109 results about "Anterior cruciate ligament" patented technology

A replacement device for resurfacing a joint surface of a femur and a method of making and installing such a device is provided. The custom replacement device is designed to substantially fit the trochlear groove surface, of an individual femur. Thereby creating a "customized" replacement device for that individual femur and maintaining the original kinematics of the joint. The replacement device may be defined by four boundary points, and a first and a second surface. The first of four points is 3 to 5 mm from the point of attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament to the femur. The second point is near the bottom edge of the end of the natural articulatar cartilage. The third point is at the top ridge of the right condyle and the fourth point at the top ridge of the left condyle of the femur. The top surface is designed so as to maintain centrally directed tracking of the patella perpendicular to the plane established by the distal end of the femoral condyles and aligned with the center of the femoral head.

A soft tissue fixation system, most typically applicable to orthopedic joint repairs, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee repair procedures, comprises an implant which is placeable in a tunnel disposed in a portion of bone, wherein the tunnel is defined by walls comprised of bone. A first member is deployable outwardly to engage the tunnel walls for anchoring the implant in place in the tunnel, and a second member is deployable outwardly to engage tissue material to be fixed within the tunnel. The second member also functions to move the tissue material outwardly into contact with the tunnel walls to promote tendon-bone fixation. Extra graft length is eliminated by compression of the tendon against the bone at the aperture of the femoral tunnel, which more closely replicates the native ACL and increases graft stiffness. The inventive device provides high fixation of tendon to bone and active tendon-bone compression. Graft strength has been found to be greater than 1,000 N (Newtons), which is desirable for ACL reconstruction systems.

A method and apparatus for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using holes in bone created by retrograde cutting. A rotary cutter, mounted onto an insertion post of a tibial guide, is inserted through an anteromedial portal and the rotary cutter placed on the anatomical origin of an ACL tibial insertion. A drill pin is drilled through the tibia and advanced until it contacts and engages a cannulation in the rotary cutter on the guide. Further rotation of the drill pin disengages the rotary cutter from the guide. The retrograde drill pin is then retracted and simultaneously rotated for retrograde cutting of a socket or tunnel of desired depth in the tibia. A strand is passed through the cannulation of the drill pin into the joint. The end of the strand is retrieved from the anteromedial portal and a loop formed for subsequent graft installation. A similar technique is used to form a socket or tunnel in the femur except that a femur guide is used in place of the tibial guide. A graft of appropriate length is pulled through the anteromedial portal by the loops formed in the strands and the ends of the graft are drawn into the femoral and tibial sockets. The reconstruction is completed by securing the graft ends.

The invention provides composition and methods for repairing a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

This invention relates generally to orthopedic implants for reconstruction of severed, ruptured, or damaged ligaments. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved elastic replacement ligament made from metallic wires in a braided construction for replacement of a natural ligament of the body such as the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee.

The present invention provides a novel silk-fiber-based matrix having a wire-rope geometry for use in producing a ligament or tendon, particularly an anterior cruciate ligament, ex vivo for implantation into a recipient in need thereof. The invention further provides the novel silk-fiber-based matrix which is seeded with pluripotent cells that proliferate and differentiate on the matrix to form a ligament or tendon ex vivo. Also disclosed is a bioengineered ligament comprising the silk-fiber-based matrix seeded with pluripotent cells that proliferate and differentiate on the matrix to form the ligament or tendon. A method for producing a ligament or tendon ex vivo comprising the novel silk-fiber-based matrix is also disclosed.

Apparatus for locating an attachment position for a reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament on an attachment surface of a bone comprises locating means (51, 61) arranged to locate at least one reference surface (4) of the bone and guide means (53, 54) arranged to define the attachment position in two dimensions on the attachment surface relative to the reference surface.

