Abstract: An orthopedic bone bridge, suitable for internally fixating and stabilizing fractured bones. The bone bridge includes: first and second bone plates for attachment to bone fragments by bone screws or the like on opposite sides of a bone fracture, a pair elongate parallel hollow legs on which the plates are mounted and the second plate is slidably engaged and is moveable with respect to the first plate, and an elastic cable or microcable attached to the first plate and extending down through the legs and around said second plate. The elastic cable is configured to provide a controlled tensile force between the plates when they are pulled into a longitudinally spaced apart position with the bone bridge then applying a correspondingly compressive force onto the bone fracture when the plates are secured to bone fragments on opposite sides of a bone fracture.

Abstract: An orthopedic bone plate, suitable for internally fixating and stabilizing fractured bones, includes: an elongated structure, capable of contraction in a longitudinal direction and having at least two ends, the structure having at least two fixation points adapted to be fixated to a fractured bone with the fixation points on opposing sides of a fracture. An elastic, polymer cable is longitudinally stretched and coupled in tension to the elongated structure, capable of causing the structure to contract in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An orthopedic bone plate, suitable for internally fixating and stabilizing fractured bones, includes: an elongated structure, capable of contraction in a longitudinal direction and having at least two ends, the structure having at least two fixation points adapted to be fixated to a fractured bone with the fixation points on opposing sides of a fracture. An elastic, polymer cable is longitudinally stretched and coupled in tension to the elongated structure, capable of causing the structure to contract in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An orthopedic bone bridge, suitable for internally fixating and stabilizing fractured bones. The bone bridge includes: first and second bone plates for attachment to bone fragments by bone screws or the like on opposite sides of a bone fracture, a pair elongate parallel hollow legs on which the plates are mounted and the second plate is slidably engaged and is moveable with respect to the first plate, and an elastic cable or microcable attached to the first plate and extending down through the legs and around said second plate. The elastic cable is configured to provide a controlled tensile force between the plates when they are pulled into a longitudinally spaced apart position with the bone bridge then applying a correspondingly compressive force onto the bone fracture when the plates are secured to bone fragments on opposite sides of a bone fracture.

Abstract: A device for grasping sutures includes an elongate housing and a hollow introducer needle attached to a distal end of the housing. The introducer needle has an open distal end having a sharpened, tissue penetrating edge. A suture grasping element is disposed in the open distal end of the introducer needle and is movable at least between first and second positions corresponding to the retracted and extended positions of the suture grasping element, respectively. The suture grasping element may consist of two jaws, one jaw having a pod located on a distal end thereof and one jaw being movable between opened and closed positions. In the closed position, the pod contacts a distal portion of the other jaw in a manner sufficient to retain a suture between the jaws. In additional embodiments, the suture grasping element may also consist of a substantially diamond-shaped wire loop or two wire-like members or a substantially U-shaped hook.

Abstract: A suture anchor retriever is adapted to remove a suture anchor from bone or other bodily member, the suture anchor being threaded and having a proximally-extending connector portion provided with a bore for receiving a suture, and having a pair of channels extending proximally to a proximal end of the connector portion. The anchor retriever comprises a stem portion having a socket portion at a distal end thereof, the socket portion being configured to fit snugly around the connector portion and within the channels so as to engage the suture anchor connector portion both externally and internally thereof, and a grip portion fixed to the stem portion at a proximal end of the stem portion. The stem portion is turnable around a lengthwise axis thereof by manipulation of the grip portion so as to bring surfaces of the socket portion to bear against complementary surfaces of the anchor connector portion, whereby to turn the anchor in the bone so as to retrieve the anchor from the bone.

Abstract: A device for grasping sutures includes an elongate housing and a hollow introducer needle attached to a distal end of the housing. The introducer needle has an open distal end having a sharpened, tissue penetrating edge. A suture grasping element is disposed in the open distal end of the introducer needle and is movable at least between first and second positions corresponding to the retracted and extended positions of the suture grasping element, respectively. The suture grasping element may consist of two jaws, one jaw having a pod located on a distal end thereof and one jaw being movable between opened and closed positions. In the closed position, the pod contacts a distal portion of the other jaw in a manner sufficient to retain a suture between the jaws. In additional embodiments, the suture grasping element may also consist of a substantially diamond-shaped wire loop or two wire-like member.

Abstract: A guide and other tools for cutting a bone graft from, e.g., the patella. The guide includes a guiding portion configured to engage a bone cutting instrument (such as a saw with a curved cutting surface), and a bone-engaging portion insertable into a cut in the surface of the bone to position the guiding portion in a selected orientation with respect to the bone. During use, the guiding portion directs the bone cutting instrument to cut the graft in the selected orientation. One of the other tools used with the guide is a spacer which has a bone-engageable portion insertable into the cut in the bone surface, and a surface arranged with respect to the bone-engageable portion and configured to guide a saw in making a second cut in the bone surface parallel to the first-mentioned cut. The guide includes a housing that supports the guiding portion, and arms secured to the housing and on which the bone-engaging portions of the guide are disposed.

Abstract: A fastener including an elongated body having one or more ridges passing across its exterior surface intersecting root portions between them. Each ridge has a crest portion with edges bounded by distal and proximal slope portions extending inwardly from the crest edges to the root portions. A coating is disposed on the crest portion and at least part of the distal slope portion but not on at least part of the root portion. The coating has a selected coefficient of friction different from that of the exterior surface of the elongated body. The fastener further includes an element for engaging a driver to enable insertion of the elongated body into a tissue of the patient. The coating modifies the amount of force which must be applied to the driver to insert the fastener.

Abstract: A ligament graft replacement system (10) having an anchor assembly (16) on one end. The anchor assembly (16) includes an insert member (18), a threaded sleeve (22) and a rotatable ring (20) to which the graft (24) is attached. A harvested or synthetic graft (24) used as a replacement for a torn ligament or tendon is secured to the rotatable ring (20) by sutures (46) and the anchor assembly (16) is screwed into a tunnel (26) drilled in a bone or bone-like structure. The anchor assembly (16) includes a hexagonal opening (36) through its length for receiving a hex driver (48) in its trailing end (36) or its leading end (34). The anchor assembly (16) also preferably has a self-tapping thread (30) on its outer surface. The rotatable ring (20) is secured over annular flange (40) at the trailing end of the threaded sleeve (22) and has a plurality of openings or slots (50 ) to which the sutures (46) are attached.