Tendon and ligament repair system

US5800544A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Omeros Medical Systems, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Gregory A. Demopulos · Mercer Island, US
• Stephen A. Yencho · Menlo Park, US
• David A. Herrin · Seattle, US
• Neil G. McIlvaine · Seattle, US
• Michael D. Nelson · Seattle, US
• Milton R. Sigelmann · Seattle, US
• Jose T. V. de Castro · Newton, US
• George E. Selecman · Marblehead, US
• John A. Collins, Jr. · South Bend, US
• Imraan Aziz · Stanford, US
• Gorm Bressner · Providence, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 4, 1995
• Grant date: Sep 1, 1998
• Expiry date: Dec 4, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61F2240/004
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The damaged portion of an injured tendon or ligament (C) ("connective cord") is inserted into a thin, hollow sleeve (100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 160, 180, 200, 240, 260, 270, 300, 390, generically designated "S") and is connected to the sleeve (S) such that the cord-sleeve combination can immediately withstand normal tensile forces. the interconnection can be mechanical, such as by pins (22, 22', 148, 150, 164, 188, 190, 206, 206', 210, 226, 230, 238, 239, 266, 286, 308) extending through the sleeve (S) and cord (C). The sleeve (S) can be bioabsorbable over a sufficiently long period of time that the cord (C) is healed by the time the sleeve (S) is absorbed.