Method and apparatus for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

摘要

A method and apparatus for arthroscopic reattachment of torn tissue to a bone at a surgical repair site using at least one suture anchor and a tissue grasper. The torn tissue is grasped with jaws of the tissue grasper. The jaws include a top and bottom jaw. The upper jaw has an aperture, and the bottom jaw has a U-shaped slot. The aperture and slot are aligned with each other when the jaws are closed. A threaded suture anchor is inserted through the aligned aperture and slot in the jaws of the grasper, the grasped tissue, and into the bone in a single drilling step. An outrigger located on the barrel of the grasper is adapted to receive a drill and align the threaded suture anchor such that the suture anchor is automatically aligned with the aperture and slot of the jaws of the grasper at the repair site. After insertion of the suture anchor the grasper is removed from the repair site. The upper jaw of the grasper with the aperture simultaneously retrieves suture attached to the inserted anchor as the grasper is removed.