	US 12,102,319 B2
	Methods for measuring tissue defects
J. W. Thomas Byrd, Nashville, TN (US); Timothy Young, Natick, MA (US); Michael Thyden, Billerica, MA (US); and Marc J. Balboa, Hopkinton, MA (US)
Assigned to Smith & Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN (US); Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics AG, (CH); and Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited, Singapore (SG)
Filed by Smith & Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN (US); Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics AG, Zug (CH); Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited, Singapore (SG); and J. W. Thomas Byrd, Nashville, TN (US)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/553,006.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/126,771, filed on Dec. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0192652 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/04 (2006.01); A61B 17/17 (2006.01); A61B 17/56 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)

CPC A61B 17/0401 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0491 (2013.01); A61B 17/1796 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0409 (2013.01); A61B 17/0469 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0488 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0496 (2013.01); A61B 2017/564 (2013.01); A61B 2017/565 (2013.01); A61B 2090/061 (2016.02)]

16 Claims

1. A method of measuring a distance between first and second locations in tissue during a tissue repair, the method comprising:

placing a distal end of a cannula against a first location in tissue, the first location being the site of a bone hole, an anchor comprising a body and a flexible strand being inserted into the bone hole such that the flexible strand extends from the body through the cannula and exits the proximal end of the cannula;

placing the distal end of the cannula against a second location in the tissue such that a first portion of the flexible strand extends between the first location and the second location, the first portion of the flexible strand having a first length;

attaching a clip member to the flexible strand at the proximal end of the cannula;

replacing the distal end of the cannula against the first location;

tensioning the flexible strand such that a second portion of the flexible strand extends between the proximal end of the cannula and the clip member, the second portion of the flexible strand having a second length equal to the first length; and

using a measuring tool, determining a measurement of the second length, the measurement corresponding to a distance between the first and second locations in the tissue.