Device and method for securing a suture

Abstract

An improved method and device to secure a suture relative to body tissue. The device includes an outer sleeve with a generally cylindrical outer surface and an opening extending from the leading end to the trailing end adapted to receive at least a portion of the suture therein. The device also includes an inner member configured to be coaxially advanceable within the opening of the outer sleeve. The inner member and outer sleeve are configured to fixedly couple to each other and to trap at least a portion of the suture therebetween after advancement of the inner member within the outer sleeve. The device is also configured to expand from a first maximum dimension transverse to the central longitudinal axis to a second maximum dimension after advancement of the inner member within the outer sleeve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A securing device adapted to secure a suture relative to body tissue, the securing device comprising:
 an outer sleeve having a generally cylindrical outer surface, a leading end, a trailing end, a central longitudinal axis, and an opening extending from the leading end to the trailing end adapted to receive at least a portion of the suture therein;   an inner member configured to be coaxially advanceable within the opening of the outer sleeve, the outer sleeve and the inner member being configured to fixedly couple to each other and to trap at least a portion of the suture therebetween after advancement of the inner member within the outer sleeve; and   the securing device being configured to have a first maximum dimension transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the outer sleeve and a second maximum dimension transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the outer sleeve, the second maximum dimension configured to be greater than the first maximum dimension after the advancement of the inner member within the outer sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The securing device of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member and the opening each have a generally cylindrical configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The securing device of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member and the opening of the outer sleeve each have a generally tapered configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The securing device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer sleeve and the inner member is made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         5 . The securing device of  claim 4 , wherein the polymeric material is a biodegradable polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The securing device of  claim 4 , wherein the polymeric material is a non-biodegradable polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The securing device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the suture is confined between the outer sleeve and the body tissue. 
     
     
         8 . The securing device of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member includes projections extending therefrom to facilitate coupling of the inner member with the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The securing device of  claim 1 , wherein the opening of the outer sleeve includes projections extending therefrom to facilitate coupling of the inner member with the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The securing device of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the suture is compressed between the outer sleeve and the projections extending from the inner member. 
     
     
         11 . A method of securing a suture relative to body tissue, the method comprising:
 utilizing a securing device comprising an outer sleeve having a generally cylindrical outer surface, a leading end, a trailing end, a central longitudinal axis, and an opening extending from the leading end to the trailing end adapted to receive at least a portion of the suture therein;   advancing an inner member within the opening of the outer sleeve, the inner member being substantially coaxial with the opening of the outer sleeve;   coupling the outer sleeve and inner member in a fixed relationship to each other to compress at least a portion of the suture therebetween; and   expanding the securing device from a first maximum dimension transverse to the central longitudinal axis to a second maximum dimension transverse to the central longitudinal axis after initiating the advancement of the inner member within the opening of the outer sleeve.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including confining at least a portion of the suture between the outer sleeve and the body tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the inner member and the opening of the outer sleeve each have a generally cylindrical configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the inner member and the opening each have a generally tapered configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the outer sleeve and the inner member is made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric material is a biodegradable polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric material is a non-biodegradable polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the inner member includes projections extending therefrom to facilitate the coupling of the inner member with the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the opening of the outer sleeve includes projections extending therefrom to facilitate the coupling of the inner member with the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising compressing at least a portion of the suture between the outer sleeve and the projections extending from the inner member.