Ligament fixation staple

• US 5,209,756 A
• Filed: 07/10/1991
• Issued: 05/11/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bahaa Botros Seedhom
• Original Assignee: Bahaa Botros Seedhom
• Inventors: Collins, Simon, Seedhom, Bahaa B., Swann, Anthony C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US07/720,833
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 606/151, 606/219, 606/220, 606/221, 606/60, 606/75, 606/72, 606/99, 623/13
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/88 Osteosynthesis instruments; Methods or means for implanting or extracting internal or external fixation devices A61B17/7074 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0805 Implements for inserting tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0829 without deformation of anchor parts, e.g. fixation screws on bone surface, extending barbs, cams, butterflies, spring-loaded pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0888 Anchor in or on a blind hole or on the bone surface without formation of a tunnel

Abstract

A fixation device for securing a prosthetic ligament to a bone and which comprises a bone staple having a head portion by means of which the staple can be driven into the bone, and a pair of legs extending from the head and having ends engageable into the bone, characterized by a stirrup for guiding the driving movement of the staple and arranged also to cooperate with the staple in order to enable the prosthetic ligament to engage the staple and the stirrup and to be securable to the bone upon completion of driving of the staple into the bone, the stirrup comprising two generally parallel side portions which define guides to receive the legs of the staple and to guide the driving movement of the legs, and also defining an aperture through which the ligament can be taken prior to securement of the ligament to the bone.

Claims

1. A ligament fixation device for securing a ligament to a bone and which comprises a bone staple having a head portion by which the staple can be driven into the bone, and a pair of legs extending away from the head portion and having ends engageable into the bone, characterized by a stirrup for guiding the driving movement of the staple and co-operable with the staple in order to anchor the ligament to the bone, characterized in that the stirrup has guides to engage the legs of the staple and thereby guide the driving movement of the staple, and an aperture formed in the stirrup and defined between a pair of opposed side edges, said aperture permitting the ligament to be received by the stirrup in serpentine manner with a first portion to be located between the stirrup and the bone, a second portion to pass around one of said side edges of the aperture, through the aperture and around the other side edge, and a third portion to be located between the head portion of the staple and the stirrup, whereby to anchor the ligament to the bone when the staple is driven into the bone.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the stirrup comprises side portions and at least two cross-members extending between side portions of the stirrup at positions intermediate the ends of the side portions in order to define said aperture, and also to define said guides through which the staple legs can be received.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the stirrup is symmetrical in construction.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the stirrup includes chamfered or otherwise profiled edges to minimize wear of the ligament.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, comprising spikes provided on the underside of the stirrup to secure the latter to ligament or adjacent bone.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the side portions of the stirrup are provided with recessed portions to hold the ligament captive against lateral movement.

7. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the cross-members which interconnect the side portions of the stirrup are of smaller thickness than the side portions to enable the head portion of the staple to be located substantially within the stirrup upon completion of driving of the staple into the bone.

8. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the stirrup is rectangular in shape, having side portions and cross-member end portions which define an aperture in which the staple can be received, the ligament also being capable of being taken through this aperture and of being securely anchored therein when the head of the staple is driven to a position in which it is located within the aperture.

9. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the stirrup comprises side portions and at least two intermediate cross-members which interconnect said side portions in order to define end apertures through which the staple legs can be taken.

10. A device as defined in claim 1, and in combination with a prosthetic ligament to form a ligament fixation system, in which the prosthetic ligament has tapered ends to facilitate threading of the ligament through the aperture in the stirrup.

11. A device as defined in claim 10, in which the tapered ends are densely woven sections.

12. A device as defined in claim 11, in which a removable protective sheath surrounds the ligament.

13. A device as defined in claim 10, in which the ligament includes a pouch and a bone plug, and a densely woven section adjacent to the bone plug.

14. A fixation device for securing a ligament to a bone and which comprises a bone staple having a head portion by which the staple can be driven into the bone, and a pair of legs extending from the head portion and having ends engageable into the bone, characterized by a stirrup, for guiding the driving movement of the staple, co-operable with the staple in order to anchor the ligament to the bone, said stirrup having guides to receive the legs of the staple and to guide the driving movement of the legs, and also having an aperture through which the ligament can be taken prior to securement of the ligament to the bone, and further characterized by at least two cross-members which interconnect side portions of the stirrup and which are disposed outwardly of the guide postions through which the staple legs are received.

15. A fixation device for securing a ligament to a bone and which comprises a bone staple having a head portion by which the staple can be driven into the bone, and a pair of legs extending from the head portion and having ends engageable into the bone, characterized by a stirrup, for guiding the driving movement of the staple, co-operable with the staple in order to anchor the ligament the bone, said stirrup having guides to receive the legs of the staple and to guide the driving movement of the legs, and also having an aperture through which the ligament can be taken prior to securement of the ligament to the bone, and further comprising cross-members which interconnect the side portions of the stirrup which are of smaller thickness than the side portions to enable the head portion of the staple to be located substantially within the stirrup upon completion of driving of the staple into the bone.

16. A fixation device for securing a ligament to a bone and which comprises a bone staple having a head portion by which the staple can be driven into the bone, and a pair of legs extending from the head portion and having ends engageable into the bone, characterized by a stirrup, for guiding the driving movement of the staple, co-operable with the staple in order to anchor the ligament to the bone, said stirrup having guides to receive the legs of the staple and to guide the driving movement of the legs, and also having an aperture through which the ligament can be taken prior to securement of the ligament to the bone, and wherein the stirrup is rectangular in shape, having side portions and cross-member portions which define an aperture in which the staple can be received, the ligament also being capable of being taken through this aperture and of being securely anchored therein when the head of the staple is driven to a position in which it is located within the aperture.

17. A fixation system having a fixation device for securing a ligament to a bone and which comprises a bone staple having a head portion by which the staple can be driven into the bone, and a pair of legs extending from the head portion and having ends engageable into the bone, characterized by a stirrup, for guiding the driving movement of the staple co-operable with the staple in order to anchor the ligament to the bone, said stirrup having guides to receive the legs of the staple and to guide the driving movement of the legs, and also having an aperture through which the ligament can be taken prior to securement of the ligament to the bone, and including a prosthetic ligament to be taken through the aperture in the stirrup, the prosthetic ligament having tapered ends to facilitate the threading of the ligament through the aperture in the stirrup, and wherein the ligament further includes a pouch and a bone plug, and a densely woven section adjacent to the bone plug.