Independent suture tensioning and snaring apparatus

摘要

In repairing soft tissue with a bone anchoring instrument (such as reattaching a tendon of a torn rotator cuff), the bone anchoring instrument may be used to anchor the soft tissue to a region of bone. The anchors inserted into the underlying bone may have one or more lengths of suture or wire attached thereto which may be tensioned independently of one another to affix the soft tissue to the bone by having a selector mechanism selectively engage and disengage ratcheted tensioning wheels from one another. Suture loading mechanisms may be employed for passing suture lengths into and/or through the anchors prior to deployment into the bone where such mechanisms may employ suture snares which are configured to reconfigure from an expanded shape through which suture lengths may be easily passed to a low-profile shape which secures the suture lengths within the snare.

主权项

1. A suture tensioning mechanism, comprising:
a first suture ratcheting member secured to a first suture length; a second suture ratcheting member secured to a second suture length; and a selector having an engagement member defined therealong which is translatable through one or both of the first and second suture ratcheting members such that the engagement member selectively couples to at least one of a selected suture ratcheting member, and wherein a rotation of the engagement member applies the rotation to only the selected suture ratcheting member coupled to the engagement member to apply tension to at least one of a corresponding first or second suture length; wherein the first and second suture ratcheting members each comprise a rotatable member about which the first and second suture lengths are at least partially wrapped, respectively; wherein the first and second suture ratcheting members each define an annular recess which forms a common cavity when the suture ratcheting members are positioned in apposition to one another; and wherein the annular recess of both first and second suture ratcheting members each define one or more longitudinally extending teeth which mate correspondingly to one or more longitudinally extending teeth defined along the engagement member.