This invention relates to tissue graft anchoring.
An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that has ruptured and is non-repairable is generally replaced arthroscopically by a tissue graft. The tissue graft can be harvested from a portion of a patellar tendon having so called “bone blocks” at each end, and from the semitendonosis and gracilis. Alternatively, the tissue graft can be formed from synthetic materials or from a combination of synthetic and natural materials.
The replacement tissue graft is implanted by securing one end of the tissue graft in a socket formed in a passage within the femur, and passing the other end of the graft through a passage formed in the tibia. Generally, sutures are used to affix each end of the tissue graft to a fastener (e.g., an interference screw or a post), which is then secured to the bone.
It is also known to use a graft fixation member, e.g., a fixation button, to secure the tissue graft at the femoral cortex, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,301 (“the '301 patent”) hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. When using a fixation button, the femoral passage generally includes a relatively larger diameter portion for receiving the graft, and a smaller diameter, passing channel near the femoral cortex for receiving a length of suture that runs from the tissue graft to the fixation button. By measuring the total length of the femoral passage and the length of the larger diameter portion of the femoral passage, the surgeon determines the appropriate length of suture material for attaching the fixation button to the tissue graft.
To increase the graft/channel interface in femoral fixation for cruciate repair the distance between a graft fixation member and the tendon construct is reduced. The ability to minimize this distance is generally limited by fixation member flipping constraints, which results in less tendon in the femoral channel, or leads to making compromises in the size of the graft fixation member to accommodate the tendon and the flipping of the graft fixation member.
According to one aspect, a method of securing a tissue graft includes providing a fixation member having a suture attached thereto, attaching the suture to the tissue graft, and adjusting the length of the suture between the fixation member and the tissue graft by pulling an end of the suture.
Embodiments of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.
The suture passes through at least two openings in the fixation member and has a first end received within the suture through an open second end of the suture to form a loop having only one free end.
The method includes passing the fixation member, suture, and attached tissue graft through a bone passage, followed by adjusting the length of the suture between the fixation member and the tissue graft.
According to another aspect, a fixation device includes a member defining at least two openings and a suture attached to the member. The suture passes through the at least two openings in the member and has a first end received within the suture through an open second end of the suture and exits the suture through a first opening in the suture between the first and second suture ends.
Embodiments of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.
The suture first end exits the suture through a second opening in the suture between the first suture end and the first opening, and is received within the suture through a third opening in the suture between the first suture end and the first opening.
A portion of the suture between the second opening and the third opening is located on a first side of the member, and another portion of the suture that passes through the at least two openings in the member is located on a second side of the member. The member defines, for example, four openings.
According to another aspect, a fixation device includes a member and a suture attached to the member. The suture has two closed loop portions that pass through openings in the member, a first suture end received within the suture through a first opening in the suture, and a second suture end received within the suture through a second opening in the suture.
Embodiments of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.
The first and second suture ends extend within the suture along first and second respective portions of the suture.
The first and second suture ends exit the suture between the first and second suture ends, for example, through a common third opening in the suture.
The openings in the member extend non-perpendicularly through the member.
According to another aspect, a fixation device includes a member defining at least two openings and a suture attached to the member that passes through the at least two openings in the member. A first suture end is received within the suture through a first opening in the suture and a second suture end is received within the suture through a second opening in the suture. The first and second suture ends exit the suture between the first and second suture ends.
Embodiments of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.
The first and second suture ends exit the suture through a common third opening in the suture
The first suture end received through the first opening forms a first suture loop, and the second suture end received through the second opening forms a second suture loop.
The member defines at least three, four or five openings through which the suture passes.
The at least two member openings extend non-perpendicularly through the member.
According to another aspect, a method of securing a tissue graft includes providing a fixation member having suture passing through at least two openings in the fixation member; attaching the suture to the tissue graft; and adjusting the length of the suture between the fixation member and the tissue graft by pulling the suture ends. First and second ends of the suture are received within the suture and exit the suture between the first and second suture ends
Embodiments of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.
The first and second ends of the suture exit the suture through a common opening in the suture.
