Ligament system for knee joint

• US 10,517,714 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stone, Kevin T., Metzger, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao-Thieu L
• Application Number:
  US15/626,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20170333176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00858 high friction, non-slip on handles A61B2017/00429
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0435 the barbs being separate elements mechanically linked to the anchor, e.g. by pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0823 Modular anchors comprising a plurality of separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0829 without deformation of anchor parts, e.g. fixation screws on bone surface, extending barbs, cams, butterflies, spring-loaded pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0835 with deformation of anchor parts, e.g. expansion of dowel by set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0864 Fixation of tendon or ligament between anchor elements, e.g. by additional screws in the anchor, anchor crimped around tendon
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0095 : Saddle-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0007 : for adjusting length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0012 : for adjusting elasticity, flexibility, spring rate or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 : differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0029 : differing in bending or flexure capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/04 : Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/10 : Ceramics or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/22 : Polypeptides or derivatives thereof , e.g. degradation products
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/06 : Braid or lace serving particular purposes

Abstract

A system for an anatomical joint includes a first fastener, a second fastener, a prosthetic ligament member, and a biasing member associated with at least one of the first and second fasteners. The first fastener is operable to be connected to a first bone portion. The second fastener is operable to be connected to a second bone portion. The prosthetic ligament member is flexible and is directly coupled to both the first and second fasteners to support the first bone portion and the second bone portion for relative movement. A portion of the prosthetic ligament member extends from the first fastener to the second fastener and has an adjustable length. The biasing member is operable to bias the prosthetic ligament member to thereby maintain tension in the prosthetic ligament member.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a braided hollow suture construct, comprising:

obtaining a braided hollow core suture comprised of multiple biocompatible fibers braided together, the braided hollow core suture including a braided suture wall, the multiple biocompatible fibers including at least a first fiber and a second fiber, the first fiber having a first diameter, the second fiber having a second diameter that is made larger than the first diameter for increasing the coefficient of friction of the braided hollow core suture, wherein the second diameter being larger than the first diameter causes the second fiber to protrude from the first fiber along the braided suture wall;

passing a first free end of the braided hollow core suture through a first longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture to form a first adjustable loop; and

passing a second free end of the braided hollow core suture through a second longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture to form a second adjustable loop.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fiber is formed with a first biocompatible material and the second fiber is formed with a second biocompatible material that is different than the first biocompatible material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fiber and the second fiber is formed with a polyethylene material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fiber and the second fiber is formed with a polyester material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fiber is formed with a polyethylene material and the second fiber is formed with a polyester material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second fiber is less resiliently extendable in a longitudinal direction compared to the first fiber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first free end extends through a first aperture in the braided hollow core suture, along the first longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture, and out a fourth aperture in the braided hollow core suture, and wherein the second free end extends through a second aperture in the braided hollow core suture, along the second longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture, and out a third aperture in the braided hollow core suture, wherein the first aperture, the second aperture, the third aperture, and the fourth aperture are all separate apertures in the braided hollow core suture.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising coupling the braided hollow core suture to a bone engaging fastener.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the bone engaging fastener is threaded.

10. A method of manufacturing a braided hollow core suture construct, comprising:

braiding together multiple biocompatible fibers to form a braided hollow core suture, the multiple biocompatible fibers including a first fiber and a second fiber, the first fiber having a first diameter, the second fiber having a second diameter that is made larger than the first diameter for increasing the coefficient of friction of the braided hollow core suture, wherein the first fiber is formed with a polyethylene material and the second fiber is formed with a polyester material; and

passing a first free end of the braided hollow core suture through a first longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture to form a first adjustable loop.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising passing a second free end of the braided hollow core suture through a second longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture to form a second adjustable loop.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising coupling the braided hollow core suture to a bone engaging fastener.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the bone engaging fastener is threaded.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the braided hollow core suture includes a braided suture wall, and wherein the second diameter being larger than the first diameter causes the second fiber to protrude from the first fiber along the braided suture wall.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second fiber is less resiliently extendable in a longitudinal direction compared to the first fiber.

16. A method of manufacturing a braided hollow core suture construct, comprising:

obtaining a braided hollow core suture that includes a first free end and a second free end, the braided hollow core suture formed by a process that includes braiding together multiple biocompatible fibers, wherein said braiding together includes braiding into the braided hollow core suture a plurality of first fibers having a first diameter, and wherein said braiding together further includes braiding into the braided hollow core suture along with the plurality of first fibers at least one second fiber having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter so as to increase the coefficient of friction of the braided hollow core suture relative to the coefficient of friction of the plurality of first fibers;

passing the first free end into the braided hollow core suture through a first aperture in the braided hollow core suture, along a first longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture, and out of the braided hollow core suture through a fourth aperture in the braided hollow core suture to form a first adjustable loop; and

passing the second free end into the braided hollow core suture through a second aperture in the braided hollow core suture, along a second longitudinal passage in the braided hollow core suture, and out of the braided hollow core suture through a third aperture in the braided hollow core suture to form a second adjustable loop,

wherein the first aperture, the second aperture, the third aperture, and the fourth aperture are all separate apertures in the braided hollow core suture.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first fiber is formed with a first biocompatible material and the second fiber is formed with a second biocompatible material that is different than the first biocompatible material.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first fiber and the second fiber is formed with a polyethylene material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first fiber and the second fiber is formed with a polyester material.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first fiber is formed with a polyethylene material and the second fiber is formed with a polyester material.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the braided hollow core suture includes a braided suture wall, and wherein the second diameter being larger than the first diameter causes the second fiber to protrude from the first fiber along the braided suture wall.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising coupling the braided hollow core suture to a bone engaging fastener.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the bone engaging fastener is threaded.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the second fiber is less resiliently extendable in a longitudinal direction compared to the first fibers.