Methods for ligament reconstruction
AssigneeDePuy Mitek, LLC
InventorGregory R. Whittaker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for fixing a ligament graft in a bone tunnel. In general, the methods and devices involve affixing a ligament graft within a bone tunnel using an adhesive. A fixation device can be inserted through the ligament graft in a direction transverse to an axis of the tunnel to maintain the ligament graft in contact with the adhesive. The fixation device can be removed when the adhesive is cured such that the ligament graft is fixed in the tunnel.
Claims18
A method for fixing a ligament graft in a bone tunnel, comprising:
- coupling an anchor to the bone graft with a ligament attached thereto;
- introducing the anchor and bone graft into a bone tunnel;
- and
- introducing an adhesive into the bone tunnel such that the adhesive surrounds at least a portion of the anchor, thereby affixing the anchor within the bone tunnel.
A ligament graft, comprising:
- a bone graft having a ligament extending therefrom;
- and
- an anchor having a first portion mated to the bone graft, and a second portion having at least one surface feature adapted to receive an adhesive for adhesively mating the second portion to a bone tunnel.
A method for fixing a ligament graft in a bone tunnel, comprising:
- modifying a bone graft with a ligament attached thereto to include at least one cut-out portion;
- introducing the bone graft into a bone tunnel;
- and
- introducing an adhesive into the bone tunnel such that the adhesive surrounds at least a portion of the bone graft and extends into the at least one cut-out portion, thereby affixing the bone graft within the bone tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.