Patent ID: 9636100
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F

Claim:
1. A method of repairing a torn meniscus in a human knee joint by securing a torn portion of the meniscus to a corresponding tibia, the method comprising: providing a first tissue fixation member having a narrow cross section, a first suture having a leading end attached to the tissue fixation member and a trailing end, and an anchor having a distal end that narrows to a tip, a proximal end, an inner cavity, a central axis running from the proximal end to the distal end, an opening to the inner cavity positioned at the proximal end, a pair of opposed eyelets, defined in a portion of the distal end of the anchor, into the inner cavity and a pair of opposed slots running along an outer surface of the anchor from a respective eyelet to the opening to the inner cavity at the proximal end; passing the first tissue fixation member through a first hole formed in the torn portion of the meniscus, from a first side of the meniscus and out a second side of the meniscus, leaving the first suture trailing end extending from the meniscus first side, and reorienting the tissue fixation member after passing through the torn portion of the meniscus so that the tissue fixation member securely engages with the second side of the torn portion of the meniscus to prevent the tissue fixation member from being drawn back through the first hole formed in the torn portion of the meniscus; threading the trailing end of the first suture through one eyelet of the anchor and out the other eyelet so as to be adjustably received therein; placing the tip of the anchor within the tibia at a region of the tibia where the torn portion of the meniscus is to be secured such that the trailing end of the first suture is freely movable within an area defined by the slots between the anchor and the tibia; urging the torn portion of the meniscus toward and into engagement with the tibia by increasing or decreasing tension on the first suture by drawing or releasing, respectively, the trailing end of the first suture through the eyelets; and with the first suture under tension, securing the first suture to the anchor by tightening an insertion plug housed within the inner cavity until the first suture is secured by the plug to the anchor, wherein urging the torn portion of the meniscus toward and into engagement with the tibia comprises: