Vormontierter Nähfadenanker

摘要

A method and apparatus for facilitating use of a threaded suture anchor (10) in combination with a reusable cannulated anchor driver. The device enables a suture anchor to be preassembled with a suture (30) so that a user need not assemble a suture anchor with suture immediately prior to use. The preassembled anchor/suture is provided with a suture stiffening or support means by which the free ends of the suture may be easily threaded into the axial bore of a cannulated driver. The support means may comprise a length of shrinkable tubing (32) frictionally engaging at least a portion of the free ends of the suture extending from the anchor. In another embodiment, the support means may comprise an elongated non-shrinkable material such as a rod attached to the suture and enabling the anchor/suture/rod assembly to be threaded into a cannulated driver simply by the force of gravity acting upon the rod.