Innovasive Devices, Inc.

Mitek Surgical Products Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Depuy Mitek, Inc.

Onux Medical, Inc.

Other

Neucoll, Inc.

John T Rice

Rickey D Hart

James E Nicholson

Lehmann K Li

Dennis McDevitt

Gregory E Sancoff

Frederic P Field

Mark A Johanson

Douglas A Fogg

Richard M Winters

Mark Christopher Doyle

George H Chu

Richard F Wenstrom, Jr

Lonnie E Paulos

Harold M Martins

Jacqueline Anne Schroeder

Vivek N Shenoy

Jeff E Yeung

James J Cassidy

Brett Guyer

Melissa K Brown

Robert P Zoletti

A surgical fastening system for attaching one piece of tissue to another piece of tissue. The system comprises a surgical fastener, an installation tool for deploying the surgical fastener in tissue, and a method for using the same.

Surgical fastening system and method for using the same

Surgical fastening system

A rivet-like bone anchor has a floating washer at its head that can adapt to an angled bone surface and, thereby, better secure a tissue thereto. The anchor includes a rivet, an expandable sleeve, and a washer. The rivet includes a head and an elongate body having proximal and distal ends, the head being mounted on the proximal end of the elongate body. The expandable sleeve has an inner bore adapted to receive the rivet body. The washer 'floats' at a proximal end of the sleeve. As the rivet is inserted into sleeve, the sleeve expands into an interference fit with the bone. The head of the rivet, moreover, forces the floating washer into contact with the tissue at an angle that conforms to that of the underlying bone surface. A deployment tool permits the anchor to be deployed without application of unnecessary counterforce. The tool includes an outer tube, the distal end of which can hold the anchor housing, e.g., via a screw fit. A rod, which is slidably disposed within the bore of the tube, can be used to push the rivet into the expandable sleeve so that the sleeve expands into the bone, so that the floating washer is forced into position against the bone surface, and so that anchor is broken away from the housing. This can be effected, for example, by squeezing the distal ends of the outer tube and the rod together, e.g., in the manner that the end of a syringe is squeezed.

Bone anchor and deployment device therefor

Surgical tool for trimming wire strands

An apparatus for placing multiple sutures during anastomosis of physiological vessels includes a crown portion having a plurality of strands connected together by one or more circular bands. The strands each form a point at one end with a curved hook at the same end. The curved hook acts as a suture to retain one or more of the vessels. An alternative embodiment includes a plurality of strands, or wires, that are inserted through one or more vessels to simultaneously place multiple sutures. The present invention also comprises a method for placing a plurality of sutures simultaneously with an apparatus.

Apparatus and method for placing multiple sutures

A device is disclosed for introducing a flexible elongated element through at least two portions of a subject. In an embodiment, the device includes a proximal end and a distal end, as well as an advancement unit for longitudinally advancing the flexible elongated element toward the distal end such that a proximal end of the elongated element may pass from the distal end of said device with sufficient force to pass through the portions of the subject. The device also includes a securing unit for variably adjusting a securing force applied by the flexible elongated element to secure together the portions of the subject.

Surgical suturing instrument and method of use

Bone fastener

Disclosed herein are uniformly shaped swellable devices comprising polymeric materials, as well as apparatuses and processes for their manufacture. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to load bearing implant devices for use in tissue repair. The implants consist of a resorbable, swellable implant body which is formed from a dehydrated crosslinked biocompatible polymer. As such, the implants are capable of swelling after insertion to become anchored in place. The implants function to enhance the structural integrity of the hard tissue into which they are placed, and thereby improve the load bearing capacity of such tissues. The implants are particularly well suited for use in attaching a second (hard or soft) tissue to the first (hard) tissue into which the implant is inserted. They may also be used as a site for attachment of a surgical device such as a screw, rod or pin.

Devices for tissue repair and methods for preparation and use thereof

A bone fastener including an expandable member having an axial channel and an elongated element insertable into the axial channel is described. The expandable member is configured to be insertible into a bore drilled in bone. The distal end of the expandable member also may include a structure for axially releasing the expandable member from an emplacement device that places the expandable member into a bone opening. In one embodiment, the structure for axially releasing includes a frangible membrane capable of being severed from the expandable member during emplacement of the expandable member in a bone opening. A rivet for coupling an object to bone for use with an expandable member is also described. The distal end of the elongated element is shaped into a radially projecting portion adapted for engagement with a washer that contacts the object to be coupled. The washer, having upper and lower surfaces and a bore defined between the surfaces, is disposed around a portion of the shaft. The elongated element is adapted for movement independent of the washer since the radial projection of the element has a different radius of curvature than the washer. An apparatus for use within an endoscope is described. The apparatus includes an elongated, substantially hollow holding means for emplacing a bone fastener of the invention in a bone opening. The expandable member includes a structure for axially releasing the expandable member from the holding means. A method of attaching soft tissue to bone is also described. The invention also includes a surgical fastener kit.

The invention provides anchoring devices and methods for coupling an object, such as a suture or soft tissue, to bone. In one aspect of the invention, a bone anchor is placed into compression fit with a predrilled bone hole by pulling an insertion stem at least partially into an anchoring element. In its non-expanded state, the anchoring element is slidably mounted on the proximal end of the insertion stem. The anchoring element has an axial channel at least a portion of which has an inner diameter (or cross-section) smaller than an outer diameter (or cross-section) of at least one portion of the insertion stem. As that larger portion of the insertion stem is pulled through the channel, it causes the walls of the anchoring element to expand outwardly and, thereby, to engage the bone hole walls in a pressure or compression fit. In another aspect of the invention, the larger portion of the insertion stem is a separate component, referred to as an 'expander element,' that is slidably mounted on the insertion stem distal to the anchoring element. As the insertion stem moves proximally, the expander element is pulled through the channel, causing the walls of the anchoring element to expand into the bone hole walls. A flange, such as a reverse taper, at the distal end of the expander element prevents it from being drawn too far through the anchoring element.

Methods and apparatus for anchoring objects to bone

A suture anchor assembly is described which includes an elongated insertion stem and an approximately cylindrical anchoring element having an axial channel for receiving the insertion stem. In its nonexpanded state, the anchoring element can be placed into a pre-drilled opening in a bone. An expander element loaded onto the insertion stem is engaged with a proximal end of the anchoring element. The proximal end of the anchoring element is capable of telescoping or camming movement over the distal end of the expander element so that resilient proximal portions of the anchoring element are forced outward against the expander element, causing the resilient proximal portions of the anchoring element to expand into the bone hole, fixing the anchoring element in a pressure fit firmly within the opening. A kit for emplacing and removing the suture anchor is also provided as well as methods for attaching a suture to a bone using the present assembly.

Suture anchor assembly and methods

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, MA, United States of America

John T Rice