Patent ID: 8062333

Claim:
A suture retainer comprising a retainer body, the retainer body comprising: a wheel portion including a substantially planar first flange and a substantially planar second flange, the first flange and the second flange defining an outer circumference of the wheel portion and the first flange being spaced from the second flange about the outer circumference, thereby forming an outward radially open channel throughout the outer circumference, and at least three suture attachment mechanisms spaced circumferentially about the retainer body between the first flange and the second flange, wherein each of the suture attachment mechanisms is adapted to hold a suture strand at a discrete attachment point, and further wherein the wheel portion includes a first aperture extending therethrough substantially perpendicular to the first flange and the second flange, and the wheel portion includes an alignment aperture extending therethrough spaced from and substantially parallel to the first aperture; a plug portion adapted to cooperate with the aperture in the wheel portion, the plug portion comprising, a plate; a pair of lock arms coupled to the plate, each lock arm having a distal end extending away from the plate in a first direction; an alignment peg extending away from the plate in the first direction; a slot disposed between the lock arms; and, a cam surface on each lock arm, each cam surface extending from the distal end of the lock arm on which the cam surface is situated, wherein both cam surfaces contact the first aperture in the wheel portion upon insertion of the lock arms into the first aperture to cause the lock arms to bend at least partially into the slot, wherein the alignment peg and the alignment aperture form an alignment mechanism adapted to orient the plug portion with respect to the wheel portion, wherein the alignment mechanism at least substantially prevents rotation of said plug portion with respect to said wheel portion.