Implantation assembly for a prosthetic ligament

A method of implanting a prosthetic ligament at a required position in a bone tunnel formed in a joint between two adjacent bones, and of anchoring one end of the ligament, the method comprising the steps of:

• connecting the prosthetic ligament to a connecting arrangement of a guide element which is manipulatable between:
• a pulling position in which a longitudinal axis of the guide element extends generally parallel to a pulling direction;
• and
• an anchoring position in which its longitudinal axis extends transversely of the pulling direction;
• the guide element defining a leading end and a trailing end, a pulling aperture being provided towards the leading end, a manipulating aperture being provided towards the trailing end, and the connecting arrangement being provided between the leading and trailing ends;
• coupling a pulling element comprising a pulling loop to the guide element, the pulling loop passing through the pulling aperture;
• coupling a manipulating loop to the guide element, the manipulating loop passing through the manipulating aperture;
• securing the manipulating loop to the pulling element;
• applying a tensile load to the pulling element to pull the guide element, trailing ligament and manipulating loop through the bone tunnels with the guide element disposed in the pulling position;
• arranging the manipulating loop such that the tensile load can be applied to the pulling element without generating a tensile load in the manipulating loop which could otherwise cause the guide element to be manipulated towards the anchoring position during passage along the bone tunnels;
• and
• when the guide element emerges from a mouth at the end of the tunnel, using the manipulating loop to manipulate the guide element to the anchoring position where the guide element overlies the tunnel mouth, to facilitate anchoring of the end of the ligament.

An implantation assembly for a prosthetic ligament, for guiding the ligament to a required position in a bone tunnel formed in a joint between two adjacent bones, and for anchoring one end of the ligament, the assembly comprising:

• a guide element for the ligament, the guide element being manipulatable between a pulling position in which a longitudinal axis of the guide element extends generally parallel to a pulling direction and an anchoring position in which its longitudinal axis extends transversely of the pulling direction;
• a pulling element comprising a pulling loop for pulling the guide element through the bone tunnels;
• and
• a manipulating loop for manipulating the guide element to overlie a mouth at an end of one of the bone tunnels;
• in which:
• in the pulling position, the guide element defines a leading end and a trailing end, a pulling aperture being provided towards the leading end, a manipulating aperture being provided towards the trailing end, and a connecting arrangement by which the ligament can be connected to the guide element being provided between the leading and trailing ends;
• the pulling loop extends through the pulling aperture so that the pulling element can be used to pull the guide element and the trailing ligament through the bone tunnels with the guide element disposed in the pulling position;
• the manipulating loop extends through the manipulating aperture so that, when the guide element emerges from the mouth at the end of the tunnel, the manipulating loop can be used to manipulate the guide element to the anchoring position where the guide element can overlie the tunnel mouth, to facilitate anchoring of the end of the ligament;
• the manipulating loop is secured to the pulling element and arranged so that the pulling element can be used to apply a tensile load to the leading end of the guide element to pull the guide element, trailing ligament and manipulating loop through the bone tunnels without causing the manipulating loop to impart a force on the trailing end of the guide element which could otherwise cause the guide element to be manipulated towards the anchoring position during passage along the tunnels.