the bone tunnel such that the distal end engages a bone surface exterior to and adjacent an open end of the bone tunnel and the proximal end extends into the bone tunnel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the distal end defines a hook, and the step of positioning includes engaging the hook with bone cortex adjacent the open end of the bone tunnel.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the distal end defines a hole, and the step of positioning includes threading a suture through the hole and pulling the suture to position the anchor in the bone tunnel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the mount comprises a loop, and the step of attaching the soft tissue to the mount includes passing the soft tissue through the loop.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the anchor further comprises a neck connecting the distal end and the mount, and the step of forming the bone tunnel comprises forming a first tunnel section for receiving the neck and a second tunnel section for receiving the mount, a length of the first tunnel section being slightly less than a length of the neck.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the mount has a width greater than a width of the neck, and the step of forming the bone tunnel comprises forming the first tunnel section having a width approximately equal to a width of the neck, and the second tunnel section having a width approximately equal to a width of the mount.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for attaching soft tissue to bone, comprising: forming a tunnel through the bone to receive the soft tissue, providing a rigid anchor having a distal end sized and shaped for passage through the bone tunnel, a proximal end for extending into the bone tunnel, and a neck connecting the distal end and the proximal end, the distal end being constructed to engage bone cortex adjacent an opening of the bone tunnel and the proximal end including a mount, the tunnel being formed with a first tunnel section for receiving the neck and a second tunnel section for receiving the mount, a length of the first tunnel section being slightly less than a length of the neck, attaching soft tissue to the mount, passing the anchor through the bone tunnel, distal end first, and positioning the anchor in the bone tunnel with the distal end protruding from the bone tunnel such that the distal end engages bone cortex adjacent the opening of the bone tunnel and the proximal end extends into the bone tunnel.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for attaching soft tissue to bone, comprising: forming a tunnel through the bone to receive the soft tissue, providing a rigid anchor having a distal end sized and shaped for passage through the bone tunnel, a proximal end for extending into the bone tunnel, and a neck connecting the distal end and the proximal end, the distal end being constructed to engage bone cortex adjacent an opening of the bone tunnel and the proximal end including a mount, the tunnel being formed with a first tunnel section for receiving the neck and a second tunnel section for receiving the mount, a length of the first tunnel section being slightly less than a length of the neck, attaching soft tissue to the mount, passing the anchor through the bone tunnel, distal end first, and positioning the anchor in the bone tunnel with the distal end protruding from the bone tunnel such that the distal end engages bone cortex adjacent the opening of the bone tunnel and the proximal end extends into the bone tunnel.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 30 wherein the mount has a width greater than a width of the neck, and the step of forming the bone tunnel comprises forming the first tunnel section having a width approximately equal to a width of the neck, and the second tunnel section having a width approximately equal to a width of the mount.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-11 | 2004-01-10 | 2004-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-11 | 2008-01-10 | 2008-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-11 | 2012-01-10 | 2012-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |