Patent ID: 8118835

Claim:
A suture anchor for securing nearby tissue to bone, the suture anchor comprising: an anchor body having an axis and a proximal end that is substantially transverse to the axis, wherein the anchor body further comprises a housing having a cavity at a proximal end thereof and an insert having a proximal end, the insert fitting substantially within the cavity of the housing, wherein the housing's cavity has a transverse cavity profile and wherein the insert has a transverse insert profile that is substantially the same as the transverse cavity profile, wherein the transverse cavity profile and the transverse insert profile are substantially square at proximal ends thereof, wherein at least one of the cavity and the insert has an axial profile that is substantially “U”-shaped; a locking pin captured within the cavity to define a circuitous suture path running from a first side of the locking pin, around the locking pin, and to a second side of the locking pin; an elongated suture puller slidably located within the circuitous suture path in the anchor body with first and second lengths extending from the anchor body, the second length including means for engaging suture; means for anchoring the anchor body to the bone of the patient with the elongated suture puller extending from the anchor body; suture connected to the second length of the elongated suture puller via the means for engaging, the suture being pulled into and through the circuitous suture path within the anchor body behind the elongated suture puller by the elongated suture puller being pulled outward therefrom via the first length; a suture locking mechanism comprising a means for compressing suture within the circuitous path between the locking pin and the cavity that substantially prevents the suture from moving in at least a first direction after being pulled into and through the anchor body by the elongated suture puller; a suture channel that extends through the insert from a first opening at the proximal end of the insert to a second opening at the same proximal end of the insert, wherein the suture channel is defined by a first suture channel that extends in the insert from a first side of the proximal end of the insert to a second side of the proximal end of the insert; wherein the elongated suture puller is located in the suture channel until it is pulled therefrom; and wherein the elongated suture puller is an elongated, substantially flat band, and wherein the elongated suture puller's means for engaging suture is a notch that opens to a side thereof for pulling suture through the suture channel.