Drill pin for fixation of ligaments using button/loop construct
A technique and reconstruction system for ligament employing a button/loop construct with a drill pin. The drill pin has a shaft with a proximal and a distal end. A pin tip provided at the distal end of the shaft has a width greater than the shaft diameter. The pin tip helps cut a wider tunnel for fixation of ligaments/grafts in reconstructive surgeries. The shaft of the drill pin is provided with a laser marks for measurement of intraosseous length.
1. A method of graft fixation, comprising:
(i) drilling a tunnel through bone using a drill pin, the tunnel extending from a first cortical bone surface to a second cortical bone surface, the drill pin having an uncannulated shaft provided with laser marks, a proximal end provided with an eyelet, and a distal end provided with a tip portion with cutting edges and cutting surfaces, the tip portion of the distal end having a spade configuration with an increased diameter relative to the rest of the shaft, the cutting surfaces having a relief angle of 30° for all cutting surfaces which are 180° opposed;
(ii) measuring the length of the tunnel by reading the laser marks on the shaft of the drill pin;
(iii) subsequently placing a cannulated headed reamer over the drill pin and drilling a socket in the bone to a desired length, wherein the socket terminates before the second cortical bone surface such that the desired length is smaller than a total length of the tunnel formed in (i);
(iv) attaching a graft to a button/loop construct comprising a button with two eyelets and a continuous suture loop attached to the button by passage of the continuous loop through the two eyelets, and securing the button/loop construct with the attached graft to the drill pin by passing strands from the button/loop construct through the eyelet in the drill pin;
(v) passing the drill pin and the suture/button construct with the attached graft through the tunnel;
(vi) pulling on passing sutures attached to one of the two eyelets of the button to pull the button through the tunnel and pass the graft attached to the button/loop construct into the socket, the button flipping horizontally as it exits cortical bone; and
(vii) securing the button to the cortex of the bone once the button exits the tunnel and flips horizontally by applying a distal traction on the graft and releasing the passing sutures.