Graft pulley and methods of use
US8449612B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 16, 2009 |
| Grant date | May 28, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2002/0882
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A placement assembly used for positioning and holding a ligament graft within a selected bone tunnel. The assembly includes a graft pulley, a surgical suture, and a graft pulley placement instrument. The graft pulley includes a pulley portion and a bone anchoring portion. The pulley portion is adapted to receive the surgical suture and for surgical suture to be drawn through it, to act as a pulley. The bone anchoring portion comprises at least one flexible wing that is adapted to selectively fix the graft pulley within a bone tunnel. At least one wing is adapted to flex during insertion into a bone tunnel and then resist flex and thereby resist movement back out of the tunnel and hence wedge itself within the tunnel. The graft instrument may be selectively attached to the graft pulley and includes a handle and elongate body, adapted to insert the graft pulley into the selected bone tunnel. Once the graft pulley is in place, the placement instrument may then be detached and withdrawn leaving the graft pulley firmly fixed within the bone tunnel and can then be used to position a ligament graft.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.