K040475 · Biomet, Inc. · HWC · May 21, 2004 · Orthopedic
Device Facts
Record ID
K040475
Device Name
MICROMAX SUTURE ANCHOR
Applicant
Biomet, Inc.
Product Code
HWC · Orthopedic
Decision Date
May 21, 2004
Decision
SESE
Submission Type
Traditional
Regulation
21 CFR 888.3040
Device Class
Class 2
Attributes
Therapeutic
Indications for Use
The MicroMax™ Suture Anchor is intended for use in soft tissue reattachment procedures in the shoulder, wrist, elbow and knee. Specific indications are as follows: Shoulder Indications: Bankart repair, SLAP lesion repair, Acromioclavicular (ACL) separation, Rotator cuff repair, Capsule repair or capsuloabral reconstruction, Biceps tenodesis, deltoid repair. Wrist Indications: Scapholunate ligament reconstruction. Elbow Indications: Tennis elbow repair, Ulnar or radial collateral ligament reconstruction, Biceps tendon reattachment, Medial and lateral repairs. Knee Indications (Extra-capsular repair): Medial collateral ligament repair, Lateral collateral ligament repair, Posterior oblique ligament repair, Joint capsule closure, Iliotibial band tenodesis reconstruction, Patellar ligament/tendon repair, Vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) muscle advancement. The device is pre-loaded with suture for use at the discretion of the physician.
Device Story
Resorbable suture anchor for attaching soft tissue to bone; composed of L-Lactide/Glycolide copolymer; degrades via hydrolysis into L-lactic and glycolic acids, then CO2 and water. Device features 3.0mm diameter, 9.0mm length, seven circumferential ribs, and two wings that flange to 4mm upon deployment. Head portion includes eyelet for suture attachment; pre-loaded with size 2 suture. Used by surgeons in clinical settings for orthopedic repairs. Instrumentation provided for placement. Benefits include secure tissue fixation with material resorption, eliminating need for secondary removal surgery.
Clinical Evidence
Bench testing only; no clinical data provided.
Technological Characteristics
Material: L-Lactide/Glycolide copolymer. Dimensions: 3.0mm diameter, 9.0mm length. Design: Two-piece assembly with seven circumferential ribs and deployable wings (4mm diameter). Fixation: Mechanical interference fit via ribs and flanging wings. Sterilization: Not specified.
Indications for Use
Indicated for soft tissue reattachment to bone in shoulder, wrist, elbow, and knee procedures. Applicable to patients requiring ligament, tendon, or capsule repair/reconstruction, including Bankart, SLAP, rotator cuff, biceps, and collateral ligament repairs.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A smooth or threaded metallic bone fixation fastener is a device intended to be implanted that consists of a stiff wire segment or rod made of alloys, such as cobalt-chromium-molybdenum and stainless steel, and that may be smooth on the outside, fully or partially threaded, straight or U-shaped; and may be either blunt pointed, sharp pointed, or have a formed, slotted head on the end. It may be used for fixation of bone fractures, for bone reconstructions, as a guide pin for insertion of other implants, or it may be implanted through the skin so that a pulling force (traction) may be applied to the skeletal system.
{0}------------------------------------------------
MAY 2 1 2004
BIOMET
K040475-
page 1 of 2
# 510(k) Summary
Biomet Manufacturing Corp. Applicant/Sponsor: Contact Person: Kacy Arnold
Requlatory Specialist
MicroMax® Suture Anchor Proprietary Name:
Common Name: Suture Anchor
Fastener, Fixation, Biodegradable soft tissue, 888.3045 Classification Name:
# Legally Marketed Devices To Which Substantial Equivalence Is Claimed:
LactoSorb® Soft Tissue Screw and Washer (K012572)
### Device Description:
.
