The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 07, 1998
Bryan K Kearns, Bridgewater, MA (US);
Steven M Bowman, Brighton, MA (US);
Richard F Wenstrom, Jr, Norwood, MA (US);
Mark Steckel, Braintree, MA (US);
Edward V Craig, New Canaan, CT (US);
Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US);
Abstract
A suture buttress comprises a hollow tube having an outer wall, a central channel, a center line extending through the channel, leading end for insertion into a bone tunnel and a trailing end. The hollow tube is bendable into a curved tube having an outer radius and an outer radial surface, the outer radial surface defining a plurality of slits formed in the outer wall. The suture buttress further includes at least one projecting member integral with and extending outward from the outer wall. The at least one projecting member is sufficiently strong to form a friction fit within a bone tunnel. A method for using the suture buttress to attach soft tissue to bone by inserting the suture buttress into a tunnel formed in bone, passing a suture through the tunnel and suture buttress and using the suture to attach soft tissue to the bone.