Abstract: A system for inserting a cannulated tissue anchor during endoscopic surgical procedures. The system incorporates an elongated generally cylindrical tissue anchor having a plurality of barbs outwardly extending from its body and a transverse head situated at its proximal end. The head is elongated along a major axis which is misaligned relative to the rows of barbs on the body of the tissue anchor in order to enhance retention of the anchor within selected tissue. The anchor may be inserted during an endoscopic surgical procedure by a single-handed operation utilizing an instrument having a longitudinally slidable needle for guiding the anchor into place and a longitudinally slidable push rod for pushing the anchor along the needle. The system incorporates a package/loading device to facilitate the assembly of a cannulated tissue anchor with the inserter, the package/loading device being provided with a means for guiding the inserter needle through the axial bore of the tissue anchor.

Abstract: A system for inserting a cannulated tissue anchor during endoscopic surgical procedures. The system incorporates an elongated generally cylindrical tissue anchor having a plurality of barbs outwardly extending from its body and a transverse head situated at its proximal end. The head is elongated along a major axis which is misaligned relative to the rows of barbs on the body of the tissue anchor in order to enhance retention of the anchor within selected tissue. The anchor may be inserted during an endoscopic surgical procedure by a single-handed operation utilizing an instrument having a longitudinally slidable needle for guiding the anchor into place and a longitudinally slidable push rod for pushing the anchor along the needle. The system incorporates a package/loading device to facilitate the assembly of a cannulated tissue anchor with the inserter, the package/loading device being provided with a means for guiding the inserter needle through the axial bore of the tissue anchor.

Abstract: A bioabsorbable soft tissue anchor system comprising a cannulated soft tissue anchor for being turned through soft tissue, and a driver for driving the anchor and method for attaching soft tissue at a selected site of implantation. The soft tissue anchor is an elongated unitary body having a threaded distal section, a non-threaded proximal section, a transverse proximal head and a non-circular axial throughbore. The threaded section has a cancellous-type thread which has a uniform minor diameter, a large pitch and a large major diameter, the distal end of the thread being tapered toward the distal end of the anchor. The proximal end of the threaded section abuts the non-threaded section which is tapered and extends proximally to the transverse head. The anchor is used with a driver having a driving shaft with a pointed tip and a cross-section adapted to engage the anchor's axial throughbore.

Abstract: A system for inserting a cannulated tissue anchor during endoscopic or other surgical procedures. The system incorporates an insertion instrument for inserting into a surgical site of implantation an elongated generally cylindrical tissue anchor having, for example, a plurality of barbs outwardly extending from its body and a transverse head situated at its proximal end. The anchor may be inserted by a single-handed operation of the instrument through a series of sequential pulls of a trigger, each pull affecting motion of a particular element. In a preferred embodiment, three trigger pulls are sufficient to penetrate the site of implantation and deliver the anchor slidably along the needle. The instrument operates with replaceable subassemblies each containing a particular size cannulated anchor, having a longitudinally slidable needle for guiding the anchor into place and a longitudinally slidable push rod for pushing the anchor along the needle.

Abstract: An elongated, rotatable surgical cutting instrument having a rotatable cutting element at the distal end of a bendable non-rotating elongated outer member. The instrument enables operation of various cutting devices such as a bendable rotatable burr. In one embodiment the cutting element is rotatably, but irremovably attached to the distal end of the outer member. The proximal end of the cutting element is then releasably attached to the distal end of a flexible coupling which in turn is attached to the distal end of an elongated inner member. The assembly is then rotatably secured within the outer member so the cutting element may be rotated via the inner member. An aspirating lumen extends through the cutting element, the flexible coupling and the inner member and the inner member may be removed from the outer member without detaching the cutting element therefrom. In another embodiment, the cutting element is removable from the outer member when the inner member is removed.

Abstract: A wrenchless collet for attaching a surgical saw blade to an oscillating handpiece. The collet is provided within a housing attached to the handpiece and contains a clamping means for holding the blade and a bi-stable operating mechanism capable of holding the clamping means in either an open position to receive the blade or in a closed position to hold the blade for use with the handpiece. The bi-stable operating mechanism is activated into either position by simply being pushed in one direction or another. In one embodiment, the bi-stable operating mechanism comprises a shaft which may be positioned to one axial extreme or the other and which is held in the chosen position by a spring which frictionally engages the collet housing to maintain the clamping means in either an open or closed position.

Abstract: A centrifugal chuck for a surgical handpiece is adapted to automatically engage a surgical instrument so it may be driven by the handpiece. The centrifugal chuck comprises a pivotable trunnion body situated within a hollow drive shaft, the trunnion body having a throughbore coaxially aligned with the axis of the hollow drive shaft in order to receive the shaft of the surgical instrument. The trunnion body is secured to a pair of lever arms symmetrically situated about the exterior of the drive shaft, the lever arms extending in opposite proximal and distal directions from the pivotable attachment of the trunnion body to the drive shaft. Rotation of the drive shaft causes radially outward movement of the lever arms thereby misaligning the throughbore of the trunnion body relative to the drive shaft in order to frictionally engage the shaft of the surgical instrument.

Abstract: An elongated suture anchor driver having a suture retaining means at its proximal end. The driver receives a suture anchor at its distal tip and has a throughbore for enabling suture attached to the suture anchor to pass through the driver from its distal end to its proximal end. The proximal end of the driver is provided with a channel and a fixed post for guiding the suture exiting from the throughbore into an annular recess. A spring loaded slidable cylindrical sleeve acts against the suture in the recess to frictionally retain the suture, thereby securing the suture anchor and suture within the driver.

