# US 2019/0167443 A1 · Bone Graft Delivery Loading Assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167443 A1 - Document ID: US20190167443A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/267,492 - Filed: 2019-02-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-19 - Assignees: Stryker European Holdings I, LLC - Applicants: Stryker European Holdings I, LLC - Inventors: Spencer Popejoy; Joshua Stein - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167443A1 ## CPC - A61F 2/4601: {for introducing bone substitute, for implanting bone graft implants or for compacting them in the bone cavity} - A61B 17/7094: {Solid vertebral fillers; devices for inserting such fillers} - A61B 17/8822: {characterised by means facilitating expulsion of fluid from the introducer, e.g. a screw pump plunger, hydraulic force transmissions, application of vibrations or a vacuum} - A61B 17/8833: {Osteosynthesis tools specially adapted for handling bone cement or fluid fillers; Means for supplying bone cement or fluid fillers to introducing tools, e.g. cartridge handling means} - A61F 2002/4635: {using minimally invasive surgery} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A bone graft loading system includes a loading funnel, syringe, cannula, plunger, and loading tool. The loading funnel includes an interior passageway to receive the cannula and a syringe docking portion. The syringe may be coupled to the syringe docking portion so that it extends along a longitudinal axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axes of the cannula and the loading funnel. A user may advance bone graft from the syringe to a holding area of the loading funnel. The user may then move the loading tool through the holding area and into the interior space of the cannula to load the cannula with bone graft. This process may be repeated until the cannula is fully loaded with bone graft. The cannula and the plunger inside the cannula may then be removed from the loading funnel and coupled to an injector assembly for use in surgery. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of loading bone graft into a bone graft delivery system, the method comprising: coupling a container having the bone graft therein to a loading member so that a longitudinal axis of the container is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the loading member; positioning a cannula within a passageway of the loading member so that a longitudinal axis of the cannula is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the loading member; advancing a first amount of the bone graft from the container to the loading member; and inserting a loading tool into an interior space of the loading member to advance at least a portion of the first amount of bone graft from the interior space of the loading member into the cannula. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: after advancing the portion of the first amount of bone graft into the cannula, advancing a second amount of the bone graft from the container to the loading member; and inserting the loading tool into the interior space of the loading member to advance at least a portion of the second amount of bone graft from the interior space of the loading member into the cannula. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the container is a syringe member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein coupling the container to the loading member includes threading a threaded portion of the syringe member into a threaded docking portion of the loading member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a plunger member into an interior space of the cannula prior to positioning the cannula within the passageway of the loading member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: removing the cannula from the loading member while the plunger member is still within the cannula. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising coupling the cannula and the plunger member to a handle assembly adapted to advance the plunger member relative to the cannula. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising coupling an elastomeric seal onto a distal tip of the plunger member prior to inserting the plunger member into the interior space of the cannula. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein inserting the plunger member into the interior space of the cannula includes forming a fluid tight seal between the elastomeric seal and the interior space of the cannula. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the elastomeric seal is stored within a sterile package prior to coupling the elastomeric seal onto the distal tip of the plunger member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the sterile package includes a base portion connected to a lid portion by a hinge, the hinge biasing the lid portion away from the base portion into an open condition in the absence of applied force. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the cannula within the passageway of the loading member includes advancing the cannula until a proximal flange of the cannula contacts the loading member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising rotating a locking hub of the loading member so that extension members of the locking hub overlie the proximal flange of the cannula. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising manually loading the bone graft into the container prior to coupling the container to the loading member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the container to the loading member results in the longitudinal axis of the container is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the loading member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein advancing the first amount of the bone graft from the container to the loading member includes advancing the first amount of the bone graft from the container into a holding area of the loading member that is spaced apart from the cannula. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein inserting the loading tool into the interior space of the loading member includes inserting the loading tool through the holding area. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the cannula within the passageway of the loading member includes positioning a distal open end of the cannula adjacent the holding area. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the loading member includes at least one viewing slot that opens to the passageway within the loading member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the cannula includes at least one volume indicator visible through the at least one viewing slot when the cannula is positioned within the passageway of the loading member.