Patent ID: 6843799

Claim:
A suture anchor system configured so as to facilitate implantation of a suture anchor within a bore formed in a bone, the bore having a wall, so as to secure a suture to the bone, said system comprising: a suture anchor adapted to have the suture operably engaged therewith, the suture anchor having a leading edge and a trailing edge; an insertion tool having a tip and defining a first axis, the insertion tool being discrete with respect to the suture anchor and adapted so as to be capable of implanting the suture anchor within the bore such that the suture anchor is secured in the bone, the tip being engagable with the suture anchor and being configured to cooperate therewith so as to prevent the suture anchor from rotating about the first axis, the insertion tool being configured with respect to the suture anchor such that a force exerted on the insertion tool about a second axis, the second axis being perpendicularly disposed with respect to the first axis, is capable of rotating the suture anchor about the second axis such that the leading and trailing edges initially penetrate the bore wall, and a predetermined axial seating force applied to the insertion tool, outwardly of the bore and independently of the suture, is capable of causing the leading and trailing edges to further advance within the bore wall, in excess of the initial penetration, to thereby seat the suture anchor in the bore, the insertion tool further being configured so as to require an axial separation force to be applied thereto so as to separate the insertion tool from the suture anchor, the separation force being no less than the seating force.