An apparatus and method for performing a surgery, especially an Anterior Cruciate Ligament replacement surgery, where a flexible strand insertion rod cooperates with a U-Guide apparatus to insert a flexible strand into a tunnel formed in a bone portion and to guide a drill point to form a tunnel transversely to the tunnel of the insertion rod. The drill point is guided through the insertion rod and the flexible strand is held over the drill point as the transverse tunnel is formed. The insertion rod is then removed from the tunnels formed in the bone and the flexible strand is held looped over the drill point. Subsequently, a soft tissue replacement is affixed to one end of the flexible strand and pulled over the drill point with the other end of the flexible strand. The drill point is then used to pull a cross pin through the transverse tunnel to hold the looped end of the soft tissue replacement in place. Finally, the two free ends of the soft tissue replacement are affixed to the bone completing the implantation of a soft tissue replacement.

Described herein are methods and apparatuses for use in repair of a patient's tissue by connecting the tissue to the bone using a transosteal tunnel and anchor configured to pass through the transosteal tunnel. In particular, described herein are methods of repairing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and torn meniscal root. These anchoring apparatuses and method of using them are particularly well suited for use with the low-profile suture passers described herein, since these suture passers may allow access to previously inaccessible regions of the knee (or other body regions).

A method of providing a replacement anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) provides a tibial tunnel and at least one femoral tunnel for receiving the replacement ligament, the femoral and tibial tunnels not being colinear but rather in an orientation that more closely mimics the natural ACL. The femoral tunnel is formed through the anterior medial portal. A cross pinning guide having a femoral rod for insertion into the femoral tunnel, a spaced apart arc shaped track and a guide block having one or more bores aligned with the femoral rod whereby an instrument inserted through one of the bores creates a pilot hole for the cross pin which intersects the femoral tunnel and an appropriate angle thereof which avoids ligaments and other sensitive tissue can be selected by adjusting the guide block along the track.

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for automated biomechanical analysis for bodily joints generally and in one use to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention and recovery. The disclosure includes processing an automated biometric analysis algorithm on a computer processor and recording measurements relating to a plurality of physical therapy tests. The disclosure tracks the movement of joints on the subject's body from the subject's trunk downward to the subject's toes and calculates the results of the physical therapy tests for analyzing angles, movement quality, and related interrelationships amongst said joints. The method and system further derive and provide reports of comparisons of results with normative values and associate indicators for the comparisons to the potential of the subject to experience biomechanical conditions of injury or development.

The invention discloses a gait analysis method for auxiliary screening of injury of anterior cruciate ligament. The method comprises the following steps: based on the gait characteristics of the extracted knee joint angle and displacement, carrying out neural network modeling and identification on gait system dynamics of healthy normal persons and patients with injury of anterior cruciate ligament; establishing a constant neural network; constructing a dynamic estimator by utilizing the constant neural network; and based on the difference between gait modes of the healthy normal persons and the patients with injury of anterior cruciate ligament in gait system dynamics, distinguishing the abnormal gait caused by the injury of anterior cruciate ligament from the normal gait of the healthy persons according to the minimum error principle, thereby realizing auxiliary screening detection of the injury of anterior cruciate ligament. According to the invention, the gait characteristic data of the knee joint angle and displacement is acquired through an optical sensor, so that the abnormal gait caused by the injury of anterior cruciate ligament and the normal gait of the healthy persons can be conveniently, simply and non-intrusively distinguished; and compared with the screening means, such as magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopic surgery, the method disclosed by the invention can realize non-invasive screening and can save time and cost.

A hinged pivoting guide for positioning a femoral tunnel in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction locates a drilling hole for placement that optimally penetrates a minimal depth of soft tissue (skin, muscle, etc.) yet directs drilling into a sufficiently rigid and structurally sound area of the femur. The hinged guide allows placement of an aimer point at a desired drilling exit location on the femur. The hinge is adapted to secure the aimer at a degree of rotation about an axis defined by the hinge rotation, such that the axis passes through the aimer point throughout rotation of the hinge while maintaining the aimer point in line with an insertion guide slideably movable through the aperture in the handle, the aperture defined by an insertion axis extending toward the aimer point such that the aimer point remains disposed at the intersection of the hinge axis and the insertion axis.