Apparatus and method for reconstructing a ligament
First Claim
1. Apparatus for use in reconstructing a ligament, said apparatus comprising:
- a graft ligament support block for supporting a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, said graft ligament support block comprising;
a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end;
a graft hole extending though said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a graft ligament therein; and
a transverse fixation pin hole extending through said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a transverse fixation pin therein;
wherein said body further comprises a suture hole extending through said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a tow suture therein.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reconstructing a ligament using a graft ligament support block which comprises a body, and a graft hole and a transverse fixation pin hole extending through the body, with both the graft hole and the fixation pin hole preferably extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body. A graft ligament is looped through the graft hole, and the support block is advanced into the bone tunnel, with the two free ends of the looped graft ligament extending back out the bone tunnel. Next, a transverse tunnel is formed in the host bone, with the transverse tunnel being aligned with the fixation pin hole. Then the support block is secured in place by pinning the support block within the tunnel, i.e., by advancing a fixation pin along the transverse tunnel in the host bone and into the fixation pin hole in the support block.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. Apparatus for use in reconstructing a ligament, said apparatus comprising:
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a graft ligament support block for supporting a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, said graft ligament support block comprising;
a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end;
a graft hole extending though said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a graft ligament therein; and
a transverse fixation pin hole extending through said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a transverse fixation pin therein;
wherein said body further comprises a suture hole extending through said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a tow suture therein. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. Apparatus for use in reconstructing a ligament, said apparatus comprising:
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a graft ligament support block for supporting a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, said graft ligament support block comprising;
a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end;
a graft hole extending through said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a graft ligament therein; and
a transverse fixation pin hole extending through said body transverse to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a transverse fixation pin therein;
said apparatus further comprising an installation tool, said installation tool comprising;
a holder, said holder comprising;
a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, the distal end of said shaft comprising at least one finger for engagement in an opening formed in the proximal end of said body; and
a handle mounted to the proximal end of said shaft. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
an outrigger comprising a distal end and a proximal end, with said proximal end of said outrigger being configured to be releasably secured to said holder; and
a drill sleeve moveably attached to said distal end of said outrigger, said drill sleeve comprising a drilling lumen extending therethrough.
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18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said installation tool is configured so that when said graft ligament support block is attached to said distal end of said shaft, said drilling lumen in said drill guide is aligned with said transverse fixation pin hole in said body.
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19. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the proximal end of said holder comprises an orientation marker for visually indicating an axial orientation of the distal end of said shaft.
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20. A method for securing a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, comprising the steps of:
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looping a graft ligament through a graft hole in a graft ligament support block;
advancing the graft ligament support block into the bone tunnel;
forming a transverse tunnel in a host bone, with the transverse tunnel being aligned with a transverse fixation pin hole in the graft ligament support block; and
pinning the graft ligament support block within the bone tunnel by advancing a transverse fixation pin along the transverse tunnel in the host bone and into the transverse fixation pin hole in the graft ligament support block. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for securing a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, said method comprising the steps of:
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forming a transverse tunnel in a host bone;
looping a graft ligament through a graft hole in a graft ligament support block;
advancing the graft ligament support block into the bone tunnel so that a transverse fixation pin hole in the graft ligament support block is aligned with the transverse tunnel; and
pinning the graft ligament support block within the bone tunnel by advancing a transverse fixation pin along the transverse tunnel in the host bone and into the transverse fixation pin hole in the graft ligament support block. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification