Importance

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Abstract

A suture anchor loader and driver for mounting a suture anchor with a connected suture, that is arranged for mounting and maintaining the suture to the driver distal end while driving the anchor into a bone, whereafter the driver is removed from the anchor, leaving the suture extending from the seated anchor. The driver includes a cylindrical solid body and has an anchor mount formed as its distal end that is for receiving a coupling end of the anchor fitted therethrough and includes a center longitudinal passage, wherethrough the anchor suture is fitted. A first curved passage is formed in the driver body distal end and intersects the center longitudinal passage through the anchor mount, and extends to the driver body surface where it intersects a straight longitudinal groove that is formed along the driver body. The groove intersects, on its proximal end, an inlet end of a second curved passage that extends through and exits the driver body surface on the opposite side to the longitudinal groove and first curved passage end, which first curved passage, longitudinal groove and second curved passage are to receive the suture threaded therethrough. The invention provides several embodiments of arrangements for maintaining the threaded suture alongside the driver body, and provides, on the driver body proximal end, a drill coupling arrangement that is to fit into and be turned by a conventional drill, T-handle, or the like, for seating the anchor into a bone material.

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First Claim