US 11,857,176 B2
Tissue repair
Steven William Astorino, Norfolk, MA (US); Peter Klindt Sorensen, Salem, MA (US); and Laura Lindsey Mills, Brighton, MA (US)
Assigned to SMITH & NEPHEW, INC., Memphis, TN (US)
Filed by Smith & Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN (US)
Filed on Jun. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/846,093.
Application 14/304,269 is a division of application No. 13/016,389, filed on Jan. 28, 2011, granted, now 8,795,334, issued on Aug. 5, 2014.
Application 17/846,093 is a continuation of application No. 16/819,243, filed on Mar. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,413,031.
Application 16/819,243 is a continuation of application No. 16/409,944, filed on May 13, 2019, granted, now 10,588,617, issued on Mar. 27, 2020.
Application 16/409,944 is a continuation of application No. 15/095,225, filed on Apr. 11, 2016, granted, now 10,631,844, issued on Apr. 28, 2020.
Application 15/095,225 is a continuation of application No. 14/693,322, filed on Apr. 22, 2015, granted, now 9,370,352, issued on Jun. 21, 2016.
Application 14/693,322 is a continuation of application No. 14/304,269, filed on Jun. 13, 2014, granted, now 9,078,651, issued on Jul. 14, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2022/0313242 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/04 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/06 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/0401 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0057 (2013.01); A61B 17/0469 (2013.01); A61B 17/0482 (2013.01); A61B 17/0487 (2013.01); A61B 17/06166 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00663 (2013.01); A61B 2017/042 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0409 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0414 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0459 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0464 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for insertion into a bone hole comprising:
a flexible fixation member comprising a body formed by two legs and a distal, U-shaped bend joining the two legs, each of the legs terminating in a proximal free end; and
a suture received through each of the legs of the flexible fixation member, the suture formed by two legs and a distal, U-shaped bend joining the two legs of the suture, each of the suture legs having a proximal end region, one of the proximal end regions extending from an opening in one of the legs of the body and the other of the proximal end regions extending from an opening in the other of the legs of the body with each proximal end region terminally exiting from the fixation member at the respective opening, the ti-shaped bend of the suture being distal to the U-shaped bend of the body;
wherein the fixation member having the U-shaped bend is slidably coupled to the suture and configurable to form a cluster within a surgical site; and
wherein the suture extends longitudinally down one leg of the fixation member and longitudinally up the other leg of the fixation member in a single direction without intersecting itself.