Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Fish & Richardson, PPC.
  • Patent number: 6358253
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Smith & Newhew INC
    Inventors: Paul A. Torrie, Michael C. Ferragamo, Rebecca Blough, Anthony Miniaci, Lázló Hangody, Zoltán Kárparti