Anchor and method for securement into a bore

Claim 1

A medical anchor for securement into a substantially cylindrical bore formed in a living body, the bore defined by a bore sidewall and an opening into the bore, the anchor comprising: a first generally hollow biocompatible section having a plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers pointed proximally toward the opening when positioned in the bore, the fingers having free ends; a second biocompatible section proximally disposed with respect to the first section and having a plurality of cam surfaces for engagement with proximally extending surfaces of the plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers of the first section; the first and second sections being arranged opposed to each other with the fingers of the first section being arranged opposed respective cam surfaces of the second section; an elongated body mechanically engaged with the first section; the first and second sections being adapted to receive a compression force provided at least in part by the elongated body without rotational movement of the elongated body, the compression force moving the two sections relatively toward each other, the first and second sections having a combined longitudinal size such that they are entirely received within the bore after the compression force is applied, the first section being relatively longitudinally movable with respect to the second section with the fingers of said first section being urged to move outwardly by respective ones of the cam surfaces during the relative longitudinal movement, the free ends of the fingers of the first section being adapted to penetrate into the bore sidewall to secure the first section in the bore without anchoring the elongated body at the opening into the bore; the elongated body extending in the longitudinal direction of the fingers with the free ends of the fingers pointing toward the elongated body; at least one of the first and second sections being slidable along the elongated body without relative rotational movement of the elongated body and the at least one section.

Claim 16

A method for securing a medical anchor in a bore formed in a living body, the bore defined by a bore side wall and an opening into the bore, the method comprising: providing a first generally hollow biocompatible section having a first plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers pointed toward the opening; providing a second generally hollow biocompatible section having a second plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers; arranging the first and second sections opposed to each other with the fingers of each section interdigitated with the fingers of the other section; applying a compression force to the first and second sections to move the two sections relatively toward each other, said two sections being relatively longitudinally movable with one plurality of fingers moving outwardly and the other plurality of fingers moving inwardly during the relative longitudinal movement, the outwardly moving fingers being adapted to penetrate into the bore side wall to secure the two sections in the bore, the inwardly moving fingers being adapted to grip an elongated body disposed concentrically in at least one of the sections.

Claim 17

A method for securing a medical anchor in a bore formed in a living body, the bore defined by a bore side wall and an opening into the bore, the method comprising: providing a first generally hollow biocompatible section having a first plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers pointed toward the opening; providing a second generally hollow biocompatible section having a second plurality of spaced longitudinally directed fingers; arranging the first and second sections opposed to each other with the fingers of each section interdigitated with the fingers of the other section; applying a compression force to the first and second sections to move the two sections relatively toward each other, said two sections being relatively longitudinally movable with one plurality of fingers moving outwardly and the other plurality of fingers moving inwardly during the relative longitudinal movement, the outwardly moving fingers being adapted to penetrate into the bore side wall to secure the two sections in the bore, the inwardly moving fingers being adapted to grip an elongated body disposed concentrically in at least one of the sections.