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US6056751A
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Sutureless soft tissue fixation assembly
Assignee: AXYA HOLDINGS Inc
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Filing: 1998-04-16
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Granted: 2000-05-02
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Expires: 2018-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A soft tissue fixation assembly comprises an anchor element which is installed in a bone or other tissue, and a joiner element which mates with the anchor element to define a tissue capture region between them. A section of soft tissue is held within the tissue capture region, and energy is transmitted into the joiner element to cause relative vibratory motion between the respective components and localized melting of the contacting portions of the respective components to establish a welded joint. The soft tissue segment is thus fixed to the bone without sutures or other fasteners.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul V. Fenton, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 04:10
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/08; A61F2/0811; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/0401; A61B17/0487; A61B2017/044; A61B17/06; A61B17/06004; A61B2017/06038; A61F2002/0817; A61F2002/0823; A61F2002/0835; A61F2002/0847; A61F2002/0864; A61F2002/0876; A61F2002/0888
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly comprising: a bone anchor element extending along an axis and adapted for installation into a hole in a bone and including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a drive end; a joiner element extending along an axis; and one or more energy directing members extending axially on at least one of the anchor element and the joiner element for establishing a fusible interface therebetween, wherein the anchor element and the joiner element are adapted to be fused together in situ at said fusible interface upon application of energy to at least one of the joiner element and the anchor element, thereby defining a tissue capture region between them.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly comprising: a bone anchor element extending along an axis and adapted for installation into a hole in a bone and including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a drive end; a joiner element extending along an axis; and one or more energy directing members extending axially on at least one of the anchor element and the joiner element for establishing a fusible interface therebetween, wherein the anchor element and the joiner element are adapted to be fused together in situ at said fusible interface upon application of energy to at least one of the joiner element and the anchor element, thereby defining a tissue capture region between them.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the joiner element is in the form of a post with a cap at one end, and wherein the anchor element includes protruding elements at a leading end thereof for substantially permanent installation of the anchor element into a bone, and a hub at a drive end of the anchor element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the anchor element includes at least one bore for receiving at least a portion of the joiner element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the one or more energy directing members includes one or more projections extending from at least one of the anchor element and the joiner element for focusing energy applied to at least one of the anchor element and the joiner element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the projections extend from at least one of the bore of the anchor element and the post of the joiner element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the joiner element includes one or more tissue contacting members adapted to project into and hold the soft tissue in place within the tissue capture region of the assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An assembly according to claim 6, wherein the tissue contacting members include barbs extending toward the tissue capture region of the assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the tissue capture region of the assembly is defined as an annular region around the joiner element between the cap of the post and the hub of the anchor element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the hub of the anchor element is located at or near the drive end of the anchor element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
An assembly according to claim 8 wherein the hub of the anchor element is located between the leading and drive ends of the anchor element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the energy is ultrasonic energy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the energy is thermal energy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
159 words
A soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly comprising: a bone anchor element adapted for installation into a hole in a bone and including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a drive end; and a joiner element; wherein the anchor element and the joiner element are adapted to be fused together in situ upon application of energy to at least one of the joiner element and the anchor element, thereby defining a tissue capture region between them, wherein the joiner element is in the form of a post with a cap at one end, and wherein the anchor element includes protruding elements at a leading end thereof for substantially permanent installation of the anchor element into a bone, and a hub at a drive end of the anchor element, wherein the joiner element includes a bore for receiving a corresponding pin portion of the anchor element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
159 words
A soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly comprising: a bone anchor element adapted for installation into a hole in a bone and including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a drive end; and a joiner element; wherein the anchor element and the joiner element are adapted to be fused together in situ upon application of energy to at least one of the joiner element and the anchor element, thereby defining a tissue capture region between them, wherein the joiner element is in the form of a post with a cap at one end, and wherein the anchor element includes protruding elements at a leading end thereof for substantially permanent installation of the anchor element into a bone, and a hub at a drive end of the anchor element, wherein the joiner element includes a bore for receiving a corresponding pin portion of the anchor element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
