Abstract: A modular surgical drill in the form of a rigid drill shaft and a drill bit which are connected together at the rear end of the drill bit and the forward end of the drill shaft by a tongue-and-groove arrangement. Each of the shaft and drill bit are provided with through bores extending centrally through their entire length. These bores become aligned upon assembly of the drill bit and shaft. The modular drill is intended to be employed with a guidewire for drilling holes into bone. The assembled drill bit and shaft are placed on the guidewire and moved down such guidewire into contact with the bone, whereupon a tunnel may be formed into the bone by rotating and advancing the drill bit along the guidewire. The dimensions of the bore and guidewire are so selected as to prevent the drill bit and drill shaft from moving relative to one another once they are assembled and mounted upon the guidewire.

Abstract: A suture anchor is described which in one form may be easily fabricated from extruded material by angular cuts and bore holes which provide an offset pulling force to the suture. In an alternate and preferred embodiment the suture anchor is injection molded having an annular displaced corner and abutment wall which act to seat the suture anchor firmly within a bore hole. Novel application means are also disclosed which hold the suture anchor on a frangible shaft for insertion and upon completion of the insertion permit fracture of the frangible portion and removal of the instrument.

Abstract: A bone anchor inserter for insertion of a bone anchor into a bore in a bone, the inserter comprising a handle having a grip portion, an actuator member mounted on the handle, a sleeve fixed in the handle and extending therefrom, and a shaft fixed at one end to the actuator member and slidably movable in the sleeve. The sleeve is provided with an opening in a side wall thereof proximate, but spaced from, a free end of the sleeve. The opening facilitates loading a bone anchor therethrough and into the sleeve between a free end of the sleeve and a distal end of the shaft. The invention further contemplates a method for loading a bone anchor inserter, a method for holding and delivering a bone anchor, and a method for inserting a bone anchor in a bore in a bone.

Abstract: A suture anchor loader and driver for mounting a suture anchor with a connected suture, that is arranged for mounting and maintaining the suture to the driver distal end while driving the anchor into a bone, whereafter the driver is removed from the anchor, leaving the suture extending from the seated anchor. The driver includes a cylindrical solid body and has an anchor mount formed as its distal end that is for receiving a coupling end of the anchor fitted therethrough and includes a center longitudinal passage, wherethrough the anchor suture is fitted. A first curved passage is formed in the driver body distal end and intersects the center longitudinal passage through the anchor mount, and extends to the driver body surface where it intersects a straight longitudinal groove that is formed along the driver body.

Abstract: An installation tool for deploying an anchoring device in a preformed hole in a workpiece is provided. The anchoring device is attached to a portion of a length of cord-like material carrying a needle-like member about at least one of its free ends. A retention device defining a continuous groove around an axle; a retention groove defined by circumferentially spaced arcuate projections from at least one of its end surfaces; and a notch forming a pathway connecting the continuous groove with the retention groove also is provided. The needle-like member and the free end of the cord-like material are releasably located in the retention groove, the cord-like material is passed through the notch, and the cord-like material extending from the fastening device is wrapped around the axle. The retention device is also releasably attachable to the handle of the installation tool.

Abstract: An anchor for attaching an object within a tunnel extending through a workpiece such as a bone or a bone-like structure, and a method for using the same. The anchor includes a body and a plurality of barbs located in circumferentially spaced relation about the body. The barbs are formed of a material which may be elastically deformed from a normal configuration wherein the outer ends of the barbs extend radially outwardly of the body toward a configuration wherein the barbs are located generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. A diametrical opening in the front portion of the anchor is provided for engagement by a length of cord-like material such that the anchor may be pulled into a bone tunnel, and an opening in the rear portion of the anchor is provided for attaching either a ligament, tendon or the like to the anchor, or for grasping a bone plug or similar rigid object attached to a free end of the ligament, tendon or the like.

Abstract: A suture passer comprises a longitudinally extending hollow cannula having a central passage slidingly receivable of a surgical suture; a manually graspable handle connected to the hollow cannula for manipulation thereof, the handle having an upper surface; first guide means, connected to the upper surface of the handle, proximate a proximal end of the handle for releasably, guidingly, holding the surgical suture; second guide means, connected to the upper surface of the handle, distal to the first guide means, for releasably, guidingly, holding the surgical suture. The suture passer can be provided in a kit, for use in the suturing of internal tissue, along with a cannula bender, various hollow surgical needles and surgical suture material. The suture passer finds particular use in the suturing of internal tissues which are at least partially accessible through a body cavity, e.g., arthroscopic surgery.

Abstract: A suture passer comprises a longitudinally extending hollow cannula having a central passage slidingly receivable of a surgical suture; a manually graspable handle connected to the hollow cannula for manipulation thereof, the handle having an upper surface; first guide means, connected to the upper surface of the handle, proximate a distal end of the handle for releasably, guidingly, holding the surgical suture; second guide means, connected to the upper surface of the handle, proximate to the first guide means, for releasably, guidingly, holding the surgical suture. The suture passer can be provided in a kit, for use in the suturing of internal tissue, along with a cannula bender, various hollow surgical needles and surgical suture material. The suture passer finds particular use in the suturing of internal tissues which are at least partially accessible through a body cavity, e.g. arthroscopic surgery.

Abstract: A suture anchor for anchoring one end of a conventional suture to bone comprising a coupling member, at least one barb made of a resilient elastic material projecting form said coupling member, and means for attaching one end of a suture to said suture anchor. The coupling member and the at least one barb and adapted to securely anchor one end of the suture in bone when the suture is attached to the attachment means so that the other end of the suture extending outside the bone can be used to attach objects to the bone. A novel application tool is also provided.

Abstract: A modular surgical drill in the form of a rigid drill shaft and a drill bit which are connected together at the rear end of the drill bit and the forward end of the drill shaft by a tongue-and-groove arrangement. Each of the shaft and drill bit are provided with through bores extending centrally through their entire length. These bores become aligned upon assembly of the drill bit and shaft. The modular drill is intended to be employed with a guidewire for drilling holes into bone. The assembled drill bit and shaft are placed on the guidewire and moved down such guidewire into contact with the bone, whereupon a tunnel may be formed into the bone by rotating and advancing the drill bit along the guidewire. The dimensions of the bore and guidewire are so selected as to prevent the drill bit and drill shaft from moving relative to one another once they are assembled and mounted upon the guidewire.

Abstract: A bone anchor and a bone anchor installation tool for deploying the bone anchor in bone.

Abstract: A bone anchor installation tool is provided comprising a body having a distal end surface and a proximal end surface. An axial passageway extends between the distal end surface and the proximal end surface, with the distal end of the axial passageway being sized to receive at least a portion of a bone anchor. A shaft is slidably disposed within the axial passageway. The shaft is adapted to move between (i) a first retracted position wherein the shaft's distal end surface is withdrawn sufficiently far into the interior of the axial passageway so as to allow at least a portion of a bone anchor to be received therein, and (ii) a second extended position wherein the shaft's distal end surface projects out of the distal end of the axial passageway. A peripheral rib is formed on the exterior surface of the body so as to be yieldably engaged by a rib engaging element connected to the shaft as the shaft moves from its first retracted position to its second extended position.

Abstract: An anchor for attaching an object within a tunnel extending through a workpiece such as a bone or a bone-like structure, and a method for using the same. The anchor includes a body and a plurality of barbs located in circumferentially spaced relation about the body. The barbs are formed of a material which may be elastically deformed from a normal configuration wherein the outer ends of the barbs extend radially outwardly of the body toward a configuration wherein the barbs are located generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. A diametrical opening in the front portion of the anchor is provided for engagement by a length of cord-like material such that the anchor may be pulled into a bone tunnel, and an opening in the rear portion of the anchor is provided for attaching either a ligament, tendon or the like to the anchor, or for grasping a bone plug or similar rigid object attached to a free end of the ligament, tendon or the like.

