Biodegradable fixation element

• US 6,863,671 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2000
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Storz GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Weiler, Andreas, Strobel, Michael, Timmermans, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US09/694,845
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/72, 606/73, 606/77
• US Class Current: 606/314
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• 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 2002/0858 Fixation of tendon or ligament between anchor and bone, e.g. interference screws, wedges
• 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: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/908 Bioabsorbable material

Abstract

A biodegradable fixation element is provided for anchoring a transplant on bone. A rigid body is made of a biodegradable material, said body having an outer side and a hollow interior surrounded by a wall of said body. Numerous perforations are provided in said wall of said body for allowing growth of bone material into said interior of said body via said numerous perforations. It is proposed that the perforations are formed between said anchoring members and said perforations are formed as holes passing through said wall of said body (FIG. 1).

Claims

1. Interference screw for anchoring a tendon transplant within a bore channel in a bone by laterally urging said tendon transplant within said bore channel via said interference screw against a wall of said bore channel, comprising

a rigid body made of biodegradable material, said body having an outer side and a hollow interior surrounded by a wall of said body,

a threading provided at said outer side of said rigid body for anchoring with said wall of said bore,

numerous holes passing through said wall of said body, said holes are provided between said threading in said body, and

wherein said screw body tapers in a penetrating end region extending from a penetrating end to a maximum core diameter, said tapering penetrating end region having at least one winding of said threading.

2. The interference screw of claim 1, wherein no holes are provided up until a first complete winding in said penetrating end region.

3. A method for anchoring a tendon transplant within a bore channel in a bone comprising the steps of:

providing a bore channel in a bone,

placing a tendon transplant within said bore channel, said tendon transplant having an outer diameter smaller than a diameter of said bore channel,

screwing an interference screw into a space between said bore channel and said tendon transplant for laterally urging said tendon transplant between said interference screw and said bore channel, said interference screw comprising;

a rigid body made of biodegradable material, said body having an outer side and a hollow interior surrounded by a wall of said body,

a threading provided at said outer side of said rigid body for anchoring with said wall of said bore,

numerous holes passing through said wall of said body, said holes are provided between said threading in said body, and

wherein said screw body tapers in a penetrating end region extending from a penetrating end to a maximum core diameter, said tapering penetrating end region having at east one winding of said threading.