Tap Guide
In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a tap guide including a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a handle coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft, and a tip coupled to the distal portion of the shaft. A method and system for preparing a bone tunnel for receipt of a fixation device is also disclosed.
1 . A tap guide comprising:
a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
a handle coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft; and
a tip coupled to the distal portion of the shaft.
2 . The tap guide of claim 1 wherein the tip includes a groove.
3 . The tap guide of claim 2 wherein the groove includes a tapered depth along a length of the groove.
4 . The tap guide of claim 3 wherein the groove is between about 40% to about 65% deeper at a second end of the groove relative to a first end of the groove.
5 . The tap guide of claim 1 wherein the tip is located at an angle α relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
6 . The tap guide of claim 5 wherein α is between about 0° to about 45°.
7 . The tap guide of claim 1 wherein the tip includes a diameter of between about 4 mm to about 12 mm.
8 . The tap guide of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a through hole extending a length of the shaft.
9 . The tap guide of claim 1 wherein the proximal portion includes a circular shape.
10 . A method of preparing a bone tunnel for receipt of an anchor comprising:
providing a tap guide including a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a handle coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft, and a tip coupled to the distal portion of the shaft;
providing a tap;
inserting the tip into a bone tunnel;
inserting the tap into a through hole of the shaft and into the bone tunnel to create a notch in a wall of the bone tunnel; and
removing the tip from the bone tunnel.
11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
inserting an end of a tissue graft into the bone tunnel;
inserting a fixation device into the bone tunnel via the notch, the fixation device located between the tissue graft and a wall of the notch.
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the tip includes a groove, the groove having a tapered depth along a length of the groove such that during creation of the notch the tap cuts deeper in a first area of the notch than in a second area of the notch.
13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the diameter of the tip is substantially equal to the diameter of the bone tunnel.
14 . A system for preparing a bone tunnel for receipt of a fixation device comprising:
a tap; and
a tap guide comprising a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion,
a handle coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft, and a tip coupled to the distal portion of the shaft.
15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the tip includes a groove.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the groove includes a tapered depth along a length of the groove.
17 . The system of claim 16 wherein the groove is between about 40% to about 65% deeper at a second end of the groove relative to a first end of the groove.
18 . The system of claim 14 wherein the tip is located at an angle α relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein α is between about 0° to about 45°.
20 . The system of claim 14 wherein the tip includes a diameter of between about 4 mm to about 12 mm.
21 . The system of claim 14 wherein the shaft includes a through hole extending a length of the shaft.
22 . The system of claim 14 wherein the proximal portion includes a circular shape.
23 . The tap guide of claim 1 wherein the handle includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion located at an angle relative to the proximal portion, the proximal portion positioned substantially perpendicular to the proximal portion of the shaft.
24 . The method of claim 11 wherein the notch is configured such that rotation of the tissue graft does not occur during insertion of the anchor into the bone tunnel.