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:
Mar. 19, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 19, 2000
Paul A. Torrie, Marblehead, MA (US);
Michael C. Ferragamo, N. Dighton, MA (US);
Rebecca Blough, Warwick, RI (US);
Anthony Miniaci, Thornhill, CA;
Lázló Hangody, Budapest, HU;
Zoltán Kárparti, Budapest, HU;
Smith & Newhew INC, Memphis, TN (US);
Abstract
A method of repairing cartilage (e.g., articular cartilage on the femur) and a set of instruments used in the method are provided. The damaged cartilage is removed from the bone to expose the underlying bone, grafts covered with cartilage (e.g., hyaline cartilage) are harvested from elsewhere in the body (e.g., other areas of the femur), and the grafts are inserted into holes drilled into the exposed area of bone. A guide is provided for use with surgical instruments during the procedure to orient the surgical instruments perpendicularly to the bone surface during use. The guide includes a guiding portion disposed along a longitudinal axis for engaging the surgical instrument, and a tissue-engaging portion oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. A set of surgical instruments used to carry out the method includes the guide, a drill for forming the graft-receiving holes, and an insertion tool for inserting the grafts. Other accessory instruments are also provided.