Abstract: Bone screws with threaded screw heads that are designed to sit at or below the level of bone include features that allow them to be used to anchor sutures, either directly at the head of the screw or immediately adjacent to it. In particular, the screw head may have a hole or a pair of holes in which a bar or clip can be seated. The bar or clip carries structure that is adapted to retain a suture. Holes in the screw head can also be used to directly retain a bunching-type anchored suture, and can be threaded to retain other types of fasteners. Angled holes may be provided to allow an anchored suture to emerge adjacent to the screw head. Also disclosed are tools and methods for making holes in bone and tissue that are contiguous with the anchoring holes in the head of a surgical screw.

Abstract: A fixation device, such as a bone screw, includes a bioresorbable proximal shaft portion and a non-bioresorbable distal threaded portion. In one aspect, the shaft portion is provided with a longitudinal throughbore which is aligned with a corresponding longitudinal bore in the proximal region of the threaded portion. A driver mechanism is employed to impart a rotary force so as to enable the device to be inserted into bone tissue. Afterwards, the driver mechanism is withdrawn from the respective bores. In another aspect, the non-bioresorbable distal portion is a substantially elongated solid member and includes a threaded distal region and a shaft-like proximal region. The comparatively smaller bioresorbable proximal region can mate with the distal portion either after or before the distal portion has been inserted into the bone tissue.