Graft ligament strand tensioner
First Claim
1. A ligament strand tensioner comprising:
- a frame member for slidingly retaining loops of suture strands extending from ligament strands, and having a collar portion;
a cylindrically-shaped tube on which the collar portion is mounted;
a base member fixed on said tube; and
a handle connected to said tube;
the collar portion being tiltingly movable on said base member when manipulation of said handle, to pull the suture strands on said frame member taut, causes said base member to engage the collar portion;
wherein proximal axial movement of said frame member effects application of the tension on the strands; and
the sliding retention of the suture strands and the tilting movement of the collar portion provide substantial equalization of tension in the ligament strands.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A graft ligament strand tensioner includes a frame member for slidingly retaining loops of sutures extending from graft ligament strands. The tensioner further includes a collar portion, and is provided with a handle having a core portion on which the collar portion is disposed for axial movement, and a grip portion. The tensioner still further includes a spherical member connected to the handle and having rounded surfaces facing the collar portion. The collar portion is tiltingly movable on the spherical member rounded surfaces when manipulation of the handle, to pull sutures on the frame member taut, causes the collar portion to engage the spherical member rounded surfaces. The sliding retention of the sutures and the tilting movement of the collar portion provide substantial equalization of tension in the sutures and thereby the graft ligament strands.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A ligament strand tensioner comprising:
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a frame member for slidingly retaining loops of suture strands extending from ligament strands, and having a collar portion;
a cylindrically-shaped tube on which the collar portion is mounted;
a base member fixed on said tube; and
a handle connected to said tube;
the collar portion being tiltingly movable on said base member when manipulation of said handle, to pull the suture strands on said frame member taut, causes said base member to engage the collar portion;
whereinproximal axial movement of said frame member effects application of the tension on the strands; and
the sliding retention of the suture strands and the tilting movement of the collar portion provide substantial equalization of tension in the ligament strands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 22)
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11. A ligament strand tensioner comprising:
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a cylindrically-shaped tube;
a base member extending from the tube and having rounded surfaces;
a handle having a tubular core portion and a grip portion, said core portion being mounted on said tube and having an internal protrusion;
a stop member fixed to a proximal end of said tube;
a spring mounted in said core portion and extending from said internal protrusion to said stop member; and
a frame member disposed on said core portion and having suture strand rails thereon for retaining suture strands extending from ligament graft strands, said tube being movable axially relative to said frame member whereby said frame member may be engaged by said base member, with said frame member being tiltingly movable along the rounded surfaces, to provide equalization of tension in the suture strands retained on the rails, and thereby in the ligament strands. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A ligament graft strand tensioner comprising:
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a cylindrically-shaped tube;
a base member extending from a distal end of the tube and having proximally-facing surfaces of spherical configuration;
a handle having a tubular core portion and an annularly-shaped flange portion extending outwardly from a proximal end of the core portion, the core portion being mounted on the tube and having an internal ledge;
a spring mounted in the core portion and abutting the ledge at a distal end of said spring;
a stop member fixed to a proximal end of the tube, a proximal end of said spring abutting said stop member; and
a collar disposed on the handle core portion between the handle flange and the base member, said collar having grooved rails fixed thereto and adapted to retain sutures extending from strands of ligament grafts, said tube being movable axially relative to said collar, whereby said collar may be engaged by said base member, with said collar being movable tiltingly along the spherical surfaces, to provide equalization of tension in ligament graft strands attached to the sutures retained on the grooved rails. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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23. A ligament strand tensioner comprising:
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a frame member for slidingly retaining loops of suture strands extending from ligament strands; and
a handle connected to said frame for manipulation of said frame to apply tension to the suture strands and thereby to the ligament strands;
said frame member being pivotally mounted on the tensioner, such that sliding movement of the sutures on said frame member, and pivotal movement of said frame member provide substantial equalization of tension in the ligament strands. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A ligament strand tensioner comprising:
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a frame member for slidingly retaining loops of suture stands extending from ligament strands, and having a collar portion;
a handle having a core portion on which the collar portion is mounted for axial movement, and a grip portion; and
an abutment member connected to said handle and having rounded surfaces facing the collar portion;
the collar portion being tiltingly movable on the abutment member rounded surfaces when manipulation of said handle, to pull suture strands on said frame member taut, causes the abutment member to engage said collar portion;
wherein the sliding retention of the suture strands and the tilting movement of the collar portion provide substantial equalization of tension in the ligament strands.
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26. A method for reconstructing a ligament, comprising:
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attaching sutures S1 and S2 to ligament grafts G1 and G2, attaching sutures S3 and S4 to ligament grafts G3 and G4, fixing portions of ligament grafts G1, G2, G3 and G4 to a first bone in the body, and drawing sutures S1, S2, S3 and S4 through a hole in a second bone in a body;
providing a ligament strand tensioner comprising;
a frame member for slidingly retaining loops of suture strands extending from ligament strands, and having a collar portion, a handle having a core portion on which the collar portion is disposed for axial movement, and a grip portion, and a base member connected to said handle and having rounded surfaces facing the collar portion, the collar portion being tiltingly movable on the base member rounded surfaces when manipulation of said handle, to pull suture strands on said frame member taut, causes the base member rounded surfaces to engage said collar portion, wherein the sliding retention of the suture strands and the tilting movement of the collar portion provide substantial equalization of tension in the ligament strands;
tying together sutures S1 and S2, and tying together sutures S3 and S4, and positioning said sutures on said rounded surfaces;
pulling said handle axially so as to pull said sutures taught; and
securing said ligament grafts G1, G2, G3 and G4 to said second bone.
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Specification