Anterior cruciate ligament tether
First Claim
1. A surgical device for temporarily holding the tibia and femur of the knee together in the setting of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, comprising:
- (a) a flexible, elongate material of sufficient strength and stiffness with a femoral portion and a tibial portion(b) means for securing said femoral portion to the anatomic femoral attachment of said anterior cruciate ligament(c) means for securing said tibial portion to the anatomic tibial attachment of said anterior cruciate ligamentwhereby said device provides an internal tether preventing temporary distraction of said anterior cruciate ligament in all degrees of flexion and extension during the healing phase.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method to provide a surgically inserted internal tether between the femur and tibia is provided which will prevent distraction of the healing anterior cruciate ligament in all degrees of flexion and extension, at all times. The anterior cruciate ligament tether preserves the four-bar cruciate linkage, critical for normal knee mechanics. In addition, placement of the tether provides bleeding into the knee in the region of the anterior cruciate ligament attachment sites and the consequent inflow of pluripotential cells and healing mediators.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A surgical device for temporarily holding the tibia and femur of the knee together in the setting of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, comprising:
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(a) a flexible, elongate material of sufficient strength and stiffness with a femoral portion and a tibial portion (b) means for securing said femoral portion to the anatomic femoral attachment of said anterior cruciate ligament (c) means for securing said tibial portion to the anatomic tibial attachment of said anterior cruciate ligament whereby said device provides an internal tether preventing temporary distraction of said anterior cruciate ligament in all degrees of flexion and extension during the healing phase. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for temporarily holding the tibia and femur of the knee together in the setting of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, comprising steps of:
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(a) inserting a flexible, elongate material of sufficient strength and stiffness into the knee (b) securing one portion of said material to said femur at the anatomic attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament (c) securing second portion of said material to said tibia at the anatomic attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament whereby said material provides an internal tether preventing distraction of the healing anterior cruciate ligament in all degrees of flexion and extension.
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Specification