This device is a resorbable suture anchor designed to attach soft tissue to bone. The resorbable fixation anchor is comprised of L-Lactide / Glycolide material. The poly L-Lactic/polyglycolic acid copolymer degrades by hydrolysis into L-lactic and glycolic acids. These hydrolytic products are then further degraded into carbon dioxide and water via the cellular Krebs cycle. The material and rarer degraged into carron anonial and o the predicate device, LactoSorb® L15 Soft Tissue Screw and Washer, K012572.
The suture anchor measures 3.0mm in diameter and 9.0mm in length. It is a two-piece assembly, consisting of a body and a head portion. The body portion engages the bone, which is enhanced by means of seven circumferential ribs. The ribs measure 3.25mm in diameter. In addition, the body has two wings, that when deployed will flange outward into the bone. Upon deployment, the diameter at the flanged wings is 4mm.
The head portion provides a means to drive the anchor in as well as to attach suture to the anchor. The anchor has an eyelet through the head portion to allow suture to pass through which will be used to fasten the tissue to bone. The device will be pre-loaded with any legally marketed, size 2 suture.
Instrumentation is provided for proper use and placement of the device.
MAILING ADDRESS 120. Box 587 Warsaw, IN 46581 0587
.
SHIPPING ADDRESS 56 E. Bell Drive Warsaw, IN 46582
()[+][()[)[+](()[+](+)[(+)[(+(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+)(+) 574.267.6639
FAX "" 1. 36 . " . 86 . " . 8 . "
E-MAIL biomer@bionnet.com
{1}------------------------------------------------
K040475-
page 2 of 2
#### Intended Use:
ed Use:
The MicroMax™ Suture Anchor is intended for use in soft tissue reattachment procedures in the The Fileronax - Specific indications are as follows:
#### Shoulder Indications:
- Bankart repair .
- SLAP lesion repair �
- Acromioclavicular (ACL) separation .
- Rotator cuff repair .
- Capsule repair or capsuloabral reconstruction .
- Biceps tenodesis, deltoid repair �
# Wrist Indications:
- Scapholunate ligament reconstruction .
# Elbow Indications:
- Tennis elbow repair .
- Ulnar or radial collateral ligament reconstruction .
- Biceps tendon reattachment .
- Medial and lateral repairs �
# Knee Indications (Extra-capsular repair):
- Medial collateral ligament repair .
- Lateral collateral ligament repair .
- Posterior oblique ligament repair .
- Joint capsule closure .
- Iliotibial band tenodesis reconstruction .
- Patellar ligament/tendon repair .
- Vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) muscle advancement .
The device is pre-loaded with suture for use at the discretion of the physician.
Summary of Technologies: The MicroMax™ Suture Anchor technological characteristics (material and design) are similar to predicate devices.
Non-Clinical Testing: Mechanical testing was performed to establish substantial equivalence to the predicate devices.
Clinical Testing: Clinical testing was not used to establish substantial equivalence to predicate devices.
All trademarks are property of Biomet, Inc.
{2}------------------------------------------------
Image /page/2/Picture/1 description: The image shows the logo for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The logo consists of a circular seal with the text "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - USA" around the perimeter. Inside the circle is a stylized symbol that resembles three wavy lines or streams, which is a common element in the department's branding.
Public Health Service
MAY 2 1 2004
Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
Ms. Kacy Arnold, RN, MBA Regulatory Specialist Biomet Manufacturing Corporation P.O. Box 587 Warsaw, Indiana 46581
Re: K040475
Trade/Device Name: MicroMax™ Suture Anchor Regulation Number: 21 CFR 888.3040 Regulation Name: Smooth or threaded metallic bone fixation fastener Regulatory Class: II Product Code: HWC Dated: February 23, 2004 Received: February 24, 2004
Dear Ms. Arnold:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) premarket notification of intent to market the device we nave reviewed your be determined the device is substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in interstate for use stated in the enerebate) to the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to conniser that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Act) that do not require approval of a premarket approval application (PMA). and Cosmotion (110. (110.) that the device, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The I ou may, dierere, misions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adultcration.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (PMA), it n your device is elaboried (toval controls. Existing major regulations affecting your device can may be subject to Salental Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 898. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your device in the Federal Register.
