Paragraph Number

106

FIGS. 20-23 depict an illustrative example of a suture routing through the suture anchor 100. A suture threader 280 is pre-loaded into the anchor body 102. The suture threader includes a filament 282 forming a distal loop portion 284 and a proximal grip portion 286 joined to the loop portion. The suture threader 280 is inserted through the longitudinal passageway of the anchor body from the superior distal opening 118 to the proximal opening 116 with at least part of the loop portion 284 extending up and out of the superior “U”-shaped opening 158 of the proximal member 104 and the grip portion 286 extending out of the distal opening 118. In the illustrative example of FIGS. 20-23, two sutures 250, 251 are depicted. Any number of sutures may be utilized in accordance with the present disclosure and each of the depicted sutures may represent multiple sutures that are routed together. For simplicity, the suture locking member 160 and retainer 180 have been omitted from FIGS. 20-23 and the routing of only one suture 250 of the illustrated sutures will be described in detail. The suture 250 is threaded through an inferior distal opening 122 of the anchor body 102, with a first portion 252 extending through the longitudinal passageway 114 of the anchor body 102 between the proximal opening 116 and the distal opening. A proximal end 254 of the suture 250 extends out the proximal opening 116 of the anchor body 102 and down through the inferior “U”-shaped slot 188 of the retainer 180 (not shown) and the inferior “U”-shaped opening 159 of the proximal member 104. In FIG. 21, a second portion 256 of the suture 250 contiguous to the first portion 252 extends away from the anchor body 102. A distal end 258 of the suture 250 is inserted through the loop portion 284 of the threader 280. The threader 280 is pulled distally through the anchor body 102 to route the distal end 258 of the suture 250 back through the anchor body 102 so that a third portion 260 of the suture contiguous to the second portion 256 extends within the longitudinal passageway 114 between the proximal opening 116 and the superior distal opening 118. The distal end 258 of the suture is then pulled proximally so that a fourth portion 262 of the suture contiguous to the third portion 260 extends along the exterior surface of the anchor body 102 between the distal opening 118 and the proximal end 108. The suture locking member 160 may then be inserted into the anchor body to secure the first portion 252 of the suture and the third portion 260 of the suture within the longitudinal passageway by compressing the suture portions between the suture locking member 160 and the anchor body 102. For example, the suture may be compressed between the sides of the suture locking member and the interior sidewall of the anchor body as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. In an example according to the present disclosure, the suture 250, 251 and threader may be provided preloaded to the anchor as shown in the configuration of FIG. 20.

Added by DJM 9 2021