Patent ID: 7713285
Filing Date: 2010-05-11
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. A suture anchor, comprising; a bone engaging section formed along a bone engaging axis; a bone engaging structure formed along said bone engaging section and defining a maximum diameter of the suture anchor; a non-threaded suture engaging section extending from said bone engaging section to a terminal proximal end of the suture anchor and wherein an outermost annular surface of the suture engaging section defines a diameter less than or equal to said maximum diameter, such that said suture engaging section is able to be substantially disposed below an exterior surface of a boney structure after implantation; a first eyelet and a second eyelet both formed as a completely surrounded bore in a proximal face of said suture engaging section, said first and second eyelets allowing a selected portion of a suture to pass through and extend from said suture engaging section generally along said bone engaging axis; and a suture passage including first, second and third suture passage portions that are all defined entirely by said suture engaging section, wherein said suture passage interconnects said first and second eyelets and is operable to allow a suture to enter and exit said suture engaging section from a single section such that the selected portion of the suture remains substantially within said maximum diameter, wherein said first suture passage portion extends from said first eyelet along a first axis, said second suture passage portion extends through said outermost annular surface along a second axis that is generally perpendicular to said bone engaging axis and interconnects said first suture passage portion and a third suture passage portion, said third suture passage portion extending from said second eyelet along a third axis, wherein said first and third axes both diverge from each other from said terminal proximal end and both form exterior obtuse angles with said second axis.