US 6,358,253 B1 · Repairing cartilage

Abstract

A method of repairing cartilage (e.g., articular cartilage on the femur) and a set of instruments used in the method are provided. The damaged cartilage is removed from the bone to expose the underlying bone, grafts covered with cartilage (e.g., hyaline cartilage) are harvested from elsewhere in the body (e.g., other areas of the femur), and the grafts are inserted into holes drilled into the exposed area of bone. A guide is provided for use with surgical instruments during the procedure to orient the surgical instruments perpendicularly to the bone surface during use. The guide includes a guiding portion disposed along a longitudinal axis for engaging the surgical instrument, and a tissue-engaging portion oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. A set of surgical instruments used to carry out the method includes the guide, a drill for forming the graft-receiving holes, and an insertion tool for inserting the grafts. Other accessory instruments are also provided.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of inserting a tissue graft into bone tissue, comprising:

inserting a guide that is configured to orient another instrument against a surface of the bone tissue, said guide including a guiding portion disposed along a longitudinal axis for engaging the instrument, a tissue-engaging portion, at least one viewing portion permitting visual inspection of an interior of the guiding portion through a side wall of the guiding portion, and a spacer for positioning the guiding portion at a selected location relative to a feature on bone tissue, the spacer including a member projecting from the tissue-engaging portion of the guide;
placing the tissue-engaging portion flush against a surface of the bone tissue to orient the guiding portion perpendicularly to the surface;
engaging a drill with the guiding portion so that the drill is oriented perpendicularly to the surface, and drilling a hole in the bone tissue surface for receiving the tissue graft with the drill;
and
engaging an insertion tool with the guiding portion so that the insertion tool is oriented perpendicularly to the surface, and inserting the tissue graft into the hole with the insertion tool.

2 more elements

A method of inserting a tissue graft into bone tissue, comprising:

providing a set of instruments, the set of instruments comprising
a guide configured to orient another instrument in the set against a surface of the bone tissue, the guide including a guiding portion disposed along a longitudinal axis for engaging the other instrument, a tissue-engaging portion, and at least one viewing portion permitting visual inspection of an interior of the guiding portion through a side wall of the guiding portion,
a drill engageable with the guiding portion for drilling a first hole in the bone tissue surface for receiving the tissue graft, and
an insertion tool engageable with the guiding portion for inserting the tissue graft into the first hole formed by the drill, wherein the insertion tool includes a portion having a length that is movable relative to a length of the guide to control a position at which the tissue graft is located in the first hole;
inserting the guide;
placing the tissue-engaging portion of the guide flush against a surface of the bone tissue to orient the guiding portion perpendicularly to the surface;
engaging the drill with the guiding portion so that the drill is oriented perpendicularly to the surface, and drilling with the drill the first hole in the bone tissue surface for receiving the tissue graft;
and
engaging the insertion tool with the guiding portion so that the insertion tool is oriented perpendicularly to the surface, and inserting the tissue graft into the first hole with the insertion tool.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Repairing cartilage

Life of this patent

Repairing cartilage

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19