Device for drilling angled osteal tunnels

Abstract

A surgical drill guide device for drilling an angled osteal tunnel having an support rack having a first end and a second end; a drill guide sleeve having a passage for receiving a drill therethrough, the drill guide sleeve being adjustably securable and positionable on the rack between the first end and the second end of the rack; and a guide component secured on the first end of said rack, the guide component having a suture seizing mechanism for seizing a suture.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]The present invention generally is related to the field of osteal guides, surgical drilling systems and methods and devices for drilling osteal tunnels, and more particularly is related to osteal guides capable of being used for drilling angled osteal tunnels.[0003]2. Related Art[0004]The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments in the knee assist in providing stability to the function of the knee. The cruciate ligaments control gliding, sliding, and rotation of the knee. To accomplish this, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments function according to the principles of a crossed four bar linkage, which is closely related to and dependent upon the bony constraints of the surrounding bones. Thus, the anatomic origin and insertion of both of the ligaments is crucial. Often the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) becomes ruptured or torn, requiring replacement and reconstruction of the ligament in order to restore normal usag...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0031]The present invention involves both methodology and tools necessary to allow for the creation of angled tunnels, including the blind creation of angled osteal tunnels, and the intraosseous retrieval of sutures from osteal tunnels. This entails the use of an intraosseous guide, a feeder and retrieval system. The resultant tunnels provide robust bony bridges even with minimal distance between the surface points of entry and exit on the bone, can be created thro...

Problems solved by technology

Otherwise, the ligament will eventually be too loose or too tight for normal function.

Movement of the shoulder may be impaired if the axillary nerve is damaged.

Often, this results in a tunnel being close to the surface of the bone, which tunnel may have a thin wall and therefore be relatively weak and subject to breaking.

Further, while it may be desirable for surgeons to employ their discretion in selecting the entrance site of the osteal tunnel, limitations in visibility and accuracy considerations dictate that surgical positioning instruments are needed to ensure that an osteal tunnel has a precise drill exit point.

Often, surgeons are required to work in an area that is “boxed in” by nerves, which gives rise to a need for surgeons to forego the use of conventional surgical positioning instruments that might interfere with these delicate areas.

There are several limitations to current techniques of fixing soft tissue to bone.

The latter carries the risk of implant complications including infection and bony osteolysis in addition to failure of fixation.

However, these techniques are limited by technical constraints including t...

Images