Method and instrumentation for osteochondral repair using preformed implants

• US 7,264,634 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2003
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Schmieding, Reinhold
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse; David H.
• Application Number:
  US10/665,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 623/14.12, 623/16.11, 623/18.11, 623/23.58, 623/23.59, 623/908
• US Class Current: 623/14.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1635 for grafts, harvesting or transplants
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1637 Hollow drills or saws producing a curved cut, e.g. cylindrical A61B10/025, A61B17/1695 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30756 Cartilage endoprostheses A61F2/3603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3859 Femoral components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4603 for insertion or extraction of endoprosthetic joints or of accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4618 of cartilage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2839 Bone plugs or bone graft dowels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30004 the prosthesis being made from materials having different values of a given property at different locations within the same prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30224 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30764 Cartilage harvest sites
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4677 using a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0014 having different values of a given property or geometrical feature, e.g. mechanical property or material property, at different locations within the same prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00011 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 Bone or bony tissue
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/908 Bone

Abstract

Osteochondral repair of damaged articular joint surfaces is achieved using implants in the form of cylindrical osteochondral plugs. The plugs have an articular surface formed on at least one end. If articular surfaces are provided on both ends of the implant, the articular surfaces have differently curved surfaces. The defective cartilage is removed to create a recipient socket for the implant. An implant sized to fit the recipient socket is chosen from a plurality of implants provided to the surgeon. The implants are preferably formed of a hydrogel material such as Salubria™, although metal or allograft implants can also be used.

Claims

1. A method of osteochondral repair, comprising the steps of:

creating a recipient socket in bone having a condylar surface to be repaired;

selecting an implant from a set of implants to match the condylar surface to be repaired, the set comprising a plurality of preformed implants having different curvatures and contours, each of the implants of the set comprising a cylindrical plug having a first end and a second opposing end, the first and second opposing ends being provided with a first surface and a second opposing surface, respectively, the first surface having a first curvature with a first radius and the second opposing surface having a second curvature with a second radius, the first radius being different from the second radius, so that each end is provided with a surface having a different curvature from the surface at the opposing end of the implant;

matching one of the first and second curvatures of the cylindrical plug with the condylar surface to be repaired; and

inserting the implant into the recipient socket.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the implant is formed of hydrogel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrogel implant is secured into the recipient socket by disposing a suture net around the implant.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrogel implant is provided with a perforated surface to secure the implant in the recipient socket.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the implant is formed of metal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inserting the implant comprises loading the implant into a delivery tube and delivering the implant by hand into the recipient socket.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the opposing surfaces of the implants have a different contour from each other.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of preformed of implants comprises at least two synthetic hydrogel implants, each implant having a different diameter.