Other

Precision Surgical Instruments, Inc.

Concept, Inc.

Innovasive Devices, Inc.

Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.

Chattanooga Corporation

Arthrotech

Richard B Caspari

James T Treace

Jeffrey G Roberts

Terry L Whipple

James A Thimsen

Daniel F Justin

Arthur F Trott

F Barry Bays

Alan Chervitz

Thomas Wade Fallin

Rickey D Hart

Daniel A Perkins

E Marlowe Goble

W Karl Somers

Erin McGurk-Burleson

Elmer Koehler

Victor S Packham

David C Buboltz

Jason Lee

A connector for joining sections of flexible material includes a locking member that has an engagement portion at a distal end and that can support a flexible member at a proximal end. An outer member is engageable with the locking member's engagement portion and is movable between a disengaged position and a locking position in cooperation with the locking member. When the outer member is in the locking position, the flexible material piece is retainable along the nonlinear path against movement between the locking member and the outer member. The connector is lockable at a desired surgical site in a generally collinear fashion with the flexible material piece. The nonlinear pathway defined by the material enhances the strength of the connection, which is particularly effective in the case of suture material, which is known to slip easily. The piece of material to be secured may include one or more pieces of suture or a loop of suture having two ends, or sections of wire, cable, or tissue pieces.

Connector device and method for surgically joining and securing flexible tissue repair members

A connector delivery device and method include a rod frangibly affixed to an inner member and a support member slidable around the rod. The support member is adapted to support an outer member for movement relative to the inner member for forming a snap fit therebetween, the snap fit for trapping flexible material such as suture at a surgical site. In an alternate embodiment a pistol-type handle and trigger operate to move a push rod seated within an outer barrel against the outer member to push the outer member over the inner member to form the snap fit. A collet is attached to a collet barrel slidable within the outer barrel, the collet barrel positioned in surrounding relation to the push rod. The collet, which is spring biased into a closed position, supports the outer member prior to activation of the delivery device.

Device and method for delivering a connector for surgically joining and

A connector for joining sections of flexible material includes inner and outer members that snap fit together by passing the bore of the outer member over the inner member to capture and secure ends of flexible material such as sutures. The flexible material is fitted into a bore in the inner member and project out a side portal to pass between the shared or opposing inner and outer member surfaces. This serpentine pathway locks the flexible material in place. The invention further provides a delivery instrument to maintain the outer member in alignment with a receiving end of the inner member loaded with flexible material. The delivery instrument further includes cooperating elements for urging the outer member over the inner member to lock the flexible material in place.

Connector device and method for surgically joining and securing flexible

A method and apparatus for use in suturing tissue using a suture material. The apparatus includes first and second clamping members which are able to draw the suture material through the tissue. The apparatus further includes a handle portion which is used to remotely actuate the first and second clamping members.

Method and apparatus for suturing tissue

An apparatus for use in positioning a ligament or a graft within a joint during surgery. The apparatus includes a tensioning assembly which is operable to adjustably apply tension to the ligament or graft during surgery. The apparatus further includes support assembly which is operable to secure the tensioning assembly to the extremity associated with the joint. Alternatively, the tensioning assembly may be secured directly to the bone forming the joint.

Method and apparatus for tensioning grafts or ligaments

Methods and apparatus for prosthetic knee replacement permit preparation of tibial plateau and femoral condyle surfaces and implant of tibial and femoral protheses components with the use of arthroscopic surgical techniques. The bone surfaces are resected by moving a rotating milling cutter longitudinally across the bone surface and moving the rotating milling cutter substantially laterally across the bone. Cement is supplied between the prostheses and the bone surfaces after positioning of the prostheses on the bone, and cement bonding is enhanced by applying suction to the bone to draw the cement into the bone.

Method of implanting a prosthesis

A knee joint prosthesis includes tibial and femoral components and a bearing insert designed for unicompartmental prosthetic total knee replacement and can be implanted using arthroscopic surgical techniques. The tibial and femoral prosthesis components have channels or portals therethrough allowing supply of cement to the prosthesis-bone interface after the prosthesis has been positioned for implant. Recesses communicate with the channels and cooperate with the bone surfaces to form cement receiving chambers, and rims at least partially surround the recesses to penetrate the bone surfaces to stabilize the positions of the prostheses and form seals preventing cement from escaping from the prosthesis-bone interfaces.

Knee joint prosthesis

Methods and apparatus for prosthetic knee replacement permit preparation of tibial plateau and femoral condyle surfaces and implant of tibial and femoral protheses components with the use of arthroscopic surgical techniques. The bone surfaces are resected by moving a rotating milling cutter longitudinally across the bone surface and moving the rotating milling cutter substantially laterally across the bone. Cement is supplied between the prostheses and the bone surfaces after positioning of the prostheses on the bone, and cement bonding is enhanced by applying suction to the bone to draw the cement into the bone. The apparatus for resecting the bone surfaces includes a rotating milling cutter having a body with cutting edges and holes extending through the body communicating with the interior of the body. Suction is applied to the end of the body to draw out tissue fragments through the holes and out of the body.

Methods and apparatus for arthroscopic prosthetic knee replacement

Method of arthroscopically preparing an articular bone surface

Method of resecting bone

Prosthesis for implant on the tibial plateau of the knee

A knee joint prosthesis includes tibial and femoral components and a bearing insert designed for unicompartmental prosthetic total knee replacement and can be implanted using arthroscopic surgical techiques. The tibial and femoral prosthesis components have channels or portals therethrough allowing supply of cement to the prosthesis-bone interface after the prosthesis has been positioned for implant. Recesses communicate with the channels and cooperate with the bone surfaces to form cement receiving chambers, and rims at least partially surround the recesses to penetrate the bone surfaces to stabilize the positions of the prostheses and form seals preventing cement from escaping from the prosthesis-bone interfaces.

A suturing instrument for use in arthroscopic surgery includes a hollow needle for penetrating tissue to be sutured within the body while the tissue is clamped between relatively movable jaws, and a suture feed mechanism for feeding suture material through the hollow needle such that the jaws can be opened and the suturing instrument withdrawn from the body pulling the free end segment of the suture material with the instrument. A knot can be tied in the suture material externally of the body and the knot moved back into the body at a position adjacent the tissue.

Growing community of inventors

Maidens, VA, United States of America

Richard B Caspari