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This is a record of a document published elsewhere, first published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as US-5730744-A, on 24 March 1998. OpenTechnical did not first disclose it. The identifier, hashes and timestamps below record what this library served and when, not when the material became public. View the original.

OT-2026-000003227

Soft tissue screw, delivery device, and method

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Tools & Tooling › Clamping Tools
Original source
US-5730744-A, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, 24 March 1998
Document SHA-256
4ef27d8f99383a305fd3b0acf09a70abc6899637930afc2758911201550d2d4e

A fastener, driving device, and method are provided for repairing a tear in soft tissue of a patient, such as a meniscal tear in a knee. The fastener has a variable-pitch helical protrusion along a central portion that decreases from the distal end to the proximal end, for bringing two sides of the tear into apposition as the fastener is advanced across the two sides of the tear in a screwing motion. A buttress form of helical protrusion is used for resisting axial forces from pulling the fastener out of the tear and from pulling the two sides of the tear apart. The fastener material preferably is a biodegradable, biocompatible, nontoxic plastic that is specifically designed to biodegrade generally within the time span of the healing process. A delivery device for introducing the fastener is also provided that includes an elongated needle rotationally coupled with the fastener, the turning of which turns the fastener, advancing the fastener into the tissue. The method of repairing the tear entails manipulating the fastener/delivery device system adjacent and normal to the tear axis and driving the fastener across the tear.

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Abstract

A fastener, driving device, and method are provided for repairing a tear in soft tissue of a patient, such as a meniscal tear in a knee. The fastener has a variable-pitch helical protrusion along a central portion that decreases from the distal end to the proximal end, for bringing two sides of the tear into apposition as the fastener is advanced across the two sides of the tear in a screwing motion. A buttress form of helical protrusion is used for resisting axial forces from pulling the fastener out of the tear and from pulling the two sides of the tear apart. The fastener material preferably is a biodegradable, biocompatible, nontoxic plastic that is specifically designed to biodegrade generally within the time span of the healing process. A delivery device for introducing the fastener is also provided that includes an elongated needle rotationally coupled with the fastener, the turning of which turns the fastener, advancing the fastener into the tissue. The method of repairing the tear entails manipulating the fastener/delivery device system adjacent and normal to the tear axis and driving the fastener across the tear.

1. Drawings

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Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000003227, “Soft tissue screw, delivery device, and method,” published September 15, 2026 at 19:52:34 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000003227.

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This record reproduces a document published elsewhere and is provided for reference and study. Rights in the original remain with its owner. See the publication policy.