Graft pulley and methods of use
First Claim
1. A placement assembly for positioning a ligament graft within a selected bone tunnel comprising:
- a graft pulley, having a pulley portion and a bone anchoring portion;
the pulley portion having an aperture sized to receive a surgical suture;
the bone anchoring portion operable to selectively fix the graft pulley within a bone tunnel, the anchoring portion having at least one flexible wing, the flexible wing having a radially extending diameter larger than a diameter of the selected bone tunnel, wherein the at least one flexible wing is operable to flex from a first position wherein the at least one flexible wing is substantially flat to a second position wherein the at least one flexible wing is convex relative to a direction of insertion, and wherein the at least one flexible wing is sized so as to be restricted from returning to the first position while inserted in the bone tunnel; and
a graft pulley placement instrument having an elongate body and a handle;
the elongate body adapted to insert the graft pulley into the selected bone tunnel.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A placement assembly used for positioning and holding a ligament graft within a selected bone tunnel. The assembly includes a graft pulley, a surgical suture, and a graft pulley placement instrument. The graft pulley includes a pulley portion and a bone anchoring portion. The pulley portion is adapted to receive the surgical suture and for surgical suture to be drawn through it, to act as a pulley. The bone anchoring portion comprises at least one flexible wing that is adapted to selectively fix the graft pulley within a bone tunnel. At least one wing is adapted to flex during insertion into a bone tunnel and then resist flex and thereby resist movement back out of the tunnel and hence wedge itself within the tunnel. The graft instrument may be selectively attached to the graft pulley and includes a handle and elongate body, adapted to insert the graft pulley into the selected bone tunnel. Once the graft pulley is in place, the placement instrument may then be detached and withdrawn leaving the graft pulley firmly fixed within the bone tunnel and can then be used to position a ligament graft.
323 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A placement assembly for positioning a ligament graft within a selected bone tunnel comprising:
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a graft pulley, having a pulley portion and a bone anchoring portion; the pulley portion having an aperture sized to receive a surgical suture; the bone anchoring portion operable to selectively fix the graft pulley within a bone tunnel, the anchoring portion having at least one flexible wing, the flexible wing having a radially extending diameter larger than a diameter of the selected bone tunnel, wherein the at least one flexible wing is operable to flex from a first position wherein the at least one flexible wing is substantially flat to a second position wherein the at least one flexible wing is convex relative to a direction of insertion, and wherein the at least one flexible wing is sized so as to be restricted from returning to the first position while inserted in the bone tunnel; and a graft pulley placement instrument having an elongate body and a handle; the elongate body adapted to insert the graft pulley into the selected bone tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A graft pulley for positioning a ligament graft within a selected bone tunnel comprising:
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a pulley portion having an aperture, sized to receive a surgical suture; and a bone anchoring portion having at least one flexible wing extending radially from a graft pulley longitudinal axis, the at least one wing adapted to selectively fix the graft pulley within a bone tunnel, wherein the at least one wing has a non-flexed cross sectional dimension larger than a diameter of the selected bone tunnel, and wherein the at least one wing is operable to irreversibly flex to a flexed position, during insertion of the graft pulley into the selected bone tunnel in a first direction such that the flexed position is characterized as convex relative to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification