Method for reconstructing a ligament
A method for reconstructing a ligament. In one form of the invention, there is disclosed a method for securing a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, the method comprising the steps of: (1) forming a first bone tunnel in a bone, and forming a second bone tunnel in the same bone, the second bone tunnel being transverse to, and intersecting, the first bone tunnel; (2) positioning a flexible member in the second transverse bone tunnel so that the flexible member extends across the first bone tunnel, and positioning the graft ligament in the first bone tunnel, independently of the flexible member, so that the graft ligament is looped over the flexible member; and (3) positioning a crosspin over the flexible member and in the second transverse bone tunnel so that the graft ligament is looped over, and may be supported by, the crosspin.
This patent application claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/146,253, filed Jul. 29, 1999 by Alan Chervitz et al. for METHOD TO DELIVERING AN ACL GRAFT IN THE KNEE, which patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to medical devices and procedures in general, and more particularly to medical devices and procedures for reconstructing a ligament.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA ligament is a piece of fibrous tissue which connects one bone to another.
Ligaments are frequently damaged (e.g., detached or torn or ruptured, etc.) as the result of injury and/or accident. A damaged ligament can impede proper motion of a joint and cause significant pain.
Various procedures have been developed to repair or replace a damaged ligament. The specific procedures used depend on the particular ligament which is to be restored and on the extent of the damage.
One ligament which is frequently damaged as the result of injury and/or accident is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Looking now at
Numerous procedures have been developed to restore the ACL through a graft ligament replacement. In general, and looking now at
There are numerous ways in which graft ligament 25 may be positioned in tunnel 20 and secured in position.
One such way is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,604, issued Jul. 6, 1999 to Whelan for METHOD OF LOADING TENDONS INTO THE KNEE. According to this patent, the ligament may be towed up tibial tunnel 30 and femoral tunnel 35 and then secured in femoral tunnel 35 with a crosspin.
More particularly, and looking now at
After transverse bone tunnel 40 has been formed, a flexible member 55 is used to draw graft ligament 25 up into place.
More particularly, according to the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,604, this is done by threading flexible member 55 through transverse bone tunnel 40. Then a crochet-hook device (not shown in
Once flexible member 55 and graft ligament 25 have assumed the position shown in
Unfortunately, the method taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,604 suffers from a number of drawbacks.
For one thing, use of this method can result in erosion of the patient's bone. More particularly, and looking now at
For another thing, the method taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,604 can be tedious to practice. More particularly, when flexible member 55 and ligament graft 25 are in the position shown in
As a result, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for reconstructing a ligament.
And another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for reconstructing a ligament which substantially avoids the problems associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThese and other objects of the present invention are addressed by a novel method for reconstructing a ligament.
In one preferred form of the invention, the invention comprises a method for securing a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, the method comprising the steps of: (1) forming a first bone tunnel in a bone, and forming a second bone tunnel in the same bone, the second bone tunnel being transverse to, and intersecting, the first bone tunnel; (2) positioning a flexible member in the second transverse bone tunnel so that the flexible member extends across the first bone tunnel, and positioning the graft ligament in the first bone tunnel, independently of the flexible member, so that the graft ligament is looped over the flexible member; and (3) positioning a crosspin over the flexible member and in the second transverse bone tunnel so that the graft ligament is looped over, and may be supported by, the crosspin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe above and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts, and further wherein:
The present invention comprises a novel method for reconstructing a ligament.
More particularly, and looking now at
After transverse bone tunnel 40 has been formed, a flexible member 55 is passed across transverse bone tunnel 40. This may be done by attaching a distal end 70 of flexible member 55 to the proximal end 75 of a transverse drill pin 80, and then drawing flexible member 55 through transverse bone tunnel 40 in the manner shown in
Next, a crochet-hook member 85 (
The end of flexible member 55 extending out of tibial tunnel 30, shown generally at 90, is set aside for future use. See
Next, and still looking now at
After graft ligament 25 has been positioned in the manner shown in
Looking next at
Numerous advantages are achieved by using the present invention.
For one thing, since graft ligament 25 is pulled into bone tunnel 20 by the loop 100 moving along the line of bone tunnel 20, optimal force can be applied to lifting the graft ligament into position without damaging tunnel edges 65.
In addition, since flexible member 55 is used solely as a guide for crosspin 60, and is not used to lift graft ligament 25 within bone tunnel 20, flexible member 55 does not need to be strong enough to lift the graft ligament up the bone tunnel. As a result, flexible member 55 can be formed out of a wider range of materials and can have a smaller diameter, which in turn permits the cannulation in crosspin 60 to be smaller, which in turn permits the construction of a stronger crosspin.
Still other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Modifications
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the particular constructions and method steps disclosed above and/or shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A method for securing a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, said method comprising the steps of:
- (1) forming a first bone tunnel in a bone, and forming a second bone tunnel in the same bone, said second bone tunnel being transverse to, and intersecting, said first bone tunnel;
- (2) positioning a flexible member in said second transverse bone tunnel so that said flexible member extends across said first bone tunnel, and positioning said graft ligament in said first bone tunnel, independently of said flexible member, so that said graft ligament is looped over said flexible member; and
- (3) positioning a crosspin over said flexible member and in said second transverse bone tunnel so that said graft ligament is looped over, and may be supported by, said crosspin.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of positioning said graft ligament in said first bone tunnel, independently of said flexible member, comprises the sub-steps of:
- (i) pulling a loop of said flexible member out of said first bone tunnel;
- (b) pulling a loop of said graft ligament into said first bone tunnel so that said loop of graft ligament extends past the intersection of said second transverse bone tunnel with said first bone tunnel;
- (c) positioning said loop of said flexible member within said loop of graft ligament; and
- (d) pulling said flexible member straight so as to eliminate said loop of said flexible member.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said sub-step of pulling said loop of said graft ligament into said first bone tunnel comprises the sub-sub-steps of:
- (i) attaching said loop of said graft ligament to a pulling member; and
- (ii) passing said pulling member out the far said of said first bone tunnel.
4. A method for securing a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, said method comprising the steps of:
- (1) forming a first bone tunnel in a bone, and forming a second bone tunnel in the same bone, said second bone tunnel being transverse to, and intersecting, said first bone tunnel;
- (2) positioning a flexible member in said second transverse bone tunnel so that said flexible member extends across said first bone tunnel;
- (3) pulling a loop of said flexible member out of said first bone tunnel;
- (4) pulling a loop of said graft ligament into said first bone tunnel so that said loop of graft ligament extends past the intersection of said second transverse bone tunnel with said first bone tunnel;
- (5) positioning said loop of said flexible member within said loop of graft ligament;
- (6) pulling said flexible member straight so as to eliminate said loop of said flexible member; and
- (7) positioning a crosspin over said flexible member and in said second transverse bone tunnel so that said graft ligament is looped over, and may be supported by, said crosspin.
Type: Application
Filed: May 3, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2005
Inventors: Alan Chervitz (Palm Harbor, FL), T. Fallin (Hyde Park, UT), Daniel Justin (Logan, UT)
Application Number: 11/121,159