Whipstitched graft construct and method of making the same
AssigneeArthrex, Inc.
InventorMark A. Cassani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A whip stitched graft construct and method of formation. The whip stitched graft construct includes a plurality of tendon strand regions or soft tissue grafts placed together so that at least a portion of the plurality of the tendon strand regions are stitched together by employing multiple suture passes placed according to a whip stitching technique. Preferably, the multiple suture passes start at about the mid length of the plurality of tendon strand regions and are advanced toward one of the free ends of the tendon strands. The whip stitched graft construct is provided with at least two regions, one region formed of at least a plurality of tendon strand regions tied and whip stitched together, and the other region formed of untied segments of the plurality of tendon strands.
Claims25
A method of threading suture through a tendon strand, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a tendon strand in a vicinity of a work station;
- folding over the tendon strand to form a folded tendon;
- beginning a stitched region of the folded tendon at a location of the folded tendon that is between one-third and one-half of a total length of the folded tendon by threading a flexible strand through the folded tendon;
- and
- forming a plurality of threads by advancing the flexible strand toward an end of the folded tendon and in a direction away from the work station, wherein the flexible strand includes a continuous loop of suture attached to a needle.
A method of forming a graft, comprising:
- positioning a graft through an opening of a suture loop of a suture loop/needle construct, the graft including a tendon strand with a first side and a second side;
- inserting a needle of the suture loop/needle construct through the tendon strand from the first side to the second side to create a first stitched region of the graft;
- positioning the graft through the opening of the suture loop again;
- and
- inserting the needle through the tendon strand at the first side to create a second stitched region of the graft that is distal to the first stitched region.
A method of forming a graft, comprising:
- passing a suture loop of a suture loop/needle construct at least partially over a graft, the graft including a tendon strand, wherein passing the suture loop includes spreading suture strands of the suture loop apart and then positioning the suture strands around the graft such that the graft extends between the suture strands;
- inserting a needle of the suture loop/needle construct through the tendon strand to create a first stitched region of the graft;
- passing the suture loop at least partially over the graft again;
- and
- inserting the needle through the tendon strand to create a second stitched region of the graft that is distal to the first stitched region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.