# US 2014/0194880 A1 · System for acl reconstruction using retrograde cutter

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- Number: US 2014/0194880 A1
- Document ID: US20140194880A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/203,171
- Filed: 2014-03-10
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2005-11-10
- Assignees: Arthrex, Inc.
- Applicants: Arthrex, Inc.
- Inventors: Reinhold Schmieding; Jeffrey Wyman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194880A1

## CPC

- A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)}
- 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)}
- A61B 17/1617: {with mobile or detachable parts}
- A61B 17/1675: {for the knee}
- A61B 17/1714: {for applying tendons or ligaments (implements for applying tendons or ligaments A61F2/0805)}
- A61B 17/1764: {for the knee}
- A61B 17/32002: {with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments}
- 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}
- A61B 2017/0404: {Buttons}
- A61B 2017/320032: {Details of the rotating or oscillating shaft, e.g. using a flexible shaft}
- A61B 2090/062: {penetration depth}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A system for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using holes in bone created by retrograde cutting. A rotary cutter, mounted onto an insertion post of a tibial guide, is inserted through an anteromedial portal and the rotary cutter placed on the anatomical origin of an ACL tibial insertion. A drill pin is drilled through the tibia and advanced until it contacts and engages a cannulation in the rotary cutter on the guide. Further rotation of the drill pin disengages the rotary cutter from the guide. The retrograde drill pin is then retracted and simultaneously rotated for retrograde cutting of a socket or tunnel of desired depth in the tibia. A similar system is provided to form a socket or tunnel in the femur except that a femur guide is used in place of the tibial guide.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for retrograde drilling of openings in bone, comprising:
a rotary cutter comprising a cylindrically shaped body provided with a cannulation and radially outward cutting teeth for retrograde drilling of a hole in bone;
a guide including a post for engaging and mounting the rotary cutter; and
a pin having a distal end corresponding to the cannulation of the rotary cutter, for engaging the rotary cutter, wherein the rotary cutter is transferred from the guide to the pin by advancing the pin into the cannulation of the rotary cutter and rotating the pin in a first direction to engage the pin with the rotary cutter mounted on the guide, and simultaneously disengage the rotary cutter from the guide.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A system for retrograde drilling of openings in bone as recited in claim 1, further comprising a C-ring for mounting the guide and positioning the guide with respect to the bone, the C-ring further including a sleeve for guiding the pin such that the pin is directed into engagement with the cannulation of the rotary cutter mounted on the guide, as the pin is advanced through the sleeve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A system for retrograde drilling of openings in bone as recited in claim 2, wherein the position of the guide is adjustable on the C-ring to facilitate angular adjustment of the guide relative to the pin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A system for retrograde drilling of openings in bone as recited in claim 3, wherein the C-ring is provided with calibrated angular scale markings.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A system for retrograde drilling of openings in bone as recited in claim 3, wherein the pin comprises a cannulated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a fluted region formed on the distal end of the cannulated shaft for drilling through bone; and a threaded portion located near the distal end of the cannulated shaft and corresponding to inner threads of the cannulation of a rotary cutter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A system for retrograde drilling of openings in bone as recited in claim 5, wherein the pin is provided with a depth-measuring grommet located axially on the retrograde pin for depth assessment during drilling.