The method includes passing the fixation member, suture, and attached tissue graft through a bone passage, followed by adjusting the length of the suture between the fixation member and the tissue graft.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Referring to
In the case of patellar tendon graft, one end of tissue graft 10 includes a bone block 22 which is shaped and sized in close conformity with femoral channel 14 to ensure optimal healing. A length of suture 24 has one end attached to bone block 22 and the other end secured at femoral cortex region 18 with a graft fixation member 26 of a fixation device 27. The suture 24 is attached to the graft fixation member 26 in a manner that permits the length of the suture 24 between the graft fixation member 26 and the tissue graft 10 to be adjusted prior to or after the graft 10 and the fixation member 26 have been positioned as shown in
The graft fixation member 26 is positioned using pull threads (not shown) attached to the member. The pull threads are passed through the channels 14 and 16 from the notch 12 to the cortex 18 and used to pull the graft fixation member 26 through the channels 14 and 16 with a long axis of the graft fixation member aligned with the channels. After exiting the channel 16, the pull threads are used to flip the graft fixation member 26 so that the member 26 lies flat against the cortex.
Referring to
The ability to adjust the length of the suture 24 allows the length of the suture span (SS) to be minimized, only being limited by the desired length of passing channel 16. There is a minimum length of the suture 24 that is necessary during passage of the graft fixation member 26 through the channel 14, 16 to allow the member 26 to be positioned in alignment with the channels. Once the graft fixation member 26 is located against the femoral cortex 18, the length of the suture 24 can be shortened by pulling on the suture to maximize the amount of the tissue graft 10 that is located within the femoral channel 14.
The suture 24 is a woven or braided suture, for example, #5 Ultrabraid suture, attached to the graft fixation member 26 in a loop configuration to form fixation device 27. Referring to
The suture 24 is a single length of suture attached to the graft fixation member 26. The suture 24 passes through openings 52, 54 in the graft fixation member 26, with a first end 60 of the suture received within the suture through an open second end 62 of the suture and exiting the suture through a first opening 64 in the suture between the first and second suture ends 60, 62. Between the end 62 and the first opening 64, the received suture exits the suture at a second opening 66 and reenters the sutures at a third opening 68. This suture configuration results in a portion 70 of the suture 24 that passes through the openings 52, 54 being positioned along the side 48 of the graft fixation member 26, a portion 72 of the suture 24 between the second opening 66 and the third opening 68 being positioned along the side 46 of the graft fixation member 26, and a suture loop 74 extending from the side 46 of the graft fixation member 26.
By pulling on the single free end 60 of the suture 24, the length of the loop 74 can be adjusted, for example, from a minimum that equals the distance between the holes 52 and 54 to about 30 mm, such that, with the tissue graft 10 attached the suture 24, the distance between the graft fixation member 26 and the tissue graft 10 can be adjusted between 0 mm and about 15 mm.
During manufacture, the suture end is threaded through a needle and the needle is passed through the center of the suture. A hot knife is used to melt bond the suture surrounding the openings to limit unraveling of the suture.
When the fixation device 27 is used with a semitendonosis and gracilis graft (
The distance between the graft fixation member 26 and the tissue graft 10 can be adjusted while the graft/fixation member construct is in the femoral tunnel. Alternatively, the distance is determined by the surgeon prior to placing the graft.
Once the graft fixation member 26 and the tissue graft 10 are positioned in the knee with the desired length of the suture 24, tension placed on the suture by the tissue graft acts to secure the loop configuration by the suture tightening around the sections of suture that pass within the suture.
The length, width and height of the fixation member 26, is for example, 12 mm×4 mm×1.5 mm.
Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
For example, referring to
Referring to
Rather than having the suture 24 form the suture loops 82, 84 by passing through the same openings 52, 54, as illustrated in
Rather than forming closed loop portions 82, 84 as described with respect to
Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
For use in other applications, such as in AC joint repair or in other areas of the body to bring bone to bone, a second fixation member 26 can be coupled to the suture 24. For example, in any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the suture 24 can be threading through holes in the second fixation member. In use, the two fixation members 26 are located on opposing sides of the bones to be brought together, and the suture end(s) are pulled to bring bone to bone.
Furthermore, rather than using fixation member(s) that are rigid or formed of a material other than suture, the fixations member(s) can be formed of suture, such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/016,3892, filed Jan. 28, 2011, hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.