Unitary anchor for soft tissue fixation

Abstract

A suture anchor includes a single length of resilient wire bent to form a suture-retaining loop disposed between two proximally diverging coplanar legs having pointed ends. The legs are selectively compressible together to permit the anchor to be inserted, loop first, into a bone tunnel having a diameter smaller than the transverse spacing between the uncompressed legs. Release of the legs inside the bone tunnel permits the pointed leg ends to penetrate the tunnel wall. An insertion tool has pivotable arms distally terminating in respective transversely extending arcuate jaws contoured to engage the anchor legs at a location adjacent the loop and compress the anchor legs upon closure of the jaws. Each jaw has one end fixed to its pivotable arm and juxtaposed with a free end of the opposing jaw. An anchor dispenser includes a plurality of storage slots for retaining respective anchors with the anchor loop radially compressed and the anchor legs diverging forwardly of the slot. Plural access bores are aligned with respective storage slots and permit the tool jaws to be inserted through a bore and directly aligned with a stored anchor. Closure of the jaws about the anchor permits the storage anchor to be removed from its slot by rotating the tool. The removed anchor can then be withdrawn through the access bore while engaged by the insertion tool, and then inserted into a bone tunnel.