Appeal No. 2003-2036 Page 5
Application No. 09/961,198
tube 11 slides over the gripper and the fingers, thus holding the fingers and the
contained soft tissue anchor within the bore of the actuating tube. A pushrod 38 is
placed within the bore 33 of the gripper. The pushrod has a countersunk head that is
shaped such that it is a close fit for the head of the soft tissue anchor. The pushrod is
connected to a tube having a bore so that the actuating pin of the soft tissue anchor can
be pushed down into the head of the anchor. The pushrod is spring loaded so as to
allow the pushrod to be driven distally upon retraction of the actuating tube, thus driving
the anchor free of the deployed fingers and hence of the entire delivery system.
DiPoto's invention relates to suture anchors. Suture anchors are used to mount
suture to bone for subsequent attachment of ligaments, tendons, or other tissue. Some
suture anchors are inserted into a pre-drilled hole in the bone, while others are
"self-tapping" and are threaded into the bone through the bone surface. In either case,
ridges which extend outwardly from the exterior surface of the suture anchor help retain
the anchor in the bone tissue (in self-tapping anchors, the ridges are often the external
threads). Figures 9-9B illustrate a variably expandable, two piece suture anchor 200
which includes an expandable outer anchoring member 202 and an inner member 204
which is threaded into outer member 202 to adjustably expand outer member 202.
Outer member 202 includes a tubular body 212 with an interior, threaded bore 214
which is engaged by threaded inner member section 208. A pair of arms 216 extend
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Last modified: November 3, 2007