Medicinelodge Inc.

Innovasive Corp.

Northgate Technologies, Inc.

Ramarao Gundlapalli

Alan Chervitz

E Marlowe Goble

Thomas Wade Fallin

Jacob M Bumpus

Brad A Haber

Jason T Push

A bone fixator for a ligament anchor system and a process its use in an arthroscopic procedure for mounting a ligament graft end in a tunnel formed into a bone. The bone fixator includes threaded footing member for mounting in a bone tunnel, that includes a longitudinal opening formed therethrough, and a ligament carrying member that has a forward of proximal portion for fitting through the threaded footing member longitudinal opening and including a coupling arrangement for securing the ligament carrying member in the threaded footing member. The ligament carrying member further includes as a rear or distal portion that incorporates a ligament mounting section, that, in one embodiment, is an eyelet section to receive a ligament graft fitted therethrough and folded upon itself and in another embodiment is a flat section having a center longitudinal axis wherefrom at least one and preferably a pair of spaced apart pointed posts extend at essentially right angles that include serrations or downwardly sloping teeth formed along at least one side of each post, the post or posts for passing through transverse holes formed in an end of a ligament graft, such as a bone end of a bone tendon ligament graft, with the ligament graft bone end urged onto the mounting plate posts axially mounting it thereto. The ligament carrying member with axially mounted ligament graft are guided in the bone tunnel and into the footing longitudinal opening, with the ligament carrying member to lock therein, completing the ligament graft end mounting in the bone tunnel. With, after the ligament graft is placed under tension and the opposite graft end secured to the tibia cortex, should an adjustment of ligament graft tension be desirable, the footing member is turned appropriately in the bone tunnel.

Bone fixator for a ligament anchor system

A ligament fixator for a ligament anchor system and a process its use in an arthroscopic procedure for mounting a ligament graft end in a tunnel formed into a bone. The anchor system includes footing member for positioning in a bone tunnel, and includes a longitudinal opening formed therethrough, and a ligament carrying member that has a forward of proximal portion for fitting through the member longitudinal opening and includes a coupling for securing it to the footing member. The ligament carrying member further including as a rear or distal portion that incorporates a ligament mounting section having a center longitudinal axis wherefrom at least one and preferably a pair of spaced apart pointed posts extend at essentially right angles that include serrations or downwardly sloping teeth formed along at least one side of each post, the post or posts for passing through transverse holes formed in an end of a ligament graft, such as a bone end of a bone tendon ligament graft, with the ligament graft bone end urged onto the mounting plate posts axially mounting it thereto. The ligament carrying member with axially mounted ligament graft are guided in the bone tunnel and into the footing longitudinal opening, with the ligament carrying member to lock therein, completing the ligament graft end mounting in the bone tunnel. With, after the ligament graft is placed under tension and the opposite graft end secured, should an adjustment of ligament graft tension be desirable, the footing member is turned appropriately in the bone tunnel.

Ligament fixator for a ligament anchor system

A bone-tendon-bone drill guide for use is guiding drilling to form a pair of transverse holes through a bone end of a bone-tendon-bone ligament graft to receive a suture or sutures threaded therethrough to form a suture sling or craddle supporting the bone end as the suture are pulled into a tunnel section of a straight that has been formed into a patient's bone. The drill guide includes a pair of scissor arms connected at a pivot that are formed to where moving of lower hand engaging portions of the arms together also moves upper ends of the arms together whereacross opposing jaws are maintained. The jaws each include curved surface therealong for engaging a bone end fitted therebetween and each preferably includes spikes that extend from a jaw face for engaging, to hold in place, the bone end as a drill is turned through straight drill guide holes formed through a jaw to form transverse holes through the bone end, with the drill to exit the bone end and pass through openings formed through the other jaw. To lock the jaws in place, the drill guide further includes a straight brace that is pivotally connected to the lower end of one scissoring arm to pivot an edge thereof into alignment with a single tooth that extends from the bottom end of the other scissoring arm, the straight brace including a series of teeth formed along its edge to engage the single tooth and is spring biased to urge the series of teeth against the single tooth, urging a meshing engagement therebetween.

Bone-tendon-bone drill guide

An expandable body suture that has a suture body that is formed in the manufacturing process over at least one pledget device that has an elongate shape with essentially a constant cross section along its mid-section and is of a diameter to fit snugly into a hole formed in a bone, ligament, tendon, or the like. The pledget device can be formed from a cloth, fabric or resinous material, is preferably resilient, is positioned in the suture body during manufacture or can be arranged on a cord or string whereover the suture body is formed during its manufacture as by weaving suture threads or strands thereover. For forming a hole in bone, ligament or tendon to receive the pledget device pulled therein, a needle or needles are secured to the suture body end or ends for forming the hole and pulling the suture body therethrough.

Growing community of inventors

Logan, UT, United States of America

Ramarao Gundlapalli