Granted Patent B2

US 7,736,364 · App. 11/346,534 · Granted Jun 15, 2010

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. A method for drilling a bone for receipt of a first and second bundle, the method comprising:

drilling a first tunnel in the bone;

subsequently to the drilling, positioning a locating member extending from a tool along a first axis into the drilled first tunnel;

slidably translating a cutting guide associated with a cutting member in a direction along a second axis, while selectively retaining the cutting member within a cannulated sleeve, the second axis of the cutting member being in a defined orientation relative to the first axis;

moving the cutting member that extends through a bore in the tool relative to the locating member while the locating member remains positioned in the drilled first tunnel to select a desired lateral offset between the locating member and the cutting member; and

forming a second tunnel in the bone with the cutting member.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a first perpendicular distance is defined from a point on the cutting member to the locating member, wherein translation of the cutting guide along its axis defines a second perpendicular distance from the point on the cutting member to the locating member and wherein the first and second distances are distinct.

3. A method for drilling a bone for receipt of a first and second bundle, the method comprising:

drilling a first tunnel in the bone;

subsequently to the drilling, positioning a locating member extending from a tool alone a first axis into the drilled first tunnel;

moving the cutting member that extends through a bore in the tool relative to the locating member in a direction lateral to an axis of the cutting member while the locating member remains positioned in the drilled first tunnel to select a desired lateral offset between the locating member and the cutting member; and

forming a second tunnel in the bone with the cutting member, the cutting member having a second axis in a defined orientation relative to the first axis.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein moving the cutting member includes:

rotating a cutting guide associated with said cutting member while selectively retaining the cutting member within a cannulated sleeve, wherein the cutting guide defines a guide axis offset from the second axis.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a first perpendicular distance is defined from a point on the cutting member to the locating member, wherein moving the cutting member in a direction lateral to its axis defines a second perpendicular distance from the point on the cutting member to the locating member and wherein the first and second distances are distinct.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

passing the first bundle through one of the first and second tunnels;

passing the second bundle through the other tunnel; and

securing the first bundle and the second bundle to the bone.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the bone comprises a femur.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first tunnel comprises one of an anterior medial tunnel and a posterior lateral tunnel and wherein the second tunnel comprises the other of the anterior medial tunnel and a posterior lateral tunnel.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein positioning a locating member extending from a tool into the first tunnel further comprises:

inserting the tool through an anterior medial portal.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising drilling a third tunnel in a second bone and wherein positioning the locating member extending from a tool into the first tunnel comprises locating the tool through the third tunnel.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second bone comprises a tibia and wherein the third tunnel comprises a tibial tunnel.

12. A method for drilling a bone for receipt of a first and second bundle, the method comprising:

drilling a first tunnel in a femur at a first entry point;

positioning a locating member extending from a tool along a first axis through the first entry point and into the first tunnel;

slidably translating a cutting guide that extends through a bore in the tool relative to the locating member in a direction alone an axis of the cutting guide while the locating member remains positioned in the first tunnel while selectively retaining a cutting member associated with the cutting guide within a cannulated sleeve to define at least two lateral offsets between the locating member and the cutting guide;

locating the cutting guide at a desired offset from the at least two lateral offsets; and

forming a second tunnel at a second entry point in the femur with the cutting member, the cutting member having a second axis in a defined orientation relative to the first axis.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein drilling the first tunnel and positioning the locating member comprise advancing a drill and the locating member into the femur along a common direction.

14. A method for drilling a bone for receipt of a first and second bundle, the method comprising:

drilling a first tunnel in a femur at a first entry point;

positioning a locating member extending from a tool alone a first axis through the first entry point and into the first tunnel;

threadably translating a cutting guide that extends through a bore in the tool relative to the locating member in a direction alone an axis of the cutting guide while the locating member remains positioned in the first tunnel while selectively retaining a cutting member associated with the cutting guide within a cannulated sleeve to define at least two lateral offsets between the locating member and the cutting guide;

locating the cutting guide at a desired offset from the at least two lateral offsets; and

forming a second tunnel at a second entry point in the femur with the cutting member, the cutting member having a second axis in a defined orientation relative to the first axis.

15. A method for drilling a bone for receipt of a first and a second bundle, the method comprising:

drilling a first tunnel into a femur by advancing a drill along a first direction;

removing the drill from the first tunnel;

inserting a tool through an anterior medial portal;

positioning a locating member extending from the tool into the first tunnel alone the first direction;

slidably translating a cutting guide that extends through a bore in the tool relative to the locating member in a direction along an axis of the cutting guide while selectively retaining a cutting member within a cannulated sleeve to select a desired lateral offset between the locating member and the cutting guide; and

drilling a second tunnel into the femur with the cutting member extending from said cutting guide.

16. A method for drilling a bone for receipt of a first and a second bundle, the method comprising:

drilling a first tunnel into a femur by advancing a drill alone a first direction;

removing the drill from the first tunnel;

inserting a tool through an anterior medial portal;

positioning a locating member extending from the tool into the first tunnel along the first direction;

rotating a cutting guide while selectively retaining a cutting member within a cannulated sleeve, a cutting guide that extends through a bore in the tool relative to the locating member to select a desired lateral offset between the locating member and the cutting guide; and

drilling a second tunnel into the femur with the cutting member extending from said cutting guide, the cutting member having a second axis, wherein the cutting guide defines a guide axis offset from the second axis.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first direction is the superior lateral direction.

Assignments (9)