Implant and method for repair of the anterior cruciate ligament

• US 8,500,809 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ceterix Orthopaedics, Inc (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ceterix Orthopaedics, Inc (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Saliman, Justin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah, Krutanjali M
• Application Number:
  US13/347,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1311- 1314
• US Class Current: 623/13.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/045 snug fit within the anchor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0805 Implements for inserting tendons or ligaments
• 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

Abstract

Described herein are methods and devices for use in repair of a patient'"'"'s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). These methods (and devices for performing them) allow the repair, rather than merely replacement, of the ACL. For example, described herein are anchoring devices that may be inserted into a bone and may anchor a scaffolding/support (e.g., graft) material within the bone so that the torn or damaged end of the ACL may be secured to the scaffolding/support material within the femoral notch. These anchoring devices and method of using them are particularly well suited for use with the continuous suture passers described herein, since these suture passers may allow access to previously inaccessible regions of the knee (or other body regions).

Claims

1. A method for repairing a torn ACL within the femoral notch, the method comprising:

anchoring a graft within the femoral notch;

securing a torn end of the ACL to a suture and pulling the suture through the femur to position the torn end of the ACL adjacent to the graft; and

suturing the torn end of the ACL to the graft within the femoral notch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein anchoring a graft comprises securing an anchor to which a graft has been coupled within the femur so that a proximal end of the graft extends from the femur.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein anchoring a graft comprises driving a guidewire through the femur and drilling an opening to hold a graft anchor;

and securing an anchor coupled to a graft within the opening over the guidewire.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the anchor is secured by screwing the anchor into the opening.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein suturing the torn end of the ACL comprises passing a suture through the graft and the ACL multiple times.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein suturing the torn end of the ACL comprises passing a suture through the graft and the ACL multiple times with a continuous suture passer without removing the suture passer from the tissue.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising securing the torn end of the ACL to a suture and pulling the suture through the femur to anatomically tension the ACL adjacent to the graft.

8. A method for repairing a torn ACL within the femoral notch, the method comprising:

anchoring a graft within the femoral notch;

positioning a torn end of the ACL adjacent to the graft;

wherein positioning comprises securing a suture to the torn end of the ACL;

pulling the suture through a tunnel in the femoral notch to position the torn end of the ACL adjacent to the graft; and

percutaneously suturing the torn end of the ACL to the graft within the femoral notch.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising anchoring the torn end of the ACL to the femoral notch with a suture before percutaneously suturing the torn end of the ACL to the graft.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising drilling a tunnel through the femoral arch for anchoring the torn ACL.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein anchoring the graft within the femoral notch comprises anchoring the graft within a tunnel drilled through the femoral arch.

12. A method for repairing a torn ACL within the femoral notch, the method comprising:

drilling a tunnel through a portion of the femoral notch;

anchoring a graft within the tunnel through the femoral notch, wherein the graft extends from the tunnel;

pulling a suture connected to a torn end of the ACL through the tunnel through the femoral arch to position the torn end of the ACL adjacent to the graft;

anchoring the suture connected to the torn end of the ACL; and

percutaneously suturing the torn end of the ACL to the graft within the femoral notch.