Please be advised that FDA's issuance of a substantial equivalence determination does not mean r that FDA has made a determination that your device complics with other requirements of the Act or any Federal statutes and regulations administered by other Federal agencies. You must of any I vith all the Act's requirements, including, but not limited to: registration and listing (21 CFR Part 807); labeling (21 CFR Part 801); good manufacturing practice requirements as set forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if applicable, the electronic product radiation control provisions (Sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
{3}------------------------------------------------
# Page 2 - Ms. Kacy Arnold, RN, MBA
This letter will allow you to begin marketing your device as described in your Section 510(k) This letter with and you to begin mailioning of substantial equivalence of your device to a legally premarket notincation: The PDF intelling of your device and thus, permits your device to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), please If you desire specific darno 12-7 301) 594-4639. Also, please note the regulation entitled, "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21CFR Part 807.97) you may obtain. IMIsoranuming of reference to premaisonsibilities under the Act may be obtained from the Other general miorination on your responsional and Consumer Assistance at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 443-6597 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsma/dsmamain.html
Sincerely yours,
Sincerely yours,
L. Mark A. Milliman
Celia M. Witten, Ph.D., M.D. Director
Division of General, Restorative and Neurological Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
{4}------------------------------------------------
# Indications for Use
510(k) Number (if known):
K040475
Device Name:
MicroMax™ Suture Anchor
Indications For Use:
Indications for the MicroMax™ Suture Anchor include use in soft tissue reattachment procedures
in the MicroMax™ Suture Anchor inclinations and fallows: Indications for the Microriax - Sucare Andrews
in the shoulder, wrist, elbow and knee. Specific indications are as follows:
in the shoulder, wrist, elbow and knee. Specifi
Shoulder Indications.
- Bankart repair ●
- SLAP lesion repair ●
- Acromioclavicular (ACL) separation .
- Rotator cuff repair .
- Capsule repair or capsuloabral reconstruction ●
- Biceps tenodesis ◆
- Deltoid repair .
#### Wrist Indications:
- Scapholunate ligament reconstruction ●
#### Elbow Indications:
- Tennis elbow repair .
- Ulnar or radial collateral ligament reconstruction .
- Biceps tendon reattachment �
- Medial and lateral repairs .
# Knee Indications (Extra-capsular repair):
- Medial collateral ligament repair .
- Lateral collateral ligament repair .
- Posterior oblique ligament repair .
- Joint capsule closure �
- Iliotibial band tenodesis reconstruction .
- Patellar ligament/tendon repair .
- Vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) muscle advancement �
The device is pre-loaded with suture for use at the discretion of the physician.
Prescription Use _ X (Part 21 CFR 801 Subpart D) AND/OR
Over-The-Counter Use *no*
(21 CFR 807 Subpart C)
(Please DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE-CONTINUE ON ANOTHER PAGE IF NEEDED)
Concurrence of CDRH, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE)
Page 1 of 1
Mark A. Mullean
Division Sign-Off
Division of General, Restorati and Neurological Devices
510(k) Number
Predicate graph will load when search results are available.
Embedding visualization will load when search results are available.
PDF viewer will load when search results are available.
Loading panels...
Select an item from Submissions
Click any panel, subpart, regulation, product code, or device to see details here.
Section Matches
Results will appear here.
Product Code Matches
Results will appear here.
Special Control Matches
Results will appear here.
Loading collections...
Loading
My Alerts
You will receive email notifications based on the filters and frequency you set for each alert.
Sort by:
Create Alert
Search Filters
Agent Token
Create a read-only bearer token for Claude, ChatGPT, or other agents that can call HTTP APIs.
Copy this now. It will not be shown again.
Connected apps
Apps you authorized through browser sign-in. Disconnecting revokes their access immediately.
Learn the FDA Browser
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.