Method and apparatus for suture anchors with a vertical eyelet

Abstract

A suture anchor for anchoring a suture in the selected portion of an anatomical portion for fixing a suture thereto. The suture anchor including an anatomical engaging portion and a suture engaging portion wherein both the anatomical engaging portion and a suture engaging portion are adopted to be substantially disposed below an exterior of the anatomical portion after implantation. Suture eyelets are provided in the suture engaging section and a suture passage is formed to interconnect the eyelets to allow a suture to be easily threaded in the suture engaging section from the first eyelet to the second eyelet.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of securing soft tissue to bone, the method comprising:
 positioning a suture through an eyelet of a first part of a suture anchor;   implanting the first part of the suture anchor into the bone;   inserting a second part of the suture anchor into the bone and over a post of the first part of the suture anchor to secure the soft tissue to the bone; and   securing the suture to the soft tissue to secure the soft tissue to the bone.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein inserting comprises inserting the second part over the post of the first part until the second part contacts a shoulder of the first part. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein inserting comprises threading a threaded portion located on an external diameter of the second part into the bone until it contacts a shoulder of the first part. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein inserting the second part comprises threading a threaded portion arranged on an external diameter of the second part into the bone. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein inserting the second part includes inserting the second part into the bone such that the post of the first part travels into a bore of the second part, wherein the bore and the post are arranged coaxially. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising arranging a portion of the suture that extends out of the eyelet to extend proximally away from the eyelet along a longitudinal axis of the suture anchor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first part comprises a shoulder that has an external diameter that is larger than an external diameter of a distal end of the second part. 
     
     
         9 . A method of securing soft tissue to a bone, the method comprising:
 loading a suture through an eyelet of a first part of a suture anchor, the first part of the suture anchor extending along a longitudinal axis of the suture anchor, the suture anchor including a post extending proximally away from a tapered distal tip along the longitudinal axis;   implanting the first part into a selected bone portion; and   inserting a second part of the suture anchor over the post of the first part to secure the soft tissue to the bone, the second part of the suture anchor having a bone engaging section arranged on an external diameter of the second part to engage with the selected bone portion.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the bone engaging section comprises threads arranged on an external diameter of the second part, and wherein inserting the second part includes threading the second part into the selected bone portion. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein inserting the second part includes inserting the second part such that the post of the first part is arranged inside of a bore of the second part, and wherein the bore and the post are arranged coaxially. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein inserting comprises inserting the second part over the post of the first part until the second part contacts a shoulder of the first part. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein inserting the second part comprises threading a threaded portion arranged on an external diameter of the second part into the selected bone portion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein inserting the second part comprises threading a threaded portion arranged on an external diameter of the second part into the selected bone portion until it contacts a shoulder of the first part. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the post of the first part extends within an internal bore of the second part of the anchor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising arranging a portion of the suture that extends out of the eyelet to extend proximally away from the eyelet along the longitudinal axis of the suture anchor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising preparing an opening in the selected bone portion to expose a selected bone region, and wherein implanting includes implanting the first part into the selected bone region. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein implanting the first part comprises self-driving the first part into the selected bone portion until it reaches and engages with a selected bone region. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first part comprises a shoulder that has an external diameter that is larger than an external diameter of a distal end of the second part. 
     
     
         20 . A method of securing soft tissue to a bone using a two-part suture anchor, the method comprising:
 loading a suture through an eyelet of a first part of a suture anchor, the first part of the suture anchor extending along a longitudinal axis of the suture anchor, the suture anchor including a post extending proximally away from a tapered distal tip along the longitudinal axis;   implanting the first part into a selected bone portion; and   threading a second part of the suture anchor into the selected bone portion such that an internal bore of the second part slides over the post of the first part, the second part having a threaded portion arranged on an external diameter of the second part to thread into the selected bone portion during the inserting step until the second part contacts a shoulder of the first part. and secures the soft tissue to the bone; and   securing the suture to the soft tissue thereby securing the soft tissue to the bone.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising arranging a portion of the suture that extends out of the eyelet to extend proximally away from the eyelet along the longitudinal axis of the suture anchor.