An assembly according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the joiner element and the anchor element includes one or more energy directors for focusing energy applied to at least one of the anchor element and the joiner element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
An assembly according to claim 14, wherein the energy directors comprise a plurality of projections extending from at least one of the bore of the joiner element and the pin of the anchor element.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
236 words
A method of fixing soft tissue to a bone without using sutures, the method comprising the steps of: providing a soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly including a bone anchor element adapted for installation into a hole in a bone and including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a trailing end thereof, and a joiner element, wherein the anchor element and the joiner element are adapted to be fused together in situ, thereby defining a tissue capture region between them; drilling a hole into a bone at a desired location for installation of the anchor element therein; installing the anchor element into the drilled hole: placing a segment of soft tissue to be anchored to the bone over the anchor element in the bone; mating the joiner element with the anchor element through the segment of soft tissue to capture the soft tissue segment within the tissue capture region between the joiner element and the anchor element; and fusing the joiner element to the anchor element, thereby fixing the soft tissue segment to the bone, wherein the step of fusing the joiner element to the anchor element comprises the step of transmitting energy to at least one of the joiner element and the anchor element to effect localized melting and fusing of interfering portions of the joiner element and the anchor element.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
236 words
A method of fixing soft tissue to a bone without using sutures, the method comprising the steps of: providing a soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly including a bone anchor element adapted for installation into a hole in a bone and including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a trailing end thereof, and a joiner element, wherein the anchor element and the joiner element are adapted to be fused together in situ, thereby defining a tissue capture region between them; drilling a hole into a bone at a desired location for installation of the anchor element therein; installing the anchor element into the drilled hole: placing a segment of soft tissue to be anchored to the bone over the anchor element in the bone; mating the joiner element with the anchor element through the segment of soft tissue to capture the soft tissue segment within the tissue capture region between the joiner element and the anchor element; and fusing the joiner element to the anchor element, thereby fixing the soft tissue segment to the bone, wherein the step of fusing the joiner element to the anchor element comprises the step of transmitting energy to at least one of the joiner element and the anchor element to effect localized melting and fusing of interfering portions of the joiner element and the anchor element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein the energy is ultrasonic energy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein the energy is thermal energy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
154 words
A soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly comprising: one or more bone anchor elements each extending along an axis and adapted for installation into respective holes in a bone, each bone anchor element including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a drive end; a band element extending along an axis; and one or more energy directing members extending axially on at least one of the bone anchor elements and said band element for establishing a fusible interface between said one or more bone anchor elements and said band element, wherein said band element is adapted for fused engagement with each anchor element at the fusible interface upon application of energy to at least one of the band element and the anchor elements, thereby defining a tissue capture region between the band element and the one or more bone anchor elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
154 words
A soft tissue fixation assembly for sutureless attachment of soft tissue to bone, the assembly comprising: one or more bone anchor elements each extending along an axis and adapted for installation into respective holes in a bone, each bone anchor element including an anchor portion at a leading end and a drive portion at a drive end; a band element extending along an axis; and one or more energy directing members extending axially on at least one of the bone anchor elements and said band element for establishing a fusible interface between said one or more bone anchor elements and said band element, wherein said band element is adapted for fused engagement with each anchor element at the fusible interface upon application of energy to at least one of the band element and the anchor elements, thereby defining a tissue capture region between the band element and the one or more bone anchor elements.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
An assembly according to claim 19, comprising a pair of bone anchor elements, wherein the band element extends between opposed ends, wherein the ends of the band element are adapted for fused engagement with corresponding structures on the bone anchor elements.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
49 words
An assembly according to claim 19, comprising a single bone anchor element, wherein the band element comprises a loop, wherein the ends of the loop are adapted for fused engagement with the bone anchor element, and wherein the tissue capture region is defined as the region within the loop.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
An assembly according to claim 19, wherein the energy is ultrasonic energy.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
An assembly according to claim 19, wherein the energy is thermal energy.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-02 | 2003-11-01 | 2004-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-02 | 2007-11-01 | 2008-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-02 | 2011-11-01 | 2012-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |