Method of loading tendons into the knee

• US 5,918,604 A
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Whelan, Jeffery M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh X.
• Application Number:
  US09/015,618
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 606/72, 606/96, 606/98, 606/99, 128/897, 128/898, 623/11, 623/13, 623/18, 623/20
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/076 for removing surgical staples or wound clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1714 for applying tendons or ligaments implements for applying tendons or ligaments A61F2/0805
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8625 Shanks, i.e. parts contacting bone tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/863 with thread interrupted or changing its form along shank, other than constant taper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/864 hollow, e.g. with socket or cannulated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0648 threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread
• 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 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0841 Longitudinal channel for insertion tool running through the whole tendon anchor, e.g. for accommodating bone drill, guidewire
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0852 Fixation of a loop or U-turn, e.g. eyelets, anchor having multiple holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/908 Bioabsorbable material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/916 Tool for installing or removing orthopedic fastener

Abstract

A surgical method for loading ligament grafts into a joint. A longitudinal socket formed in a bone is intersected by a transverse pin. A flexible strand is drawn with the pin through the bone. A looped portion of the strand is diverted so as to protrude out of the entrance to the longitudinal socket. The ends of the strand remaining accessible on either side of the bone. The ligament graft is captured within the strand loop protruding from the entrance to the socket. The strand is retracted into the socket, drawing the graft into the socket by pulling on the accessible ends of the flexible strand. The graft is fixed in the socket using a transverse implant.

Claims

1. A method of surgery, comprising the steps of:

forming a socket in a bone, the socket having an entrance and a sidewall;

introducing a flexible strand transversely into the socket through the sidewall of the socket;

pulling a portion of the strand out through the socket entrance;

engaging a graft with the portion of the strand pulled out of the socket entrance; and

pulling the flexible strand and the graft engaged thereto into the socket.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of pulling a portion of the strand out through the socket entrance is followed by a step of forming a loop in the strand outside the entrance to the socket for engaging the graft.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

opening a junction in the strand loop pulled outside the entrance to the socket to form two free ends; and

reforming the loop by reattaching the two free ends so as to capture a graft within the reformed loop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of pulling a portion of the strand out through the socket entrance comprises engaging the strand with a hook.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of pulling a portion of the strand out through the socket entrance further comprises the step of inserting the hook into the socket and retracting the hook and the strand engaged thereto from the socket.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the hook is inserted into the socket prior to introducing the flexible strand into the socket.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forming a loop in the graft and engaging the loop in the graft with the portion of the strand pulled out through the socket.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of supporting the graft in the socket.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of supporting the graft in the socket is performed using a transverse implant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the implant is cannulated, the method further comprising the step of guiding the implant using the strand.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible strand comprises wire.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of supporting the graft comprises passing an implant transversely through a loop formed in the graft in the socket.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the implant is cannulated.

12. A surgical method, comprising the steps of:

forming a socket in bone, the socket having an entrance and a sidewall;

introducing a hook having an eye into the socket;

drilling a guide pin through the sidewall of the bone socket so as to transversely intersect the socket, the guide pin passing through the eye of the hook;

pulling a flexible strand transversely through the bone socket using the guide pin;

pulling a loop in the flexible strand out through the entrance of the socket using the hook;

engaging a tendon graft with the loop in the flexible strand pulled out of the entrance of the socket;

pulling the flexible strand in a direction transverse to the socket so as to draw the graft engaged therewith into the socket; and

supporting the graft within the socket.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the flexible strand comprises wire.