Granted Patent B1

US 8,002,778 · App. 10/878,559 · Granted Aug 23, 2011

Abstract

Claims (25)

1. A system for securing a soft tissue replacement in a bone tunnel comprising:

a crosspin, comprising:

a proximal end defining a recess having an arcuate shape;

a distal tip portion;

an intermediate portion transitioning from said distal tip portion at a ramp portion and the distal tip portion extends coplanar with an outer sidewall of the intermediate portion;

a longitudinal slot defined by said intermediate portion and having a depth extending from a first outer longitudinal surface to a terminal longitudinal surface, said depth having a distance greater than half of a width of the crosspin, said terminal longitudinal surface defining a terminal axis, wherein said terminal axis is offset from and substantially parallel to an axis defining a centerline of a longitudinal axis of the crosspin, wherein said longitudinal slot is defined by opposing side walls, which each extend for a distance greater than half of said width of the crosspin;

a flexible member extending longitudinally through said longitudinal slot; and

a driver having a proximal end and a distal end, the driver having a neck portion extending from said distal end of said driver and an eyelet extending from a distal end of said neck portion, said eyelet matingly engaging the proximal end of said crosspin such that said eyelet is received in said arcuate recess to enable said driver to drive said crosspin into an engaged position whereby the soft tissue replacement is in a secure relationship with the bone, wherein an end of said flexible member is attached to said eyelet.

2. The crosspin of claim 1 wherein said distal tip portion is offset from said longitudinal axis of the crosspin and extends from a second longitudinal surface to said terminal longitudinal surface, said terminal longitudinal surface laterally offset between said second outer longitudinal surface and said centerline of the crosspin.

3. The crosspin of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal slot extends from the distal tip portion to a terminal location at an end of the crosspin.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the end of said flexible member is directly attached to said eyelet.

5. A system for securing a soft tissue replacement in a bone tunnel comprising:

a crosspin defining a longitudinal cannula extending through the crosspin between a proximal end and a distal end and adapted to be inserted into a transverse femoral tunnel and support the soft tissue replacement;

a first flexible member extending through said longitudinal cannula; and

an insertion member having a distal end secured to said first flexible member, the insertion member including a neck portion that defines a shoulder, the neck portion adapted to be received within the femoral tunnel a predetermined distance so that the neck portion abuts the bone when the crosspin is in the engaged position, the insertion member defining an eyelet protruding from a distal end of said neck portion and an end of said first flexible member is coupled to said insertion member at said eyelet and pulled through said transverse femoral tunnel, said eyelet extending transverse to said longitudinal cannula; and

wherein the distal end of the insertion member matingly engages a proximal end of said crosspin such that said eyelet is received in a recess or the longitudinal cannula of said crosspin to enable said insertion member to push said crosspin into an engaged position whereby the soft tissue replacement is in a secure relationship with the bone.

6. A system for inserting a crosspin into a bone tunnel comprising:

a crosspin having a distal portion, an intermediate portion, a proximal portion extending from said intermediate portion and a breakaway portion detachably coupled to an end of said proximal portion and operable to be disconnected from said proximal portion, said breakaway portion defining a terminal proximal end of said crosspin when coupled thereto;

a driver having a proximal end, a distal end and planar outer walls extending therebetween that define a passage, said breakaway portion being received in said passage at said distal end of said driver such that said passage substantially surrounds and cooperates with said breakaway portion and said proximal end of said driver extends beyond said terminal proximal end of said crosspin, the planar outer walls including a pair of parallel spaced apart side walls and a bottom wall connecting said parallel side walls; and

a slidable cover portion that slides relative to said pair of parallel spaced apart walls so as to slide over said breakaway portion and cooperate with said planar outer walls to enclose said breakaway portion within said driver, said driver imposes a force onto said breakaway portion that causes said breakaway portion to disconnect from said proximal portion;

wherein said slidable cover portion extends parallel to said bottom wall along only one side of said driver.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said breakaway portion defines an engagement surface for matingly receiving a complementary engagement surface on said driver.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said breakaway portion tapers inwardly from said engagement surface toward said proximal portion.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said slidable cover portion is slidable from a first position to a second position, such that in the first position said breakaway portion is exposed and in the second position, the slidable cover portion is disposed over said breakaway portion and captures said breakaway portion within said driver.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein said breakaway portion includes a hexagonal shaped engagement surface for mating with the pair of parallel spaced apart side walls, the bottom wall, and the slidable cover portion of the driver.

Assignments (9)