Granted Patent B2

US 7,211,111 · App. 10/874,915 · Granted May 1, 2007

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. An apparatus for fixation of a soft tissue within a tunnel formed in a bone, said apparatus comprising:

a first member having a first outer side and a second outer side and a first end positioned further in the tunnel than a second end;

said first member defining a notch between the first outer side and the second outer side positioned a distance from the second end;

said first outer side including a plurality of teeth operable to engage the soft tissue soft tissue against the tunnel;

said second outer side including a threaded face operable to axially receive an interference screw; and

a second member extending along a longitudinal axis having a face operable to engage the bone near said second end preventing said first member from axially extending into the tunnel more than a predetermined amount;

wherein said second member also includes a projection extending inwardly from the longitudinal axis that is operable to engage the notch defined by said first member.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of teeth includes a plurality of substantially perpendicular notches.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said at least one tooth includes an accurate edge.

4. An apparatus for fixation of a soft tissue within a tunnel formed in a bone, said apparatus comprising:

a first member having a first outer side and a second outer side and a first end positioned further in the tunnel than a second end;

said first outer side including a plurality of teeth operable to engage the soft tissue soft tissue against the tunnel;

said second outer side including a threaded face operable to axially receive an interference screw; and

a second member near said second end preventing said first member from axially extending into the tunnel more than a predetermined amount;

wherein each of said plurality of teeth are oriented substantially parallel with one another and each of said plurality of teeth includes a plurality of notches each axially aligned perpendicular to said teeth.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second outer side includes an accurate periphery substantially surrounding said threaded face.

6. An apparatus for fixation of a soft tissue within a tunnel formed in a bone, said apparatus comprising:

a first member having a first outer side and a second outer side and a first end positioned further in the tunnel than a second end;

said first outer side including a plurality of teeth operable to engage the soft tissue soft tissue against the tunnel;

said second outer side including a threaded face operable to axially receive an interference screw; and

a second member near said second end preventing said first member from axially extending into the tunnel more than a predetermined amount;

wherein said first member includes a first end and a second end, said first end including a rounded nose and defining a V-shaped notch.

7. An apparatus for fixation of a soft tissue within a tunnel formed in a bone, said apparatus comprising:

a first member having a first side and a second side;

said first side including a plurality of teeth operable to engage the soft tissue against the tunnel;

said second side including a threaded face operable to axially receive an interference screw; and

a second member having a longitudinal axis and a first projection extending at a non-zero angle relative to the longitudinal axis to prevent said first member from axially extending into the tunnel more than a predetermined amount; and

wherein said second member includes a second projection also extending at a non-zero angle to the longitudinal axis to engage a notch formed in said first member wherein the first projection is operable to engage the bone.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first member includes a first end and a second end, said first end being thicker than said second end to be substantially complimentary with the interference screw.

9. An apparatus to assist in holding a graft relative to a selected portion of an anatomy, comprising:

a member extending between a first end and a second end, said member including a first outer side and a second outer side, wherein said first outer side is operable to engage the graft and said second outer side defines a first cooperation surface;

an interference member having a first interference end spaced along a longitudinal axis from a second interference end and said interference member increasing in size from said interference first end to said second interference end and defining a second cooperation surface operable to cooperate with said first cooperation surface of said member;

wherein said first outer side defines at least one projection operable to engage at least the graft towards the selected portion of the anatomy;

wherein said at least one projection includes a tooth that includes a sidewall and an angled wall defining a generally biting edge;

wherein said interference member is operable to urge said member towards the graft and the selected portion of the anatomy;

wherein said first end is thicker than said second end to be substantially complimentary with the interference member, wherein a complimentary outer dimension of the member and the interference member is substantially similar at both the first end and the second end.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first outer side defines a plurality of projections.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each projection defines a biting portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said projection is a tooth extending in a direction from said first outer side.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said tooth further defines a notch to define a plurality of biting edges on said tooth.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said projection extends a distance into the graft.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first cooperation surface defines a groove.

16. The apparatus of either of claims 9 , wherein said second cooperation surface is a thread.

17. The apparatus of any of claims 9 , wherein said first cooperation surface and said second cooperation surface are operable to allow said member and said interference member to nestingly engage one another.

18. An apparatus for fixation of a soft tissue within a tunnel formed in a bone, said apparatus comprising:

a first member having a first outer side and a second outer side and extending between a first end and a second end, wherein said second end is operable to be positioned further in the tunnel than said first end, wherein said first side includes a plurality of projections operable to engage the soft tissue;

an interference screw;

wherein said second side of said first member includes a thread operable to engage said interference screw; and

a second member near said second end to engage the bone to assist in preventing said first member from moving axially into the tunnel more than a pre-selected amount;

wherein said first end of the first member is thicker than said second end of the first member and is substantially complimentary with the interference screw.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said second member includes an instrument that engages said second end to hold said first member while inserting said interference screw.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said instrument includes a flange that extends at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said first member.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the instrument includes two members displaceably coupled at a joint; wherein each of the members includes a finger extending at a non-zero angle to a longitudinal axis of the two members; wherein the first member defines two notches to receive the finger of each of the two members.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said notch includes two opposed notches defined by said first member; and

wherein said projection includes two projections extending inwardly to engage said two opposed notches.

Assignments (9)