Method of performing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using biodegradable interference screw

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9848978-B2
Application number	US-201514958184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 29, 2003
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A method of replacing an ACL with a graft. The method provides for the drilling bone tunnels in a femur and a tibia. A replacement graft is provided having first and second ends. A biodegradable composite screw is provided. The screw is made from a biodegradable polymer and a bioceramic or a bioglass. At least one end of the graft is secured in a bone tunnel using the biodegradable composite screw.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing, comprising:
introducing a dry bioceramic and a dry biodegradable polymer including poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid) into an extruder;
blending the dry biodegradable polymer and the dry bioceramic in the extruder to form a composite; and
molding the composite to form a surgical screw having a thread on an exterior surface thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the dry biodegradable polymer and the dry bioceramic in the extruder.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising cooling the composite before the molding of the composite.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating pellets of the composite before the molding of the composite;
wherein molding the composite includes molding the pellets.

5. A surgical apparatus, comprising:
a bioabsorable screw made from a bioceramic and a bioabsorbable copolymer including poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid), the screw being formed by the method of claim 1 .

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the screw is bioabsorbable.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the screw is cannulated.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the bioceramic comprises a bioceramic selected from the group consisting of mono-, di-, tri, [alpha]-tri-, [beta]-tri and tetra-calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, calcium sulfates, calcium oxides, calcium carbonate, and magnesium calcium phosphates.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the bioabsorbable copolymer comprises about 85 mole percent to about 95 mole percent of poly(lactic acid) and about 5 mole percent to about 15mole percent of poly(glycolic acid).

10. A surgical method, comprising:
introducing a graft into a bone; and
after introducing the graft, inserting a screw into the bone such that an exterior surface feature of the screw penetrates into the bone, thereby securing the graft in a fixed position between the screw and the bone, the screw comprising poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), and a bioceramic.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, before inserting the screw, mounting the graft to the bone.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, before inserting the screw, mating a distal end of a driver tool to a proximal end of the screw;
wherein inserting the screw includes rotating the driver tool having the screw mated to the distal end thereof.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the exterior surface feature is a thread.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screw is bioabsorbable.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screw is cannulated.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screw is bioabsorbable and is cannulated.

17. A surgical method, comprising:
forming a bone tunnel in bone;
securing a graft to the bone within the bone tunnel; and
rotating a screw into the bone tunnel such that the graft is pinned between the screw and a wall of the bone tunnel, the screw comprising poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), and a bioceramic.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein rotating the screw includes rotating a driver tool having the screw mounted on a distal end thereof.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the screw is threaded, cannulated, and bioabsorbable.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the bioceramic comprises a bioceramic selected from the group consisting of mono-, di-, tri, [alpha]-tri-, [beta]-tri and tetra-calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, calcium sulfates, calcium oxides, calcium carbonate, and magnesium calcium phosphates; and
the copolymer comprises about 85 mole percent to about 95 mole percent of poly(lactic acid) and about 5 mole percent to about 15 mole percent of poly(glycolic acid).

Assignees

• Depuy Mitek Llc

Inventors

• Donnelly Lisa M
• Li Yufu
• Sullivan Joan M
• Whittaker Gregory R
• Yuan J Jenny

Classifications

• A61L31/128 Primary

  containing other specific inorganic fillers not covered by A61L31/126 or A61L31/127 · CPC title

• A61L31/026

  Ceramic or ceramic-like structures, e.g. glasses · CPC title

• A61F2/0811 Primary

  Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments · CPC title

• A61L31/127

  containing fillers of phosphorus-containing inorganic materials · CPC title

• A61F2002/087

  Anchor integrated into tendons, e.g. bone blocks, integrated rings · CPC title