Suture anchor

Claim 2

Apparatus for use in attaching a suture anchor assembly to a bone comprising: an insertion cannula in the form of a first hollow tube; a suture anchor loader in the form of a second hollow tube sized to make a close sliding fit in said first hollow tube; a plunger in the form of an elongate member sized to make a close sliding fit in said second hollow tube; and stop means limiting the extent to which said second hollow tube may be inserted into said first hollow tube; said insertion cannula, said suture anchor loader and said plunger being sized so as to have substantially the same length.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stop means comprises means projecting laterally from said first hollow tube.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stop means comprises means projecting laterally from said second hollow tube.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stop means comprises first and second stop means projecting laterally from said first and second hollow tubes respectively.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising additional stop means for limiting intrusion of said plunger into said second hollow tube.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stop means comprises first and second members on the exterior of said first and second hollow tubes respectively.

Claim 8

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone having a hole formed therein, said anchor comprising: a body, at least one barb and attachment means for attaching said object to said anchor; said body having a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, an exterior surface, and a maximum cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis smaller than the transverse cross-section of said hole in said bone; said at least one barb being rigidly attached to said body and adapted so as to normally extend axially and radially outwardly from said body to an outer end located radially outwardly of an axial projection of said maximum transverse cross-section of said body, with said at least one barb being capable of being elastically deformed such that said outer end of said at least one barb is located substantially radially within said axial projection of said maximum transverse cross-section of said body.

Claim 9

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone having a hole formed therein, said anchor comprising: a body, at least one barb and attachment means for attaching said object to said anchor; said body having a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, an exterior surface, and a maximum cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis smaller than the transverse cross-section of said hole in said bone; said at least one barb being rigidly attached to said body and adapted so as to normally extend axially and radially outwardly from said body to an outer end located radially outwardly of an axial projection of said maximum transverse cross-section of said body, with said at least one barb being capable of being elastically deformed such that said outer end of said at least one barb is located substantially radially within said axial projection of said maximum transverse cross-section of said body.

Claim 10

An anchor for maintaining a portion of an object within a hole in a bone, said anchor comprising: a body, attachment means for connecting said portion of said object to said body, and engagement means for substantially fixedly locating said body relative to said hole in said bone against withdrawing forces applied to said anchor by said object; said body comprising a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, and a maximum cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis smaller than the transverse cross-section of said hole such that said body is adapted for longitudinal insertion into said hole distal end first; said engagement means comprising at least one flexible projection extending out of said body, said at least one projection having an outer end normally located radially outwardly of an axial projection of said maximum cross-section of said body transverse to said longitudinal axis, but being elastically deformable toward said longitudinal axis of said body; and said attachment means comprising an opening in said body.

Claim 11

An anchor for maintaining a portion of an object within a hole in a bone, said anchor comprising: a body, attachment means for connecting said portion of said object to said body, and engagement means for substantially fixedly locating said body relative to said hole in said bone against withdrawing forces applied to said anchor by said object; said body comprising a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, and a maximum cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis smaller than the transverse cross-section of said hole such that said body is adapted for longitudinal insertion into said hole distal end first; said engagement means comprising at least one flexible projection extending out of said body, said at least one projection having an outer end normally located radially outwardly of an axial projection of said maximum cross-section of said body transverse to said longitudinal axis, but being elastically deformable toward said longitudinal axis of said body; and said attachment means comprising an opening in said body.

Claim 12

An anchor according to claim 8 wherein said body and said at least one projection constitute a unitary structure.

Claim 13

An anchor according to claim 8 wherein said body and said at least one projection are formed from different materials such that said body is a rigid, substantially non-deformable structure and said at least one projection comprises a substantially elastically deformable structure.

Claim 14

An anchor according to claim 8 wherein said at least one projection is a wire-like structure.

Claim 15

An anchor according to claim 8 wherein said at least one projection is formed out of a nickel titanium alloy.

Claim 16

An anchor according to claim 8 wherein said at least one projection is substantially rigidly attached to said proximal end of said body.

Claim 17

An anchor according to claim 8 wherein said object comprises a length of suture-like material.

Claim 18

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone having a hole formed therein, said anchor comprising: a body, attachment means for attaching said object to said body, and bone engagement means; said body having a longitudinal axis and a maximum cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis smaller than the transverse cross-section of said hole in said bone; said attachment means comprising an opening in said body; and said bone engagement means comprising at least one member having an inner end attached to said body and an outer end extending outboard of said body such that when said anchor is inserted into said hole, said outer end will engage said bone, with said member being elastically deformable so as to permit said anchor to be inserted into said hole distal end first, and adapted to resist withdrawal of said anchor from said hole proximal end first.

Claim 19

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone having a hole formed therein, said anchor comprising: a body, attachment means for attaching said object to said body, and bone engagement means; said body having a longitudinal axis and a maximum cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis smaller than the transverse cross-section of said hole in said bone; said attachment means comprising an opening in said body; and said bone engagement means comprising at least one member having an inner end attached to said body and an outer end extending outboard of said body such that when said anchor is inserted into said hole, said outer end will engage said bone, with said member being elastically deformable so as to permit said anchor to be inserted into said hole distal end first, and adapted to resist withdrawal of said anchor from said hole proximal end first.

