Suture anchor

Abstract

A suture anchor assembly includes an anchor having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, a first length, and an internal passage within the anchor. The internal passage begins at an opening in the proximal end and has a second length shorter than the first length. A support structure fixed longitudinally relative to the anchor extends across the internal passage and has a third length shorter than the second length. A suture within the internal passage is received about a distal surface of the support structure. A suture extends out of the opening in the proximal end. A driver includes a cannula having a distal opening and a proximal opening, and the suture is received within the cannula. A first end and the second end of the suture extend outside of the proximal opening, the driver having a drive surface near the distal opening that engages the anchor.

1 . A suture anchor assembly, comprising:
 an anchor body including a distal end, a proximal end, an exterior surface, a length extending along a central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, and a passage, wherein the passage extends about the central longitudinal axis, the passage extends at least partially along the length of the anchor body, and the passage extends from an opening located at the proximal end of the anchor body, wherein an external helical thread extends at least partially around the passage;   a rigid member fixed by the anchor body against relative movement along the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, wherein the rigid member has a first dimension that is generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body and a second dimension that is generally perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, the second dimension is longer than the first dimension, the rigid member extends across the passage and to the exterior surface, the exterior surface having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface, the first exterior surface spaced from the second exterior surface, wherein the second dimension is defined between the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface;   at least one tissue securing suture having a suture length and received about the rigid member, wherein the at least one tissue securing suture includes a first end and a second end that extend out of the opening located at the proximal end of the anchor body; and   a driver including a shaft having a shaft length, the driver engaging the anchor body, and the suture length of the at least one tissue securing suture is greater than the shaft length of the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passage is defined by a first interior surface and a second interior surface spaced opposite to the first interior surface, and the rigid member is attached to the first interior surface and to the second interior surface. 
     
     
         3 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the rigid member extends through the first interior surface and the second interior surface. 
     
     
         4 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tissue securing suture is received about a leading distal surface of the rigid member, the leading distal surface extending across the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body. 
     
     
         5 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the leading distal surface extends between a first interior surface of the passage and a second interior surface of the passage spaced opposite the first interior surface. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A suture anchor assembly comprising:
 an anchor body including a distal end, a proximal end, an exterior surface, a length extending along a central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, and an internal passage, wherein the internal passage extends about the central longitudinal axis, the internal passage extends at least partially along the length of the anchor body, and the internal passage extends from an opening located at the proximal end of the anchor body, wherein an external helical thread extends at least partially around the internal passage;   a rigid member fixed by the anchor body against relative movement along the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, wherein the rigid member is situated across the internal passage;   a first dimension associated with the rigid member, the first dimension being generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, and a second dimension associated with the rigid member, the second dimension being generally perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, the second dimension is longer than the first dimension, the exterior surface having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface, the first exterior surface spaced from the second exterior surface, the second dimension is defined between the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface, and the second dimension is measured between the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface;   at least one tissue securing suture received about the rigid member, wherein the at least one tissue securing suture includes a first end and a second end that extend out of the opening located at the proximal end of the anchor body; and   a driver including a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the driver engaging the anchor body, and the at least one tissue securing suture extends in a direction along the central longitudinal axis and past the proximal end of the shaft.   
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A suture anchor assembly comprising:
 an anchor body including a distal end, a proximal end, an exterior surface, a length extending along a central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, and an internal passage, wherein the internal passage extends about the central longitudinal axis, the internal passage extends at least partially along the length of the anchor body, and the internal passage extends from an opening located at the proximal end of the anchor body, wherein an anchor securing contour extends at least partially around the internal passage;   a rigid support fixed by the anchor body against relative movement along the central longitudinal axis of the anchor body, wherein the rigid support is situated across the internal passage;   at least one tissue securing suture received about a leading distal surface of the rigid support, wherein the at least one tissue securing suture includes a first end and a second end that extend out of the opening located at the proximal end of the anchor body; and   a driver including a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, the driver engaging the distal end of the anchor body, and the at least one tissue securing suture extends in a direction along the central longitudinal axis and past the proximal end of the shaft.   
     
