Hybrid Suture with Monofilament and Braided Construction
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(19) TZZ _T (11) EP 2 829 286 A1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (43) Date of publication: (51) Int Cl.: 28.01.2015 Bulletin 2015/05 A61L 17/10 (2006.01) (21) Application number: 14178353.0 (22) Date of filing: 24.07.2014 (84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventors: AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB • Dreyfuss, Peter J GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO Naples, FL Florida 34108 (US) PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR • Dooney, JR., Thomas Designated Extension States: Naples, FL Florida 34109 (US) BA ME (74) Representative: Ehrner & Delmar Patentbyrå AB (30) Priority: 24.07.2013 US 201361857818 P Box 10316 100 55 Stockholm (SE) (71) Applicant: Arthrex, Inc. Naples, FL 34108-1945 (US) (54) Hybrid suture with monofilament and braided construction (57) A hybrid monofilament/braided surgical suture polyethylene or polypropylene filament, among many that combines a monofilament with a braided construc- others. The stiffness properties of the hybrid surgical su- tion. The hybrid surgical suture may be formed by braid- ture allow the suture to be pushed through small and very ing yarns of high tenacity fibers tightly over a core in the small diameter tubes and cannulations (such as Lasso form of a monofilament yarn. The monofilament may be instruments, for example) yet fix securely with existing any type of material, for example, a nylon, silk, polyester, fixation devices (such as knotless suture anchors). EP 2 829 286 A1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 2 829 286 A1 2 Description not a coreless construct anymore. The monofilament may be any type of material, for example, a yarn of nylon, FIELD OF THE INVENTION polyester, polyethylene, silk, etc. The monofilament yarn is fed into the core as the jacket is being braided. [0001] The present invention relates to surgical suture 5 [0007] Other features and advantages of the present materials and, in particular, to improved braided mono- invention will become apparent from the following de- filament sutures. scription of the invention, which refers to the accompa- nying drawings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0002] Sutures have been known throughout the his- tory of surgery. Recently, the variety of materials used [0008] to close wounds and attach soft tissue to bone (or soft tissue to soft tissue) has included a wide selection of FIG. 1 illustrates a hybrid monofilament/braided su- synthetic compositions such as ultrahigh molecular15 ture according to an exemplary embodiment of the weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), or the FiberWire® su- present invention. ture described in U.S. Patent No. 6,716,234, or the Fib- erTape® suture tape described in U.S. Patent No. FIG. 2 illustrates a partial, cross-sectional view of 7,892,256. the hybrid monofilament/braided suture of FIG. 1. [0003] There is a need for an improved suture with20 could fold easily to provide a construct with a reduced FIGS. 3-8 illustrate another hybrid monofila- diameter for tissue passing and instrument passing. Also ment/braided suture according to another exemplary needed are improved sutures with handling characteris- embodiment of the present invention. tics of the monofilaments (i.e., capable of passing through small cannulations of suture passing instru-25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM- ments) but also capable of fixing well in anchors that rely BODIMENTS on friction for holding suture without knots. Also needed are methods of suture manipulation with decreased su- [0009] In the following detailed description, reference ture tear, as well as methods of maximizing benefits of is made to various specific embodiments in which the tissue cut-through resistance with minimal and efficient 30 invention may be practiced. These embodiments are de- use of material. scribed with sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION that other embodiments may be employed, and that structural and logical changes may be made without de- [0004] The present invention provides a surgical su- 35 parting from the scope of the present invention. ture that combines a monofilament with a braided con- [0010] The present invention provides a surgical su- struction. The surgical suture is a hybrid monofila- ture that combines a monofilament with a braided con- ment/braided suture. The hybrid suture passes easily struction. The surgical suture is a hybrid monofila- through any suture passing instrument (even through ment/braided suture. The surgical suture combines a ones having a very small diameter) while fixes securely 40 monofilament with a braided construction. The suture has with hard fixation devices such as knotless PushLock® handling characteristics of a monofilament (i.e., capable anchors to increase