Abstract: A meniscal repair system including a pair of elongate needles with a suture filament attached between respective proximal ends of the needles. Two implants are attached to the suture (e.g., molded thereon) between the needles so as to form a suture bridge between the implants. One implant may comprise a barbed shaft aligned with the suture, while the other may be in the form of a T-bar that can be deployed so as to be perpendicular to a portion of the suture filament. The system may further include one or more dilators (e.g., one or more suture knots or molded beads) disposed along the length of the suture filament to aid in passage of the implant after the associated needle.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for anchoring suture to bone. In one exemplary embodiment, a cannulated suture anchor is provided and it includes a suture-engaging member formed therein and configured to receive a suture therearound such that trailing ends of the suture can extend through the suture anchor. The suture anchor can also include at least a proximal portion having dual threads to facilitate engagement with bone. The present invention also provides exemplary sutures and drivers that can be used with the various methods and devices disclosed herein, or with other methods and devices known in the art.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for anchoring suture to bone. In one exemplary embodiment, a cannulated suture anchor is provided and it includes a suture-engaging member formed therein and configured to receive a suture therearound such that trailing ends of the suture can extend through the suture anchor. The suture anchor can also include at least a proximal portion having dual threads to facilitate engagement with bone. The present invention also provides exemplary sutures and drivers that can be used with the various methods and devices disclosed herein, or with other methods and devices known in the art.

Abstract: Improved bone anchors are disclosed for anchoring one or more sutures attached to soft tissue to a bone. The bone anchor has an anchor body that extends between a distal and a proximal end. A bore is formed axially in the anchor body and opens at the proximal end. One or more pins are fixed within the bore of the anchor body. One or more sutures can be looped on the pins for anchoring soft tissue to bone. The anchor body has a socket within the bore for receiving a driver tool. The distal end of the anchor body forms a non-threaded extension, which stabilizes the bone anchor, and helps prevent lateral movement during use. In one embodiment, the anchor body has coarse threads for engaging soft bone tissue and fine threads for engaging hard bone tissue.

Abstract: An electrosurgical device having an electrode and an insulating piece such as a ceramic insulator is disclosed. The electrode includes an active surface for ablating and/or coagulating tissue in an electrosurgical procedure. The insulating piece surrounds the active surface and provides a barrier for the intense heat created during ablation. The insulating piece is also electrically nonconductive to prevent unwanted discharge of energy. Electrode has a retaining ledge configured to engage a lip formed on the insulating ring. The insulating ring is secured to the electrosurgical device by connecting the electrode to an electrode seat and capturing the insulating piece in between. The electrode can be connected to the electrode seat by projection welding. The insulating piece is connected to the electrode without the use of an adhesive.

Abstract: A protective device for use with an interference screw used to attach a soft tissue graft within a bone tunnel reduces the tendency of the interference screw to undesirably snag a soft tissue graft and/or sutures when screwed into a bone tunnel. The protective device has an angled face that corresponds to an angled face of the interference screw and threads that correspond to the threads of the interference screw. When used together, the protective device effectively completes the part of the interference screw that is removed to form the angled face. This, in turn, reduces or eliminates any sharp edges that would otherwise catch or snag the tissue graft and/or sutures as the interference screw is screwed into a bone tunnel during a joint repair procedure. The protective device may be included within a kit together with a correspondingly sized and shaped interference screw, and optionally with a driver.

