Patent ID: 8308771

Claim:
A surgical fastening mechanism for releasably locking an implantable tether, said mechanism comprising: a housing having a central channel therethrough, the housing also having a first side surface having an entry aperture, a second side surface having an exit aperture and a side channel extending therebetween; a roller element having a first side with an entry aperture, a second side with an exit aperture and a roller channel therethrough, the roller element slidably disposed at least partially in the central channel such that the entry and exit apertures are at least partially aligned with the roller entry and exit apertures so as to permit free bidirectional passage of the tether therethrough, wherein rotation of the roller element in a first direction winds the tether about the roller element thereby creating a friction interface between the roller element, the housing and the tether as the tether passes through a tortuous path between the entry and exit apertures of the housing, the tortuous path comprising: a first portion of the tether that enters the housing entry aperture and winds around an upper portion of the roller element, while maintaining contact with an inner surface of the housing; a second portion of the tether that enters the roller pin entry aperture and passes through the roller channel towards the roller exit aperture; a third portion of the tether that exits the roller exit aperture and winds around a lower portion of the roller element, while maintaining contact with the inner surface of the housing; and a fourth portion of the tether that exits the housing exit aperture; and a locking mechanism operably connected with either the housing or the roller element, the locking mechanism adapted to prevent rotation of the roller in the central channel and adapted to prevent release of the tether from the roller; and wherein the locking mechanism comprises a rotation limiting element coupled with the housing and wherein the housing comprises a receiver for receiving the rotation locking element, thereby limiting rotation of the roller relative to the housing.