Patents by Inventor Stephen Burkhart

Stephen Burkhart has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080004659
    Abstract: A method and device for knotless fixation of tissue. A swivel anchor having a rotatable forked anchor tip is used to capture suture, such as a suture chain, for surgical tissue repair without requiring suture knots. Tension on the repair constructs is adjustable through the selection of the specific chain link or links of the suture chain captured by the forked anchor tip of the swivel anchor. The swivel anchor is secured in a hole in bone by advancing a fixation device, such as a cannulated interference screw, over the body of the anchor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Stephen Burkhart, R. Grafton, Peter Dreyfuss
  • Publication number: 20070142861
    Abstract: A suture anchor and kit for anchoring a suture member to human bone in an interference fit. A suture anchor includes a threaded portion and has a head at the proximal end thereof, the head being generally circular. A tip is located at a distal end of the shank. The shank is at least partially threaded and includes walls defining a reel portion. The shank also includes walls for engaging a suture, the walls for engaging the suture typically adjacent walls defining the reel portion. The head typically includes walls for engaging a drive tool. The kit includes a drive tool for rotating the suture anchor when a suture member is engaged with the walls for engaging the suture such that rotation of the anchor causes the suture material to wrap around the reel portion of the shank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Stephen Burkhart
  • Publication number: 20070135843
    Abstract: A chain of loops of braided high strength suture for soft tissue to bone fixation. The suture chain is advantageous for use in knotless fixation of soft tissue to bone, and can be used for knotless side-to-side suturing of U-shaped defects, such as rotator cuff tears. The soft tissue to bone fixation includes: (i) providing a first medial row constructed with a first plurality of fixation devices, at least one of the first plurality of fixation devices being an anchor; (ii) providing a second lateral row constructed with a second plurality of fixation devices, at least one of the second plurality of fixation devices being a knotless fixation device, (iii) providing a suture loop construct that includes at least two loops formed of and connected by suture; and (iv) fixating the suture loop construct so that it extends over the soft tissue and is secured in place by at least one of the fixation devices or anchors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventor: Stephen Burkhart
  • Publication number: 20060259076
    Abstract: A chain of loops of braided high strength suture for surgical applications. The suture chain is advantageous for use in knotless fixation of soft tissue to bone, and can be used for knotless side-to-side suturing of U-shaped defects, such as rotator cuff tears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Stephen Burkhart, R. Grafton
  • Publication number: 20050283156
    Abstract: Knotless fixation of soft tissue to bone is accomplished using a bone anchor configured to provide interference fixation of a soft-tissue connector. The soft-tissue connector is provided in the form of a flat narrow piece of material. Additional fixation strength can be provided by configuring the bone anchor to penetrate into or through the soft-tissue connector. The bone anchor is installed into a pre-formed hole or socket in the bone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Reinhold Schmieding, R. Grafton, Peter Dreyfuss, Stephen Burkhart