Methods and devices for attaching or reattaching soft tissue to bone
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsRobert LaPrade, Coen Wijdicks, Stephen A. Santangelo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention include implants, instruments, and methods for attaching or reattaching soft tissue (200, 2200) to a bone (100), that enable independent tensioning of multiple connectors such as sutures (60, 160, 2060, 2160) and enable redundant fixation between bone (100) and soft tissue (200, 2200). Some embodiments provide for improved accuracy of the placement of substantially parallel tunnels through which soft tissue (200, 2200) to bone (100) connectors such as sutures (60, 160, 2060, 2160) are passed.
Claims20
An instrument set for creating two substantially parallel tunnels in a bone with a controlled distance and relative radial position between the two tunnels comprising:
- a first instrument configured to create or maintain a first tunnel through the bone, the first instrument comprising:
- a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end,
- a linear distal mark near the distal end of the shaft that extends along a longitudinal axis of the shaft to designate a precise radial position of the first instrument, and
- a linear proximal mark near the proximal end of the shaft that extends along the longitudinal axis of the shaft to correlate a precise radial position with the radial position of the linear distal mark;
- a drill guide with two or more radial indicia extending from a central hole, the radial indicia being configured to be aligned with the linear proximal mark to provide a radial direction for the creation of a second tunnel that is substantially parallel with the first tunnel, wherein two or more of the radial indicia include along their respective lengths a respective guide hole at a predetermined distance from the central hole;
- and
- a second instrument configured to be passed through at least one of the guide holes to create a second tunnel that is substantially parallel with the first tunnel.
An instrument set for creating two substantially parallel tunnels in a bone with a controlled distance and relative radial position between the two tunnels comprising:
- a first instrument configured to create a first tunnel through the bone, the first instrument comprising:
- a sleeved drill with a proximal end and a distal end,
- a distal mark near the distal end of the sleeved drill configured to designate a radial position of the first instrument, and
- a proximal mark near the proximal end of the sleeved drill that correlates with the radial position of the distal mark;
- a drill guide with two or more radial indicia extending from a central hole, the radial indicia being configured to be aligned with the proximal mark to provide a radial direction for the creation of a second tunnel that is substantially parallel with the first tunnel, wherein two or more of the radial indicia include along their respective lengths a respective guide hole at a predetermined distance from the central hole;
- and
- a second instrument configured to be passed through at least one of the guide holes to create a second tunnel that is substantially parallel with the first tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.