Aesculap Ag & Co Kg

Aesculap Ag

Juergen Eichhorn

Nicola Giordano

Karl-Ernst Kienzle

François Leitner

François Boux De Casson

Gerhard Kirmse

In order to establish an optimum position on the upper side of the tibia for the exit point of an anterior cruciate ligament replacement, it is proposed that, with the leg bent, the position of a number of points along the front edge of the notch is detected and in this way their position and progression on the femur are also determined, that, with the leg straight, the course of this front edge of the notch is projected onto a projection plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tibia in the region of the upper side of the tibia, and that, within the region enclosed by this projected curve, the exit point is selected such that it maintains at least a distance corresponding to the radius of the implant from the projected curve. Furthermore, an apparatus for carrying out such a method is proposed.

Method and apparatus for determining the position of the tibial exit point of the anterior cruciate ligament

In a suture anchor system for joining pieces of tissue, in particular, for repairing meniscal tears, comprising at least two arrow-shaped or pin-shaped anchor implants joined to one another by a flexible suture fastened to the anchor implants, in order to facilitate installation of the anchor implants, it is proposed that at least one of the anchor implants have a continuous longitudinal passageway for receiving a longitudinally displaceable core, that a suture guide for receiving a suture common to all anchor implants for longitudinal displacement in the suture guide be disposed on this anchor implant, that a clamping device for securing the suture in the suture guide be associated with the suture guide, and that the clamping device be inactive so long as the core is located inside the longitudinal passageway and only become active when the core is pulled out of the longitudinal passageway. An instrument for inserting such anchor implants is also described.

Suture anchor system for joining pieces of tissue and instrument for inserting an anchor implant

In order to be able to adjust the tension of a ligament replacement implant in a controlled manner, a device is suggested for handling an implant which can be placed against a contact surface of a bone and thereby covers a tunnel in the bone and fixes in position at least one thread extending in the tunnel, this device being characterized by releasable spreading elements on the device, with which the device can be connected to the implant in a locking position of the spreading elements in such a manner that as a result of rotation of the device this implant can be turned in relation to an axis defined by the tunnel and, in addition, be lifted away from the contact surface in the direction of this axis.

Device and method for handling an implant covering a bone tunnel

To be able to secure the tendon replacement member without additionally weakening the tibia in the case of an implant for securing a tendon replacement member to a channel receiving the tendon replacement member in the region of the tibia close to the knee, it is proposed that the implant is in the form of a disc with passages for threads connected to the tendon replacement member and is dimensioned so that it completely covers the outlet opening of the channel from the tibia.

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Mittersfels/Scheibelsgrub, Germany

Juergen Eichhorn