Expanding ligament graft fixation system and method
First Claim
1. A ligament graft fixation system for fixing ligament graft material within a bone tunnel comprising:
- an expandable fixation member having opposed bone engaging elements disposed about its periphery, the fixation member having a proximal end, a distal end and an expansion plug receiving opening defined in the proximal end, at least one plug retaining element provided in the expansion plug receiving opening;
a graft receiving eyelet disposed proximate the distal end of the expandable fixation element; and
an expansion plug having a diameter greater than a diameter of the expansion plug receiving opening and having an engaging element matable with the plug retaining element wherein forceable insertion of the expansion plug into the expansion plug receiving opening causes an expansion of the expandable fixation member driving the opposed bone engaging elements apart so as to fix the bone engaging elements in a bone tunnel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A graft fixation system for fixing graft material in a bone tunnel includes an expandable fixation member having a graft receiving eyelet disposed proximate its distal end, opposed bone engaging elements disposed about its periphery, and an expansion plug receiving opening defined in its proximal end. The system also includes an expansion plug having a diameter greater than the diameter of the expansion plug receiving opening so that forceable insertion of the expansion plug into the expansion plug receiving opening causes an expansion of the expandable fixation member driving the opposed bone engaging elements apart so as to fix the bone engaging elements, as well as the graft material, in a bone tunnel.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A ligament graft fixation system for fixing ligament graft material within a bone tunnel comprising:
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an expandable fixation member having opposed bone engaging elements disposed about its periphery, the fixation member having a proximal end, a distal end and an expansion plug receiving opening defined in the proximal end, at least one plug retaining element provided in the expansion plug receiving opening;
a graft receiving eyelet disposed proximate the distal end of the expandable fixation element; and
an expansion plug having a diameter greater than a diameter of the expansion plug receiving opening and having an engaging element matable with the plug retaining element wherein forceable insertion of the expansion plug into the expansion plug receiving opening causes an expansion of the expandable fixation member driving the opposed bone engaging elements apart so as to fix the bone engaging elements in a bone tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for fixing a ligament graft in a bone tunnel comprising the steps of:
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forming a bone tunnel, the bone tunnel having a proximal edge;
providing a ligament graft fixation system comprising;
an expandable fixation member having opposed bone engaging elements about its periphery, the fixation member having a proximal end, a distal end and an expansion plug receiving opening defined in the proximal end, at least one plug retaining element provided in the expansion plug receiving opening;
a graft receiving eyelet disposed proximate the distal end of the expandable fixation element; and
an expansion plug having a diameter greater than a diameter of the expansion plug receiving opening and having an engaging element matable with the plug retaining element wherein forceable insertion of the expansion plug into the expansion plug receiving opening causes an expansion of the expandable fixation member driving the opposed bone engaging elements apart so as to fix the bone engaging elements in a bone tunnel;
looping a ligament graft through the eyelet;
inserting the ligament graft fixation system and ligament graft into the bone tunnel until the proximal end of the expanding graft fixation member is even with or slightly inside the edge of the bone tunnel;
forceably inserting the expansion plug into the expanding. fixation member to expand the expanding fixation member and thereby fix the expanding fixation member and ligament graft within the bone tunnel proximate to the bone tunnel edge.
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Specification