Osteochondral repair assembly including retracting spacer, kit and method

• US 20070233135A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bharadwaj, Jeetendra, Shimko, Daniel, Gil, Carlos
• Granted Patent: US 7,572,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/86.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30756 Cartilage endoprostheses A61F2/3603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4618 of cartilage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2839 Bone plugs or bone graft dowels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30224 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4619 for extraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical

Abstract

An osteochondral repair assembly and a kit, both include an osteochondral regenerative implant and an associated retracting spacer. A method of osteochondral regeneration includes forming a recipient socket in a chondral area of an articular surface in need of repair, placing a retracting spacer at the recipient socket and removably wedging the retracting spacer between a wall of the recipient socket and an implant.

Claims

1. An osteochondral repair assembly, comprising an osteochondral regenerative implant and an associated smooth walled retracting spacer at a periphery contacting surface of the implant.

2. The repair assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a rigid, inflexible biocompatible material

3. The repair assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a substantially flexible, biocompatible material.

4. The repair assembly of claim 1, wherein the associated smooth walled retracting spacer comprises a hook-shaped ribbon structure.

5. The repair assembly of claim 1, wherein the associated smooth walled retracting spacer comprises a configuration selected from (1) a spatula shape with a substantially round flat blade and a hooked handle that tails outside of a socket area when the repair assembly is implanted, (2) a ribboned shape with at least a doubled handle that tails outside of a socket area when the implant is implanted, (3) a ribboned cruciate structure with at least four handles that tail outside of a socket area when the repair assembly is implanted, and (4) a substantially straight ribbon film of a length to tail at least one perimeter structure of the film outside of a socket area when the repair assembly is implanted.

6. The repair assembly of claim 1, wherein the associated smooth walled retracting spacer comprises a material selected from stainless steel, Mylar®

film, polyethylene film, polypropylene film, polylactone film and polycaprolactone film.

7. The repair assembly of claim 1, wherein the associated smooth walled retracting spacer comprises an osteoconductive matrix film with supported biological agent.

8. A kit for osteochondral repair comprising at least one osteochondral implant;

and at least one smooth walled retracting spacer for insertion by wedging into a recipient socket in a chondral area of an articular joint in need of repair.

9. The kit of claim 8, comprising an array of spacers of varying size.

10. The kit of claim 8, comprising an array of spacers of varying configuration.

11. The kit of claim 8, comprising an implant sized to insert into a first sized recipient socket and at least one other implant sized to insert into at least one other sized recipient socket.

12. A method of osteochondral regeneration, comprising:

forming a recipient socket in an osteochondral area of an articular surface in need of repair;

placing a smooth walled retracting spacer at the recipient socket; and

removably wedging the retracting spacer between a wall of the recipient socket and an implanted implant.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising removably wedging the retracting spacer between the wall of the recipient socket and the implant by impressing the implant with the retracting spacer into the socket.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the implant from the socket by removing the retracting spacer.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising removably wedging the retracting spacer with a spacer tail portion extending out from within the socket.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising removably wedging the retracting spacer with a spacer tail portion extending out from within the socket;

determining that the implant is correctly or incorrectly positioned within socket; and

if incorrectly positioned, withdrawing the implant by use of the retracting spacer.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising removably wedging the retracting spacer with a spacer tail portion extending out from within the socket, wherein the tail portion comprises at least two sections extending from within the socket;

determining that the implant is correctly or incorrectly positioned within socket; and

if incorrectly positioned, withdrawing the implant by urging the at least two sections from the socket along with the implant.

18. The method of claim 12, comprising removably wedging the retracting spacer with a spacer tail portion extending out from within the socket;

determining that the implant is correctly or incorrectly positioned within socket; and

if correctly positioned, removing the tail portion from the spacer and retaining the implant and a remaining spacer structure within the socket.

19. The method of claim 12, comprising removably wedging the retracting spacer with a spacer tail portion extending out from within the socket;

determining that the implant is correctly or incorrectly positioned within socket; and

if correctly positioned, removing the spacer from around the implant and retaining the implant within the socket.

20. The method of claim 12, comprising removing the implant from the socket by retracting the spacer from within the socket and re-implanting the implant into the socket until a plug graft cartilage cap of the implant is determined to be substantially flush with a surrounding cartilage surface profile.

21. The method of claim 12, comprising:

providing a plurality of retracting spacers in an array for selection of a spacer;

selecting one or more retracting spacers from the array; and

implanting the selected one or more retracting spacer with an implant into an osteochondral recipient socket.

22. The method of claim 12, comprising comparing a contour of a site adjacent the recipient socket to the contour of an implanted implant, determining that the contours do not substantially match and removing the implant by retracting the spacer to displace the implant from the recipient socket.