Abstract: Electrosurgical devices for ablating tissue and methods of making the same are disclosed. The electrosurgical devices include an electrode with a lumen for aspirating gasses and debris produced during surgery. The electrode also includes a plurality of upper active edges for ablating tissue in an electrosurgical procedure. The upper active electrodes are spaced apart to form a filter that filters out large tissue particles from being aspirated into the lumen. The upper active edges ablate the large particles to form particles that can pass into the lumen. A lower active edge is formed at the terminal end of the lumen for ablating tissue being aspirated into the lumen. The lower active edge prevent tissue particles from occluding the opening to the lumen.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conditioning and pre-tensioning soft tissue grafts during joint repair surgery, such as during repair of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The inventive apparatus is advantageously adapted and configured so as to enable a surgeon to independently apply a desired tensile load to individual graft strands or graft bundles of a multi-strand tissue graft. The inventive methods enable each graft strand or bundle to be properly tensioned so as to both “condition” the graft to prevent subsequent stretching, relaxation or elongation following surgery, which can destabilize the joint, and to pre-tension each graft strand or bundle to a predetermined amount so that each contributes to the strength and stability of the joint, thus resulting in a stronger and more durable joint. The tensioning device is advantageously equipped with structure for attachment to a patient's limb during the conditioning and pre-tensioning procedure.

Abstract: An interference screw for affixing soft tissue grafts during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction comprises a threaded body axially extending between a face and a tip along a central axis, with the face advantageously being obliquely aligned with the central axis. The threaded body includes a proximal threaded section and a distal threaded section, each of which may be straight or tapered. The proximal threaded section is approximately 1 mm larger in diameter than the distal threaded section. The increased diameter of the proximal threaded section enables the interference screw to compressively secure the soft tissue graft against the cortical bone, while the distal threaded section compresses the soft tissue graft against the cancellous bone with an appropriately reduced force that is appropriate for facilitating bonding of the soft tissue graft to the cancellous bone and that is sufficient for minimizing any “bungee effect.

Abstract: A graft retaining implant is provided for retaining a graft in a bone tunnel. Instruments and methods are also provided for use with the graft retaining implant.

Abstract: A protective device for use with an interference screw used to attach a soft tissue graft within a bone tunnel reduces the tendency of the interference screw to undesirably snag a soft tissue graft and/or sutures when screwed into a bone tunnel. The protective device has an angled face that corresponds to an angled face of the interference screw and threads that correspond to the threads of the interference screw. When used together, the protective device effectively completes the part of the interference screw that is removed to form the angled face. This, in turn, reduces or eliminates any sharp edges that would otherwise catch or snag the tissue graft and/or sutures as the interference screw is screwed into a bone tunnel during a joint repair procedure. The protective device may be included within a kit together with a correspondingly sized and shaped interference screw, and optionally with a driver.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conditioning and pre-tensioning soft tissue grafts during joint repair surgery, such as during repair of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The inventive apparatus is advantageously adapted and configured so as to enable a surgeon to independently apply a desired tensile load to individual graft strands or graft bundles of a multi-strand tissue graft. The inventive methods enable each graft strand or bundle to be properly tensioned so as to both “condition” the graft to prevent subsequent stretching, relaxation or elongation following surgery, which can destabilize the joint, and to pre-tension each graft strand or bundle to a predetermined amount so that each contributes to the strength and stability of the joint, thus resulting in a stronger and more durable joint. The tensioning device is advantageously equipped with structure for attachment to a patient's limb during the conditioning and pre-tensioning procedure.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conditioning and pre-tensioning soft tissue grafts during joint repair surgery, such as during repair of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The inventive apparatus is advantageously adapted and configured so as to enable a surgeon to independently apply a desired tensile load onto individual strands of a multiple-stranded soft tissue graft, such each of a pair of ham strings. The inventive methods advantageously ensure that each strand of a multiple-strand soft tissue graft is adequately tensioned so as to both “condition” the graft to prevent subsequent stretching, relaxation or elongation following surgery, which can destabilize the joint, and pre-tension each strand of the graft to a desired amount so that each significantly contributes to the strength and stability of the joint, thus resulting in a stronger and more durable joint.

Abstract: This invention provides apparatus and means for protecting the axillary nerve during thermal capsullorhaphy. An electrosurgical probe is attached to a standard electrosurgical generator that is capable of producing coag waveforms. RF energy is generated by the generator in coag waveform and applied to discrete locations of the capsular ligaments through the electrosurgical probe. Noise produced by the coag waveform stimulates the axillary nerve, even in saline environments, thereby identifying the high-risk regions of the capsular ligaments that should be avoided during the procedure.

