METHODS AND DEVICES FOR TISSUE REPAIR

(54) METHODS AND DEVICES FOR TISSUE REPAIR

(75) Inventors: George J. Sikora, Bridgewater, MA

(US); Raymond A. Bojarski, Attleboro,
MA (US); Aaron T. Hecker, West
Roxbury, MA (US)

Correspondence Address:
FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
1450 BROOKS ROAD
MEMPHIS, TN 38116 (US)

(73) Assignee: SMITH & NEPHEW, INC., Memphis, TN (US)

(21) Appl. No.: 11/535,868

(22) Filed: Sep. 27, 2006

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 11/165,551, filed on Jun. 24, 2005.

Publication Classification

An apparatus for tissue repair includes first and second fixation members configured to secure tissue together, a flexible coupling member coupling the first and second fixation members, a first flexible pull member attached to the first fixation member but not the second fixation member, and a second flexible pull member attached to the second fixation member but not the first fixation member. A surgical method for repairing a wound in a rotator cuff includes forming a first and second channel through tissue, advancing a first flexible member and a first fixation member coupled thereto through the first channel, advancing a second flexible member and a second fixation member coupled thereto through the second channel, and pulling a third flexible member coupling the first and second fixation members to shorten a length of the third flexible member between the first and second fixation members. A surgical method includes pulling a first implant through soft tissue of a rotator cuff cross a tear in the tissue to position the first implant on a first side of the tear and a second implant, coupled to the first implant by a flexible coupling member, on a second side of the tear with the flexible coupling member traversing the tear, and pulling the flexible coupling member to shorten a length of the flexible coupling member between the first and second implants to move the implants against the soft tissue to close the tear.