Abstract: A novel surgical cannula system is disclosed. The system generally comprises a guide rod, a cannula housing, an obturator and a dam assembly. A novel method for deploying the surgical cannula is also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved drill guide device is provided for accurately drilling a passageway through bone. The drill guide comprises a support, a curved radial rack, a locator boom movably disposed on the curved radial rack, a drill sleeve and an indexing mechanism. The drill sleeve may be discretely indexed toward the target bone and locked/unlocked in position with a single handed operation.

Abstract: A system and method for re-attaching soft tissue to bone. In its preferred embodiment, the system comprises pin means, sleeve means, driver means, suture anchor means and suture anchor installation tool means. In use, the soft tissue is placed against the surface of the bone in its desired re-attachment position. Then the pin means is passed through the soft tissue and into the bone to securely fix the pin means (and hence the soft tissue) to the bone. Then the patient's anatomy is manipulated as needed to determine if the soft tissue has been properly positioned relative to the bone. If the soft tissue is properly positioned, the surgeon proceeds to the next step in the procedure; if not, the pin means is removed and the tissue positioning operation repeated until the soft tissue has been positioned in the desired location. Next, the sleeve means is slid telescopically over the pin means, passed through the soft tissue and then, using the driver means, drilled into the bone.

Abstract: An improved anchoring device for use in bone holes, bone tunnels and other assorted workpieces, and being particularly compatible with fabrication from both polymeric and bioabsorbable materials. The improved anchoring device has novel fastening means which permit the anchor to be fastened within a bone hole or bone tunnel while minimizing the stress induced on the body of the anchor during installation.

Abstract: An anchor driver for mounting a ligament anchor and turning it into a bone, which ligament anchor includes a suture attached to a rear end that is maintained in a driver body until the anchor driver is pulled off of the ligament anchor seated in the bone. The driver body is preferably a rigid straight tube that includes an anchor mount disposed on a forward end whereto the ligament anchor is fitted. So arranged, a suture, that is disposed on the ligament anchor coupling end, will extend therefrom as a suture strand or strands that are fitted through the anchor mount, to pass through the driver body and are then bent to double back upon themselves and fitted back into the driver body. For maintaining the suture strand or stands in a straight attitude, in one embodiment a resilient cap is provided that has a hole or slot formed therein wherethrough the suture strand bend or bends are fitted into a cavity within the cap, which cap is then fitted over the driver body open end.

Abstract: A suture anchor and driver combination of the invention for use by a surgeon in a surgical procedure to secure a suture onto a bone surface for use in tying a ligament thereto. The anchor of the invention is preferably formed from a biodegradable polymer material, such as polylactic acid, polyglycotic acid, or other polymer ester, to be reabsorbed by the body after a ligament attached to the bone surface by the suture has experienced bone grown thereto. The anchor and driver are releasably secured together so as to allow the driver to be used to guide and position the anchor forward end into a hole that as been formed into a bone cortex. The anchor is preferably formed with wide spaced thread flights to provide a strong purchase when seated in the bone, with anchor turning provided by an appropriate turning of the driver, to seat the anchor in the bone hole. Whereafter the driver is arranged to be broken away from the anchor end and pulled therefrom leaving a suture extending from the anchor rear end.

Abstract: An anchor for attaching an object to a bone-like structure, and a method for deploying the same. The anchor includes a body and a plurality of barbs. The barbs are located in axially aligned, circumferentially spaced relation to each other about the body. Each barb is elastically deformable, and has a normal configuration which extends rearwardly and radially outwardly from the body to an outer end which is located outside of a longitudinal projection of the largest geometric cross-section of the body, as taken transverse to its longitudinal axis. A bore extends transversely through the front portion of the body and is adapted to receive a length of cord-like material, whereby the anchor may be pulled along a bone tunnel. An opening extends transversely through the rear portion of the body and is adapted for connecting the object to the anchor. A slot or interior passageway extends from the front of the anchor to the opening, so as to provide frontal access to the opening.