tissue fixation and strength. of passing through small tortuous cannulations) but also [0005] The hybrid surgical suture may be formed by capable of fixing well in anchors that rely on friction for braiding yarns of high tenacity fibers tightly over a core holding suture without knots. in the form of a monofilament yarn. The monofilament 45 [0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the hybrid surgi- may be any type of material, for example, a nylon, silk, cal suture is formed by braiding yarns of high tenacity polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene filament, fibers tightly over a monofilament yarn. The monofila- among many others. The stiffness properties of the hy- ment may be any type of material, for example, a nylon brid surgical suture of the present invention allows the yarn such as a #1 nylon filament, a polyester yarn, a suture to be pushed through small and very small diam- 50 polyethylene yarn, a polypropylene yarn, etc. The stiff- eter tubes and cannulations (such as Lasso instruments, ness properties of the hybrid surgical suture of the for example) yet fix securely with existing fixation devices present invention allows the suture to be pushed through (such as knotless suture anchors like PushLock® an- small and very small tubes and cannulations (such as chors). suture passing devices like Lasso instruments, for exam- [0006] The hybrid surgical suture may be formed by 55 ple) yet fix securely with existing fixation devices (such inserting a monofilament yarn (monofilament core) into as knotless suture anchors like PushLock® anchors). a braid such as a FiberWire® CL braid (a coreless braid [0012] In another exemplary embodiment, the hybrid with UHMWPE). The resulting hybrid surgical suture is surgical suture is formed by inserting a monofilament 2 3 EP 2 829 286 A1 4 yarn into a braid such as a FiberWire® CL braid (a core- to easily differentiate the suture from other sutures during less braid with less than 75% UHMWPE). The resulting surgery; 3) helps maintain the perimeter of a pre-made hybrid surgical suture is not a coreless construct any- suture geometry like a suture loop; 4) monofilament can more. The monofilament may be any type of material, for be placed in a specific section of the suture where com- example, a yarn of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, poly- 5 pression is required while the rest of the suture is normal propylene or any other similar materials. The monofila- (this would help allow the user to tie knots); and 5) the ment yarn is fed into the braided cover (into the core) as mono could be part of the braid in a coreless type of the jacket is being braided. suture to help with suture differentiation where compres- [0013] Referring now to the drawings, where like ele- sion is not needed. ments are designated by like reference numerals, FIGS. 10 [0018] FIG. 3 illustrates hybrid suture 200 with mono- 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of suture filament core 210 and braided jacket 220. FIG. 4 illus- 100 of the present invention which is a hybrid monofila- trates hybrid suture 200a with monofilament core 210a ment/braidedsuture comprising a core formed of a mono- and braided jacket 220a; suture 200a includes a braided filament and a jacket (cover) braided over the monofila- suture with strand on monofilament 222 within the braid. ment. 15 The addition of a small monofilament to the weave (braid) [0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, suture 100 com- adds some stiffness to the overall suture while maintain- prises a section or core 10 substantially formed of a ing the same diameter of the suture (but changing the monofilament yarn 10 (monofilament 10 or core 10 or "loose" feel of the suture). monofilament core 10) and a jacket 20 formed over and [0019] FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary hybrid suture 200 in contact with the monofilament 10 during the fabrication 20 pushed through a surgical device 88 (for example, a can- process. Monofilament yarn 10 may be formed of any nulated metal suture passer 88) in the direction of arrow type of material such as, for example, nylon in the form A. The braid suture with monofilament core easily passes of a #1 nylon filament, or other similar materials such as through the instrument 88. polyester, polyethylene, or polypropylene, among many [0020] FIG. 6 illustrates braided suture with monofila- others. In an exemplary embodiment only, monofilament 25 ment core 200 as a stiffer suture in the vicinity of a softer 10 is totally covered by cover or jacket 20. The monofil- suture 52 (for example, a currently fabricated braided ament 10 is preferably formed of nylon yarns or filaments, suture), both inserted into a cannula 99, for example, an as nylon is readily available. arthroscopic cannula 99 attached to a part of the human [0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the jacket 20 is body, for example, humerus 90.