Abstract: A pneumatically powered surgical handpiece suitable for a pencil-type handpiece configuration in which the pressurized fluid inlet is axially directed relative to the handpiece body. Fluid is directed through a dispersing section from an axial direction to a radially outward direction against the interior of a hollow cylindrical turbine body provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged and longitudinally extending semi-circular channels adapted to receive the fluid flow and redirect it proximally through an annular exhaust channel situated annularly about the fluid inflow conduit. An output shaft is integrally formed with the turbine body and extending distally therefrom and a surgical instrument may be attached to or integrally formed within this output shaft. The invention also resides in a method for fluidically driving a surgical handpiece and lends itself to a method of producing a disposable fluidically driven surgical instrument.

Abstract: A wrenchless collet for attaching a surgical saw blade to an oscillating handpiece. The collet is provided within a housing attached to the handpiece and contains a clamping means for holding the blade and a bi-stable operating mechanism capable of holding the clamping means in either an open position to receive the blade or in a closed position to hold the blade for use with the handpiece. The bi-stable operating mechanism is activated into either position by simply being pushed in one direction or another. In one embodiment, the bi-stable operating mechanism comprises a shaft which may be positioned to one axial extreme or the other and which is held in the chosen position by a spring which frictionally engages the collet housing to maintain the clamping means in either an open or closed position.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument having an elongated rotatable inner member provided with a cutting edge at its distal tip, the inner member adapted to rotate within an elongated outer tube having a window adjacent its distal end adapted to cooperate with the cutting edge of the inner member. The outer tube is provided with a portion thereof adjacent its distal end which enables the distal tip of the outer tube to be bent at an angle relative to the proximal portion of the outer tube. The outer tube may be bent by a user into a selected angular position with the aid of a tool calibrated in a plurality of discrete positions. The tool is adapted to enable the outer tube to be rotated to any selected position prior to being bent so that the window at the distal tip of the outer tube may be caused to face in any desired direction relative to the bend in the outer tube.

Abstract: A rotatable shaver having inner and/or outer non-metallic elongated blades for use in endoscopic surgical procedures. In one embodiment a rotatable, elongated non-metallic inner tubular member is disclosed for use with a non-rotatable elongated metallic outer tubular member, the inner member having a flexible, non-metallic tubular body, a proximal hub and a distal tip provided with a cutting tip having a cutting edge formed therein. The elongated tubular body of the inner member is mechanically joined at its proximal end to the hub and at its distal end to the cutting tip. The mechanical connection enables the transmission of torque from the proximal end of the inner member to the distal end while sufficiently holding the tip, tube and hub assembly together to enable insertion and removal of the assembly into and from the outer member.

Abstract: A suturing needle is illustrated which can engage a suture to an outer housing, thereby presenting a relatively smooth surface at the distal end of the apparatus to minimize tissue trauma. A lock feature prevents unexpected extension of the needle from the outer housing which could release the suture. A finger switch is used to overcome the locking mechanism when it is desired to release the suture. The distal end of the housing and the needle are a generally similar flat profile to minimize uneven edges which could damage the tissue. The suture is retained in a hook located in the needle, the opening for which is retracted in the housing to retain the suture.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument having an elongated rotatable inner member provided with a cutting edge at its distal tip, the inner member adapted to rotate within an elongated outer tube having a window adjacent its distal end adapted to cooperate with the cutting edge of the inner member. The outer tube is provided with a portion thereof adjacent its distal end which enables the distal tip of the outer tube to be bent at an angle relative to the proximal portion of the outer tube. The outer tube may be bent by a user into a selected angular position with the aid of a tool calibrated in a plurality of discrete positions. The tool is adapted to enable the outer tube to be rotated to any selected position prior to being bent so that the window at the distal tip of the outer tube may be caused to face in any desired direction relative to the bend in the outer tube.

Abstract: Angular positional adjustment relative to a handpiece is provided for a cutting window located at the distal end of an outer tube in an endoscopic surgical cutting instrument. A two-member hub assembly for the outer tube includes one hub member having a polygonal socket and a second hub member having a polygonal plug. Axial disengagement of the plug and socket permits relative rotation between them to provide alternative engagement positions. One hub member engages the handpiece while the other has the outer tube secured thereto, whereby changes in the angular engagement position between the hub members results in changes of the angular position of the cutting window relative to the handpiece.

Abstract: A suturing needle is illustrated which can engage a suture to an outer housing, thereby presenting a relatively smooth surface at the distal end of the apparatus to minimize tissue trauma. A lock feature prevents unexpected extension of the needle from the outer housing which could release the suture. A finger switch is used to overcome the locking mechanism when it is desired to release the suture. The distal end of the housing and the needle are a generally similar flat profile to minimize uneven edges which could damage the tissue. The suture is retained in a hook located in the needle, the opening for which is retracted in the housing to retain the suture.

Abstract: A drill guide is disclosed in which a cylindrical guide tube is secured to a handle so that it may not be easily longitudinally moved in either direction without the user engaging a thumb activated locking mechanism. The cylindrical guide tube passes through a conically tapered cylindrical bore within the drill guide handle and a similarly tapered split collet is interposed concentrically between the exterior of the cylindrical guide tube and the interior of the bore. The collet is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending lobes which are sufficiently resilient that movement of the collet to its proximal-most position causes the lobes to squeeze inwardly against the cylindrical guide tube. Frictional engagement between the collet lobes and the guide tube prevents the latter from moving until the collet is moved distally to release pressure on the lobes.