Linvatec Corporation

Zimmer Gmbh

Bennie W Gladdish, Jr

A Frank Trott

Joseph Fucci

Timothy E Porter

A method and apparatus for facilitating use of a threaded suture anchor in combination with a reusable cannulated anchor driver. The device enables a suture anchor to be preassembled with a suture so that a user need not assemble a suture anchor with suture immediately prior to use. The preassembled anchor/suture is provided with a suture stiffening or support member by which the free ends of the suture may be easily threaded into the axial bore of a cannulated driver. The support member may comprise a length of shrinkable tubing frictionally engaging at least a portion of the free ends of the suture extending from the anchor. In another embodiment, the support means may comprise an elongated non-shrinkable material such as a rod attached to the suture and enabling the anchor/suture/rod assembly to be threaded into a cannulated driver simply by the force of gravity acting upon the rod.

Pre-loaded suture anchor

A method to form a blind bore in an implant wherein a bore is initially drilled through the articular surface of the posterior condyle. The bore is internally threaded and then a plug is welded in place to seal the opening of the bore from the articular surface. The weld bead is polished so that there is no interruption in the articular surface. By drilling and threading the bore from the articular surface, there is no restriction on space, and automated machining equipment can be readily used.

Method of providing a threaded bore in a prosthetic implant

A drill guide is disclosed in which a cylindrical guide tube is secured to a handle so that it may not be easily longitudinally moved in either direction without the user engaging a thumb activated locking mechanism. The cylindrical guide tube passes through a conically tapered cylindrical bore within the drill guide handle and a similarly tapered split collet is interposed concentrically between the exterior of the cylindrical guide tube and the interior of the bore. The collet is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending lobes which are sufficiently resilient that movement of the collet to its proximal-most position causes the lobes to squeeze inwardly against the cylindrical guide tube. Frictional engagement between the collet lobes and the guide tube prevents the latter from moving until the collet is moved distally to release pressure on the lobes. The collet is normally biased proximally by a leaf spring attached to the drill guide handle and a thumb activated lever is provided to move the leaf spring distally to release pressure on the lobes and unlock the cylindrical guide tube.

Growing community of inventors

Palm Harbor, FL, United States of America

Bennie W Gladdish, Jr