Ligament fixation using graft harness

• US 7,468,074 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Caborn, David N., Guederian, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): SWEET, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US10/975,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 623/13.11, 623/13.12, 623/13.13, 623/13.14, 623/13.19, 623/13.2, 606/65, 606/72, 606/73, 606/301
• US Class Current: 623/13.14
• 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 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone

Abstract

A graft harness for securing a ligament in a bone tunnel takes the form of a shaped plug having a proximal end and a distal end. A radial groove is formed in the distal end of the plug which accepts a looped ligament graft. A suture passageway formed through the plug transverse to the groove accepts a length of suture. The proximal end of the plug features a concave configuration adapted to accept the distal end of an interference screw. A ligament graft is secured in a bone tunnel using the graft harness by seating the looped graft within the groove to form a harness/graft construct, passing a length of suture through the suture passageway, and drawing the harness/graft construct into the tunnel using the length of suture looped through the suture passageway. The graft is secured primarily using an interference screw which engages the concave proximal end of the harness. The harness provides secondary fixation of the graft in the bone tunnel.

Claims

1. A graft harness comprising:

a shaped plug having a proximal end, a distal end, an apex and two lateral opposing sides, wherein the proximal end is provided with a spherical concavity;

a radial groove formed in the plug which accepts a looped ligament graft, the radial groove originating on opposite sides of an underside of the plug bilaterally, to meet at the apex, the radial groove comprising a recess on each of the two lateral opposing sides of the plug so that individual legs of the looped ligament graft are placed within each recess on each opposing side of the groove; and

a suture passageway formed through the plug transverse to the groove.

2. A graft harness as in claim 1, wherein the spherical concavity accepts an end of an implant.

3. A graft harness as in claim 2, wherein the concavity is provided to be complementary to an interference screw.

4. A graft harness as in claim 1, wherein the shaped plug is cylindrical.

5. A graft harness as in claim 1, wherein the suture passageway further includes a rounded notch formed distally to provide a relief for suture looped through the suture passageway.

6. A graft harness as in claim 1, wherein the recess has an arcuate cross-section.

7. A method of securing a ligament graft in a bone tunnel using a graft harness, the graft harness comprising a shaped plug having a proximal end and a distal end, a radial groove formed in the plug which accepts a looped ligament graft, the radial groove comprising a recess on each of two lateral opposing sides of the shaped plug, and a suture passageway formed through the plug transverse to the groove, the method comprising the steps of:

seating the looped graft within both of the recesses on the lateral opposing sides of the groove to form a harness/graft construct;

passing a length of suture through the suture passageway;

drawing the harness/graft construct into the tunnel using the length of suture looped through the suture passageway; and

installing an interference screw which engages a spherical concavity at the proximal end of the graft harness.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the recess has an arcuate cross-section.

9. A method of repairing a cruciate ligament comprising:

forming femoral and tibial bone tunnels in a cruciate-deficient knee;

looping a ligament graft over a graft harness, the harness being provided as a shaped plug having a proximal end and a distal end, a radial groove formed in the plug which accepts the looped ligament graft, the radial groove comprising a recess on each of two lateral opposing sides of the shaped plug, a suture passageway formed through the plug transverse to the groove, and a concavity formed in the proximal end of the plug for accepting an interference screw;

seating the looped graft within both of the recesses on the lateral opposing sides of the groove to form a harness/graft construct;

passing a length of suture through the suture passageway in the harness;

drawing the harness/graft construct into the femoral tunnel using the length of suture looped through the suture passageway; and

installing an interference screw in the femoral tunnel which engages the concavity in the proximal end of the harness.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising the step of installing an interference screw which secures the graft in the tibial tunnel.

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein the recess has an arcuate cross-section.