Suturing construct with spliced tails

Abstract

A surgical construct having a flexible strand with a middle region and at least two opposing tail regions that are spliced to form a single tail. The middle region has a first diameter and the opposing tail regions have a second diameter, which is smaller than the first diameter. The tail regions may have similar or different diameters. Because of the thin spliced tail regions, the suturing construct of the present invention can be easily inserted into suture/tape passing and retrieving instruments and passed through soft tissue (such as a rotator cuff). Once the suturing construct has been passed through tissue, the splice may be cut to allow the suture/tape to have again individual tails.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
         1 . A surgical construct comprising a flexible strand with both opposing ends terminating in a same single tail. 
     
     
         2 . The surgical construct of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible strand is a suture strand or a suture tape, or a combination of suture stand and suture tape. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical construct of  claim 1 , wherein both opposing ends are spliced to form a splice connecting the flexible strand to the single tail. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical construct of  claim 1 , wherein the single tail is coated with a material comprising wax, silicone, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polybutylate acid. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical construct of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible strand forms a flexible loop when the ends terminate in the same single tail, the flexible loop comprising at least two different regions with different diameters. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical construct of  claim 1 , wherein the single tail is coated with a plastic material. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical construct of  claim 1 , wherein the single tail is impregnated with a plastic material. 
     
     
         8 . A suturing construct, comprising:
 a flexible loop; and   a splice connecting the flexible loop to a flexible strand.   
     
     
         9 . The suturing construct of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible loop comprises a first region of a first diameter and two regions of a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter. 
     
     
         10 . The suturing construct of  claim 9 , wherein the two regions of the second diameter have fiber strands of contrasting colors. 
     
     
         11 . The suturing construct of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible loop, the first and second regions, and the flexible strand all have fiber strands of contrasting colors. 
     
     
         12 . The suturing construct of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible strand has a third diameter about equal to the second diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The suturing construct of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible loop is a continuous suture loop or a continuous suture tape loop. 
     
     
         14 . The suturing construct of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible loop is surrounded by a cover. 
     
     
         15 . The suturing construct of  claim 8 , wherein the cover comprises braided suture of a high strength material. 
     
     
         16 . The suturing construct of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible loop is tapered in a direction towards the flexible strand. 
     
     
         17 . The suturing construct of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of flexible loop and the flexible strand contains a bioabsorbable material. 
     
     
         18 . A suturing construct, comprising:
 a first region; and   a first and a second end regions located at opposite ends of the first regions, wherein at least a portion of the first end region is joined to at least a portion of the second end region to form a joined region.   
     
     
         19 . The suturing construct of  claim 18 , wherein the joined region is a splice with a single tail. 
     
     
         20 . The suturing construct of  claim 18 , wherein the joined region is formed by splicing together at least a region of the first end region and at least a region of the second end region. 
     
     
         21 . The suturing construct of  claim 18 , wherein the first region, and the first and second end regions all have fiber strands of contrasting colors. 
     
     
         22 . The suturing construct of  claim 18 , wherein the first region is a braided suture. 
     
     
         23 . A system for surgical repairs, comprising:
 a fixation device comprising an anchor body and an eyelet; and   a suture construct pre-loaded on the fixation device, the suture construct comprising a continuous flexible loop and a single tail attached to the loop, the flexible loop being threaded through the eyelet of the fixation device.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the continuous flexible loop further comprises a first region of a first diameter, a second region of a second diameter, and two transitional regions of a third diameter, the two transitional regions connecting the first region to the second region, wherein the third diameter tapers between the first diameter and the second diameter, and wherein the single tail is attached to the second region. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the suture construct is a suture or a suture tape.