Depuy Mitek, Inc.

Medos International Sarl

Christopher Weinert

Thomas Weisel

David Skinlo

Michael C Pereira

David Robson

Dan Nelsen

Breck Petrillo

Charles Johnson

Ron Farkash

Kristian J DiMatteo

Jose E Lizardi

Benjamin Cleveland

Justin M Piccirillo

Arthur G Stephen

Mark W Wolfson

Erik Sebastian Sojka

Daniel Paul Gamache

Andre Francisco-Guilherme

Brian Henri Ortrando

Erik S Sojke

A suturing apparatus comprises a pair of jaws. A bendable needle housed in one of the jaws is adapted to carry a suture. An optional suture receiver may be disposed adjacent to the opposite jaw. A transition block curves the needle and directs it in a direction generally unparallel to an axis of the carrying jaw. The needle may also be configured to retrieve a suture. A retaining mechanism holds a suture in place to be engaged by the needle. The jaw housing the needle may include a lateral opening through which the suture may be inserted. The needle may also include a lateral notch which may be aligned with lateral opening to receive the suture. An actuator coupled to the needle enables the user to move the needle proximally to align the notch with the lateral slot.

Suturing apparatus and method

Methods and devices are provided for forming bone tunnels. In general, the methods and devices allow multiple converging tunnels to be formed in bone, such as in an arthroscopic surgical procedure, e.g., a rotator cuff repair surgical procedure. One or more sutures can be advanced through the converging tunnels, and the suture(s) can be coupled to tissue. The suture(s) with the tissue coupled thereto can be tensioned, thereby helping to maximize an amount of the tissue in contact with the bone. In an exemplary embodiment, a guide device is provided that can be configured to allow a first tunnel to be formed in bone and to allow a plurality of additional tunnels to be formed in the bone at predetermined angular positions relative to the first tunnel such that each of the additional tunnels can extend transverse to the first tunnel and intersect the first tunnel.

Methods and devices for forming bone tunnels

Growing community of inventors

Mansfield, MA, United States of America

Christopher Weinert