     
         11 . A suture anchor assembly, comprising:
 an anchor including
 a proximal end and a distal end, 
 a longitudinal axis, 
 a first length along the longitudinal axis, 
 an internal passage within the anchor along the longitudinal axis, the internal passage beginning at an opening in the proximal end of the anchor, the internal passage having a second length along the longitudinal axis, the second length being shorter than the first length, 
 a rigid suture support structure in a fixed longitudinal position relative to the anchor, the rigid suture support structure extending across the longitudinal axis, the rigid suture support structure having a third length along the longitudinal axis, the third length being shorter than the second length, and 
 an anchor securing contour on at least a portion of an exterior of the anchor; 
   at least one tissue securing suture at least partially within the internal passage and received about the rigid suture support structure with a portion of the at least one tissue securing suture being received against a leading distal surface on the rigid suture support structure, the at least one tissue securing suture including a first end and a second end, a portion of the at least one tissue securing suture extending out of the opening in the proximal end of the anchor; and   a driver including a shaft having a proximal end and distal end, the distal end of the shaft having a drive surface that engages the anchor, and the at least one tissue securing suture extends in a direction along the longitudinal axis and past the proximal end of the shaft.   
     
     
         12 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the anchor securing contour comprises a generally helical thread that is interrupted in a vicinity of the rigid suture support structure. 
     
     
         13 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the anchor securing contour comprises a generally helical thread that is continuous along only some of the internal passage. 
     
     
         14 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the anchor is a tap-in anchor. 
     
     
         15 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein
 the anchor comprises a longitudinally extending wall;   the internal passage is surrounded by at least some of the longitudinally extending wall along at least a portion of the second length; and   the wall is interrupted at a location corresponding to the fixed longitudinal position of the rigid suture support structure.   
     
     
         16 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the anchor comprises a continuous wall along only some of the internal passage. 
     
     
         17 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid suture support structure is secured at the fixed longitudinal position at an interface between the rigid suture support structure and an interior surface of the internal passage. 
     
     
         18 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein
 the rigid suture support structure has a fourth length;   the fourth length is along a direction that is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis; and   the fourth length is different than the third length.   
     
     
         19 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the fourth length is greater than the third length. 
     
     
         20 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the drive surface engages an internal surface of the internal passage. 
     
     
         21 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid suture support structure comprises a generally cylindrical member at least partially received by the anchor. 
     
     
         22 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the anchor includes at least one opening in a side of the anchor and the generally cylindrical member is at least partially received through the at least one opening. 
     
     
         23 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the anchor includes at least one opening in a side of the anchor at a position that coincides with the fixed longitudinal position of the rigid suture support structure. 
     
     
         24 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the at least one tissue securing suture received against the leading distal surface on the rigid suture support structure is within an opening for accommodating the at least one tissue securing suture, the opening is disposed distal of the leading distal surface. 
     
     
         25 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one tissue securing suture follows a path beginning with the first end of the at least one tissue securing suture outside of the cannula, through the driver cannula, into the internal passage, around the rigid suture support structure, back through the internal passage, back through the cannula, and ending at the second end of the at least one tissue securing suture outside of the cannula. 
     
     
         26 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein an entire portion of the at least one tissue securing suture that is received into the internal passage is encompassed by an exterior of the anchor. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid suture support structure is secured in the fixed longitudinal position by an internal surface on the anchor. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one tissue securing suture has a length sufficient to secure tissue at a location of the anchor. 
     
     
         31 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the anchor securing contour is an external helical thread. 
     
     
         32 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the internal passage is defined by a first interior surface and a second interior surface spaced opposite to the first interior surface, and the rigid support branches from the first interior surface to the second interior surface. 
     
     
         33 . The suture anchor assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one tissue securing suture has a suture length and the shaft has a shaft length, and the suture length of the at least one tissue securing suture is greater than the shaft length of the shaft. 
     
     
         34 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the shaft is a cannula. 
     
     
         35 . The suture anchor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the first end and the second end of the at least one tissue securing suture extend past the proximal end of the shaft.