Claim 20

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone having a hole formed therein, said anchor comprising: a substantially rigid element, at least one flexible element and attachment means for connecting said object to said substantially rigid element; said substantially rigid element having a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, and being sized for longitudinal insertion into said hole distal end first; and said at least one flexible element having an inner portion attached to said rigid element and an outer portion extending outwardly and distally away from said rigid element, with said flexible element being capable of being elastically deformed from a normal, unstressed first configuration wherein said outer end resides radially outwardly of an axial projection of the maximum cross-section of said rigid element transverse to said longitudinal axis to a second, stressed configuration wherein said flexible element resides substantially wholly within said axial projection of said rigid element; and said attachment means comprises an opening formed in said rigid element.

Claim 21

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone having a hole formed therein, said anchor comprising: a substantially rigid element, at least one flexible element and attachment means for connecting said object to said substantially rigid element; said substantially rigid element having a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, and being sized for longitudinal insertion into said hole distal end first; and said at least one flexible element having an inner portion attached to said rigid element and an outer portion extending outwardly and distally away from said rigid element, with said flexible element being capable of being elastically deformed from a normal, unstressed first configuration wherein said outer end resides radially outwardly of an axial projection of the maximum cross-section of said rigid element transverse to said longitudinal axis to a second, stressed configuration wherein said flexible element resides substantially wholly within said axial projection of said rigid element; and said attachment means comprises an opening formed in said rigid element.

Claim 22

Apparatus for use in attaching a suture anchor assembly to a bone comprising: an insertion cannula in the form of a first hollow tube; a suture anchor loader in the form of a second hollow tube sized to make a close sliding fit in said first hollow tube; a plunger in the form of an elongate member sized to make a close sliding fit in said second hollow tube; and stop means limiting the extent to which said second hollow tube may be inserted into said first hollow tube, said stop means comprising first and second stop means projecting laterally from said first and second hollow tubes respectively; said insertion cannula, said suture anchor loader and said plunger being sized so as to have substantially the same length.

Claim 23

Apparatus for use in attaching a suture anchor assembly to a bone comprising: an insertion cannula in the form of a first hollow tube; a suture anchor loader in the form of a second hollow tube sized to make a close sliding fit in said first hollow tube; a plunger in the form of an elongate member sized to make a close sliding fit in said second hollow tube; and stop means limiting the extent to which said second hollow tube may be inserted into said first hollow tube, said stop means comprising first and second stop means projecting laterally from said first and second hollow tubes respectively; said insertion cannula, said suture anchor loader and said plunger being sized so as to have substantially the same length.

Claim 24

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone, said anchor comprising: a substantially rigid element, at least one flexible element, and attachment means for attaching said object to said substantially rigid element; said substantially rigid element having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis passing through said distal end and said proximal end, and a maximum transverse cross-section as taken perpendicular to said longitudinal axis; said at least one flexible element comprising an inner portion connected to said substantially rigid element and an outer portion extending outwardly of, and proximally away from, said distal end of said substantially rigid element, with said at least one flexible element being capable of being elastically deformed so that said outer portion will lie substantially within an axial projection of said maximum transverse cross-section of said rigid element; and said attachment means comprising an opening in said substantially rigid element.

Claim 25

An anchor for attaching an object to a bone, said anchor comprising: a substantially rigid element, at least one flexible element, and attachment means for attaching said object to said substantially rigid element; said substantially rigid element having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis passing through said distal end and said proximal end, and a maximum transverse cross-section as taken perpendicular to said longitudinal axis; said at least one flexible element comprising an inner portion connected to said substantially rigid element and an outer portion extending outwardly of, and proximally away from, said distal end of said substantially rigid element, with said at least one flexible element being capable of being elastically deformed so that said outer portion will lie substantially within an axial projection of said maximum transverse cross-section of said rigid element; and said attachment means comprising an opening in said substantially rigid element.

Claim 26

Apparatus for attaching an object to bone, said apparatus comprising in combination: means for forming an opening in a bone; a body having a distal end and a proximal end; bone engagement means comprising at least one member having a first end connected to said body and a second end extending outwardly of, and proximally away from, said distal end of said body, said bone engagement means being formed such that when said body passes into said opening in said bone distal end first, said second end of said at least one member will engage said bone, with said at least one member being elastically deformable so as to permit said body to pass into said opening distal end first, and with said at least one member being adapted to resist withdrawal of said body from said opening proximal end first; and said body being formed with an opening therein for attaching said object to said body.

Claim 27

Apparatus for attaching an object to bone, said apparatus comprising in combination: means for forming an opening in a bone; a body having a distal end and a proximal end; bone engagement means comprising at least one member having a first end connected to said body and a second end extending outwardly of, and proximally away from, said distal end of said body, said bone engagement means being formed such that when said body passes into said opening in said bone distal end first, said second end of said at least one member will engage said bone, with said at least one member being elastically deformable so as to permit said body to pass into said opening distal end first, and with said at least one member being adapted to resist withdrawal of said body from said opening proximal end first; and said body being formed with an opening therein for attaching said object to said body.