Ligament reconstruction tensioning device

• US 20030229396A1
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott A. Andrews 2000 Living Trust
• Original Assignee: Scott A. Andrews 2000 Living Trust
• Inventors: Andrews, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,949,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/13.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04

Abstract

The equal tension applying device is used to apply equal tension to a group of tendons. The device comprises a 3 to 9 inch elongate flexible member and a hook at each end of the flexible member. Typically a torn ACL is replaced with two loops of tendons defining 4 tendon strands. The ends of each strand have sutures therein. The tendon loops are fixed in a femoral tunnel with a fixation pin and extend into and through a tibial tunnel. The method includes the steps of: tying the ends of the sutures together to form a loop, placing a hook of the elongate tensioning device over the suture loop, applying tension on the device, followed by anchoring the ends of the tendon strands to the tibia.

Claims

1. An equal tension applying device for applying tension to a group of tendons, said device comprising a 3 to 9 inch elongate flexible member and a hook at each end of said flexible member.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said elongate flexible member is non-elastic.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said elongate flexible member is approximately 5 inches long.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said elongate flexible member is selected from the group consisting of:

a rope, a line, a suture, a cable, a cord, a wire, a string, or a chain.

5. In a method for reconstructing a knee, wherein a torn ACL is replaced with two loops of tendons defining 4 tendon strands, the ends of each strand having sutures therein, the tendon loops being fixed in a femoral tunnel with a fixation pin and extending into and through a tibial tunnel, the improvement residing in the steps of:

tying the ends of the sutures together to form a loop,

placing a hook of an elongate tensioning device over the suture loop,

applying tension on the device,

followed by anchoring the ends of the tendon strands to the tibia.

6. The method of claim five, wherein said device comprises an elongate flexible device with a hook at each end and said step of applying tension comprises:

placing both hooks of the device in said tied suture loop thereby creating a flexible device loop;

inserting a rigid rod through the flexible device loop;

followed by gripping the rod and pulling on same to place equal tension on the tendon strands.

7. The method of claim 5 including, the step of monitoring the tension applied to the tendon strands.