Patent ID: 9474592
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method of attaching a soft tissue to a bone of an animal comprising: a) creating a hole in a bone; b) providing a tubular barbed sleeve comprising a sleeve interior, a sleeve exterior, a sleeve wall separating the sleeve interior from the sleeve exterior and comprising a wall interior surface facing the sleeve interior and a wall exterior surface, a sleeve front end comprising a sleeve front opening leading to the sleeve interior, a sleeve rear end comprising a sleeve rear opening leading to the sleeve interior, a sleeve length extending from the sleeve front end to the sleeve rear end, a sleeve width perpendicular to the sleeve length, a plurality of interior barbs coupled to the sleeve wall, each interior barb comprising a barb front end extending from the sleeve wall, a free barb rear end located in the sleeve interior and rearwardly disposed relative to the barb front end, and a barb length extending from the barb front end to the barb rear end, wherein the barbed sleeve is comprised of a biocompatible material; c) positioning the barbed sleeve into the hole in the bone; d) providing a soft tissue having a tissue front portion and a tissue rear portion; e) after step c), unidirectionally securing the tissue rear portion in the sleeve interior while the barbed sleeve is positioned within the hole in the bone, wherein the unidirectional securing comprises positioning the tissue rear portion through the sleeve front end and into the sleeve interior such that at least one of the plurality of interior barbs contacts the soft tissue, wherein the plurality of interior barbs allows the soft tissue to move rearwardly within the sleeve interior, but prevents the soft tissue from moving forwardly within the sleeve interior, and wherein each of the interior barbs is located fully within the sleeve interior after step e).