# US 2021/0330338 A1 · Graft placement system and method

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- Number: US 2021/0330338 A1
- Document ID: US20210330338A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/368,234
- Filed: 2021-07-06
- Published: 2021-10-28
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-29
- Assignees: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
- Applicants: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
- Inventors: Daniel Haberman; Stephen A. Santangelo; Nikhil N. Verma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210330338A1

## CPC

- A61B 17/1635: {for grafts, harvesting or transplants}
- A61B 17/17: Guides {or aligning means} for drills {, mills, pins or wires}
- A61B 17/1739: {specially adapted for particular parts of the body}
- A61B 90/06: {Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for}
- A61B 17/1778: {for the shoulder}
- A61B 17/8866: {for gripping or pushing bones, e.g. approximators (joint distractors A61B17/025)}
- A61B 2017/2808: {Clamp, e.g. towel clamp}
- A61B 2090/061: {for measuring dimensions, e.g. length}
- A61F 2002/2835: {Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material}
- A61F 2002/285: {Fixation appliances for attaching bone substitute support means to underlying bone}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- 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)

## Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a system for coupling a graft to a bone. A graft preparation tool may be used to place one or more holes in a graft and an offset measurement tool may be used to determine the distance of the one or more holes from an edge of the graft to be aligned with a portion of the bone. One or more complementary holes may then be created in the bone and fasteners applied through the holes to couple the graft to the bone.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-26. (canceled)

### Claim 27

A graft preparation tool, comprising:
a tool body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a pivotably actuatable jaw at the distal end of the tool body, the jaw including a first jaw portion and a second jaw portion, the first jaw portion comprising a first gripping surface and a first planar surface perpendicular thereto, and the second jaw portion comprising a second gripping surface and a second planar surface perpendicular thereto;
a pivot mounting the first jaw portion to the second jaw portion such that the first and second gripping surfaces face one another and define a gripping area therebetween, the gripping area dimensioned for and configured to receive a graft, the first planar surface and the second planar surface lying in the same plane, and a tool axis extends through the pivot and the gripping area;
an alignment guide comprising:
an elongated guide body extending between a first end and a second end along a guide axis; and
at least one guide hole extending through a thickness of the elongated guide body, the at least one guide hole positioned along the guide axis; and
a locking bolt disposed between the pivot and the proximal end of the tool body for locking the graft preparation tool in a closed position;
wherein the alignment guide is mounted to the pivot adjacent the first end of the elongated guide body such that the at least one guide hole extends perpendicular to the plane of the first and second planar surfaces of the jaw, the alignment guide being rotatable about the pivot between the tool axis and a selected angle.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The graft preparation tool of claim 27, further including a locking knob for securing the alignment guide at the selected angle with respect to the tool axis.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The graft preparation tool of claim 27, wherein the at least one guide hole extends through a boss extending from a surface of the elongated guide body opposite the jaw.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The graft preparation tool of claim 27, wherein the at least one guide hole is at least two guide holes.

### Claim 31 (depends on 27)

The graft preparation tool of claim 27, wherein the at least one guide hole is three guide holes.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The graft preparation tool of claim 31, wherein a spacing between the three guides holes is configured for drilling three differently-spaced pairs of holes in the graft.

### Claim 33 (depends on 27)

The graft preparation tool of claim 27, wherein the first and second gripping surfaces are planar.

### Claim 34 (depends on 27)

The graft preparation tool of claim 27, wherein the first and second gripping surfaces are textured surfaces.

### Claim 35

A method for preparing a graft, the method comprising:
positioning a graft between first and second gripping surfaces of a pivotably actuatable jaw of a graft preparation tool, the graft preparation tool further comprising:
a tool body having a proximal end and a distal end;
the pivotably actuatable jaw at the distal end of the tool body, the jaw including a first jaw portion and a second jaw portion, the first jaw portion comprising the first gripping surface and a first planar surface perpendicular thereto, and the second jaw portion comprising the second gripping surface and a second planar surface perpendicular thereto; and
a pivot mounting the first jaw portion to the second jaw portion such that the first and second gripping surfaces face one another and define a gripping area therebetween, the gripping area dimensioned for and configured to receive a graft, the first planar surface and the second planar surface lying in the same plane, and a tool axis extends through the pivot and the gripping area;
an alignment guide comprising:
an elongated guide body extending between a first end and a second end along a guide axis; and
at least one guide hole extending through a thickness of the elongated guide body, the at least one guide hole positioned along the guide axis; and
a locking bolt disposed between the pivot and the proximal end of the tool body for locking the graft preparation tool in a closed position;
wherein the alignment guide is mounted to the pivot adjacent the first end of the elongated guide body such that the at least one guide hole extends perpendicular to the plane of the first and second planar surfaces of the jaw, the alignment guide being rotatable about the pivot between the tool axis and a selected angle;
pivotably actuating the jaw to secure the graft by compression within the gripping area;
rotating the alignment guide about the pivot such that the alignment guide axis is orientated parallel to a centerline of the graft; and
drilling holes through the graft.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein the securing the graft by compression includes locking the jaw into place with the locking bolt.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein the positioning the graft between the first and second gripping surfaces includes aligning the centerline of the graft with the tool axis.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one guide hole extends perpendicular to the plane of the first and second planar side surfaces of the jaw.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one guide hole is at least two guide holes.

### Claim 40 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one guide hole is three guide holes.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The graft preparation tool of claim 40, wherein a spacing between the three guides holes is configured for drilling three differently-spaced pairs of holes in the graft.