Abstract: Surgical apparatus and methods provide enhanced aspiration of gaseous bubbles and reduced drag during placement of the surgical apparatus. The surgical apparatus includes a rotatable cutting or shaving tool disposed within a hollow probe, an electrosurgical device on a side of the probe, and one or more aspiration holes or passages through a side of the probe in addition to a main opening at a distal end through which the cutting or abrading tool emerges. The aspiration holes are advantageously located adjacent to the lead electrode(s) of the electrosurgical device. Gaseous bubbles are preferentially aspirated through the aspiration holes. The aspiration holes also serve to reduce drag between the distal end of the surgical probe and soft tissue at, or adjacent to, the surgical site.

Abstract: Surgical apparatus and methods provide enhanced aspiration of gaseous bubbles and reduced drag during placement of the surgical apparatus. The surgical apparatus includes a rotatable cutting or shaving tool disposed within a hollow probe, an electrosurgical device on a side of the probe, and one or more aspiration holes or passages through a side of the probe in addition to a main opening at a distal end through which the cutting or abrading tool emerges. The aspiration holes are advantageously located adjacent to the lead electrode(s) of the electrosurgical device. Gaseous bubbles are preferentially aspirated through the aspiration holes. The aspiration holes also serve to reduce drag between the distal end of the surgical probe and soft tissue at, or adjacent to, the surgical site.

Abstract: An interference screw for affixing soft tissue grafts during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction comprises a threaded body axially extending between a face and a tip along a central axis, with the face advantageously being obliquely aligned with the central axis. The threaded body includes a proximal threaded section and a distal threaded section, each of which may be straight or tapered. The proximal threaded section is approximately 1 mm larger in diameter than the distal threaded section. The increased diameter of the proximal threaded section enables the interference screw to compressively secure the soft tissue graft against the cortical bone, while the distal threaded section compresses the soft tissue graft against the cancellous bone with an appropriately reduced force that is appropriate for facilitating bonding of the soft tissue graft to the cancellous bone and that is sufficient for minimizing any “bungee effect.

Abstract: This invention provides apparatus and means for protecting the axillary nerve during thermal capsullorhaphy. An electrosurgical probe is attached to a standard electrosurgical generator that is capable of producing coag waveforms. RF energy is generated by the generator in coag waveform and applied to discrete locations of the capsular ligaments through the electrosurgical probe. Noise produced by the coag waveform stimulates the axillary nerve, even in saline environments, thereby identifying the high-risk regions of the capsular ligaments that should be avoided during the procedure.

Abstract: A monopolar electrode for use with a standard electrosurgical pencil and generator suitable for performing tissue ablation at relatively low power levels. The electrode has a cylindrical rim at its distal tip, the exposed conductive area of the cylindrical rim being minimized to create high powered densities sufficient for tissue ablation. The distal end of the electrode is surrounded by a ceramic insulating sleeve and an annular insulating gap is interposed between the electrode and the ceramic sleeve. A tubular polymeric insulating sleeve is applied to the outer surface of the electrode and to the outer surface of the proximal end of the ceramic sleeve.

Abstract: An anchor device for mounting a bodily tissue to a bone, such as for repairing ligaments and tendons, particularly ham string tissue grafts for repairing a knee joint. The anchor device is configured and sized to pass through a bone tunnel and comprises a sheath member having a bone-engagement end and bodily tissue attachment end. The bone-engagement end includes structure for selective overlapping and engaging the bone adjacent an exit opening of the bone tunnel. The bodily tissue attachment end includes structure known in the art for attaching a bodily tissue, such as a ligament, tendon, or ligament graft, to the sheath member. The anchor device further includes a camming member slidably disposed relative to the sheath member, which selectively urges the sheath member to engage the bone surface. The sheath member and camming member include interlocking features for locking the anchor device in a deployed position within the bond tunnel.