Method and apparatus for providing suture in a passageway
First Claim
1. A surgical apparatus comprising:
- a guide apparatus constructed and arranged to be used in an arthroscopic procedure and to interact with a passageway through a bone formed by transverse, intersecting first and second holes, the first and second holes each being generally straight and leading into the bone from different positions, the guide apparatus including;
first and second guide members each having distal and proximal ends, the first guide member having a first passage extending to the distal end of the first guide member, the second guide member having a second passage extending to the distal end of the second guide member, the distal ends of the first and second guide members being straight and the first and second passages being straight at the distal ends of the first and second guide members, the first guide member being constructed and arranged to be placed at a respective first arthroscopic passage and be selectively positioned at a site, the second guide member being constructed and arranged to be placed at a respective second arthroscopic passage that is different from the first arthroscopic passage and be selectively positioned at the site;
a reference structure constructed and arranged to engage with the first and second guide members so that the first and second guide members are positioned in respective first and second positions relative to the reference structure with the first and second passages of the first and second guide members being transverse to each other; and
a suture retriever movably arranged in the passage of the first or second guide member to extend from the distal end of the guide member, engage suture in the bone passageway, and retrieve the suture to the distal end of the guide member with the distal end of the guide member in the bone;
wherein the distal end of the first guide member is arranged to be placed into the first hole so as to orient the first guide member, the reference structure and the second guide member relative to the bone for the second passage to guide a bone perforator in the formation of the second hole, wherein the second guide member is arranged to guide the bone perforator to form the second hole to be coaxial with the second passage, and wherein the passage of the first or second guide member is arranged to provide suture into the bone passageway for the suture retriever to extend from the distal end of the other guide member without suture being engaged with the suture retriever, engage the suture in the bone passageway and retrieve the suture to the distal end of the other guide member while the distal end of the other guide member is in the bone.
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Abstract
A surgical apparatus may include a guide apparatus to be used in an arthroscopic procedure and to interact with a passageway through a body portion formed by intersecting first and second holes that may lead into the body portion from different positions, e.g., from two different locations on a bone. The guide apparatus may include first and second guide members having first and second passages, respectively, that communicate with the first and second holes. The surgical apparatus may also include a suture retriever arranged to retrieve, from the second passage, a suture fed into the first passage. A method may include forming a passageway including first and second intersecting holes. First and second guide tubes may be positioned relative to the first and second holes, a suture or suture-like material may be provided into the first guide tube, and the suture or suture-like material may be retrieved from the second guide tube.
115 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A surgical apparatus comprising:
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a guide apparatus constructed and arranged to be used in an arthroscopic procedure and to interact with a passageway through a bone formed by transverse, intersecting first and second holes, the first and second holes each being generally straight and leading into the bone from different positions, the guide apparatus including; first and second guide members each having distal and proximal ends, the first guide member having a first passage extending to the distal end of the first guide member, the second guide member having a second passage extending to the distal end of the second guide member, the distal ends of the first and second guide members being straight and the first and second passages being straight at the distal ends of the first and second guide members, the first guide member being constructed and arranged to be placed at a respective first arthroscopic passage and be selectively positioned at a site, the second guide member being constructed and arranged to be placed at a respective second arthroscopic passage that is different from the first arthroscopic passage and be selectively positioned at the site; a reference structure constructed and arranged to engage with the first and second guide members so that the first and second guide members are positioned in respective first and second positions relative to the reference structure with the first and second passages of the first and second guide members being transverse to each other; and a suture retriever movably arranged in the passage of the first or second guide member to extend from the distal end of the guide member, engage suture in the bone passageway, and retrieve the suture to the distal end of the guide member with the distal end of the guide member in the bone; wherein the distal end of the first guide member is arranged to be placed into the first hole so as to orient the first guide member, the reference structure and the second guide member relative to the bone for the second passage to guide a bone perforator in the formation of the second hole, wherein the second guide member is arranged to guide the bone perforator to form the second hole to be coaxial with the second passage, and wherein the passage of the first or second guide member is arranged to provide suture into the bone passageway for the suture retriever to extend from the distal end of the other guide member without suture being engaged with the suture retriever, engage the suture in the bone passageway and retrieve the suture to the distal end of the other guide member while the distal end of the other guide member is in the bone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification