EP0232049A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fixation device for a ligament or tendon prosthesis
Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp
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Filing: 1987-01-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-01-20
Abstract
Abstract A device (1) for affixing a pretensioned ligament or tendon prosthesis to a bone of a patient includes a hollow elongated sleeve (3) adapted to fit within a through drill hole in the bone and a cooperating wedge (9). A portion of the bore (35) of the hollow sleeve (3) is tapered with decreasing bore cross-sectional thicknesstowards the front end (5) of the elongated sleeve (3). The wedge (9) is shaped so that a portion of a ligament or tendon prosthesis can be securely trapped between the wedge (9) and the inner wall of the sleeve (3) when the wedge (9) is fully advanced forwardly within the sleeve (3). The device (1) also includes a locking nut (11) or ferrule for releasably locking the sleeve (3) and wedge (9) together with the wedge (9) fully advanced within the sleeve (3), and a releasable bolt/washer (21) assembly for preventing the prosthesis from being pulled forwardly through the drill hole in the patient's bone. The device (1) is easy to use and provides a highly secure fixation of the pretensioned prosthesis.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Anthony Silvestrini
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:43
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/08; A61F2/0811; A61F2002/0817; A61F2002/0823; A61F2002/0829; A61F2002/0847; A61F2002/0864; A61F2002/0876; A61F2002/0882
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A device (1) for the fixation of a pretensioned ligament or tendon prosthesis to a bone of a patient comprising: a hollow elongated sleeve (3) adapted to fit within a through drill hole in said bone and having a front end (5), a rear end (7), an inner wall (33) defining a bore (35) and an outer wall (8), with said bore (35) being open at both the front (5) and rear (7) ends of the sleeve (3) and tapered over a portion (37) of its length with decreasing cross-sectional bore thickness, in at least one dimension, towards said front end (5); a wedge (9) capable of being inserted through the rear end (7) of the sleeve (3) and advanced forwardly into said tapered portion (37) of the bore (35) until coming to a position of abutment with said inner wall (33) of the sleeve (3), with a pair of opposed faces on the outer surface of said wedge (9) being, when the wedge (9) is in said position of abutment, disposed within said tapered bore (13) portion and substantially congruent with the adjacent surfaces of said inner wall (33); means for locking the sleeve (3) and the wedge (9) together in a rigid assembly with the wedge (9) in said position of abutment; and means for holding said rigid assembly to said bone in such a manner that said assembly cannot be pulled forwardly through said drill hole in the patient's bone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
243 words
A device (1) for the fixation of a pretensioned ligament or tendon prosthesis to a bone of a patient comprising: a hollow elongated sleeve (3) adapted to fit within a through drill hole in said bone and having a front end (5), a rear end (7), an inner wall (33) defining a bore (35) and an outer wall (8), with said bore (35) being open at both the front (5) and rear (7) ends of the sleeve (3) and tapered over a portion (37) of its length with decreasing cross-sectional bore thickness, in at least one dimension, towards said front end (5); a wedge (9) capable of being inserted through the rear end (7) of the sleeve (3) and advanced forwardly into said tapered portion (37) of the bore (35) until coming to a position of abutment with said inner wall (33) of the sleeve (3), with a pair of opposed faces on the outer surface of said wedge (9) being, when the wedge (9) is in said position of abutment, disposed within said tapered bore (13) portion and substantially congruent with the adjacent surfaces of said inner wall (33); means for locking the sleeve (3) and the wedge (9) together in a rigid assembly with the wedge (9) in said position of abutment; and means for holding said rigid assembly to said bone in such a manner that said assembly cannot be pulled forwardly through said drill hole in the patient's bone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device (1)of claim 1 characterized in that both said locking means and said holding means are releasable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A device (1) of claim 2 characterized in that a portion of the sleeve (3) to the rear of said tapered bore portion (37) is internally threaded and said locking means comprises an externally threaded locking nut (11) adapted to be screwed into said internally threaded sleeve portion until it firmly presses the wedge (9) forwardly against the inner wall (33) of the sleeve (3) in said position of abutment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device (1) of claim 1 characterized in that said holding means comprises a washer (15) adapted to lie against the cortical bone adjacent the rear end of said drill hole.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device (1) of claim 4 characterized in that means are included to adjust the distance between said washer (15) and the front end of the sleeve (3).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device (1)of claim 2 characterized in that said holding means comprises a washer (15) adapted to lie against the cortical bone adjacent the rear end of said drill hole.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device (1) of claim 6 characterized in that means are included to adjust the distance between said washer (15) and the front end of the sleeve (3).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
A device (1) of claim 3 characterized in that said locking nut (11) is provided with an axial through bore (13), said axial bore (13) is threaded over a portion of its length and said holding means comprises a washer (15) adapted to lie against the cortical bone adjacent the rear end of said drill hole and a bolt (21) having a head (23) adapted to engage the washer (15) and a shank (25) externally threaded over at least a portion of its length, with said shank (25) adapted to be screwed into the axial bore (13) of said locking nut (11).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device (1) of claim 8 characterized in that an angular adjustment of the screw and washer (15) relative to one another is permitted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device (1) of claim 8 characterized in that the wedge (9) is provided with a threaded hole open at the rear end of the wedge (9) for the releasable securement of an elongated rod to the wedge (9).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
A device (1) of claim 1 characterized in that said locking means comprises a locking element capable of being inserted through the rear end of the sleeve (3) and advanced forwardly within the sleeve (3) until it firmly presses the wedge (9) forwardly against the inner wall (33) of the sleeve (3) in said position of abutment, and then locked with the sleeve (3) and the wedge (9) to form a rigid assembly of sleeve (3), wedge (9) and locking element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device (1) of claim 1 characterized in that the outer wall (8) of said sleeve (3) is provided with means to prevent the rotation of the sleeve (3) within said drill hole.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device (1) of claim 1 characterized in that said wedge (9) has substantially the shape of a duck bill, with said pair of opposed faces on the outer surface of the wedge (9) being the top (39) and bottom (41) surfaces of the duck bill-shaped wedge (9).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
A device (1) of claim 13 characterized in that said top (39) and bottom (41) surfaces are substantially flat and oriented relative to one another at an acute angle of from about 10° to about 15°, and said adjacent surfaces of the inner wall (33) are a pair of substantially flat opposed inclined surfaces thereof oriented relative to one another at approximately the same acute angle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
A device (1)of claim 14 characterized in that each of said inclined inner wall (53) surfaces terminates at its front edge short of the front end (5) of the sleeve (3), with the sleeve (3) opening at said front end (5) being substantially rectangular and the inner wall portion connecting each of said front edges with said front end (5) being smoothly and gradually convexly-rounded with gradually increasing separation between said two connecting inner wall (33) portions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device (1) of claim 1 characterized in that said opposed faces on the outer surface of the wedge (9) and said adjacent surfaces of the inner sleeve (3) wall are each formed by a strong and resilient polymeric material.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
244 words
A device (1) for the fixation of a pretensioned ligament or tendon prosthesis to a bone of a patient comprising: a hollow elongated sleeve (3) adapted to fit within a through drill hole in said bone and having a front end (5), a rear end (41), an inner wall (33) defining a bore (35) and an outer wall (8), with said bore (35) being open at both the front (5) and rear (37) ends of the sleeve (3) and including a first bore portion of reduced cross-sectional bore thickness, in at least one dimension, with respect to a second bore portion located at a greater distance than said first bore portion from said front end of the hollow sleeve; a wedge (9) capable of being inserted through the rear end (7) of the sleeve (3) and advanced forwardly into said bore (35) until coming to a position of abutment with said inner wall (33) of the sleeve (3), with a face on the outer surface of said wedge (9) being, when the wedge (9) is in said position of abutment, substantially congruent with a surface of said first bore portion (37); means for locking the sleeve (3) and the wedge (9) together in a rigid assembly with the wedge (9) in said position of abutment; and means for holding said rigid assembly to said bone in such a manner that said assembly cannot be pulled forwardly through said drill hole in the patient's bone.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
244 words
A device (1) for the fixation of a pretensioned ligament or tendon prosthesis to a bone of a patient comprising: a hollow elongated sleeve (3) adapted to fit within a through drill hole in said bone and having a front end (5), a rear end (41), an inner wall (33) defining a bore (35) and an outer wall (8), with said bore (35) being open at both the front (5) and rear (37) ends of the sleeve (3) and including a first bore portion of reduced cross-sectional bore thickness, in at least one dimension, with respect to a second bore portion located at a greater distance than said first bore portion from said front end of the hollow sleeve; a wedge (9) capable of being inserted through the rear end (7) of the sleeve (3) and advanced forwardly into said bore (35) until coming to a position of abutment with said inner wall (33) of the sleeve (3), with a face on the outer surface of said wedge (9) being, when the wedge (9) is in said position of abutment, substantially congruent with a surface of said first bore portion (37); means for locking the sleeve (3) and the wedge (9) together in a rigid assembly with the wedge (9) in said position of abutment; and means for holding said rigid assembly to said bone in such a manner that said assembly cannot be pulled forwardly through said drill hole in the patient's bone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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