Method of ACL reconstruction using allograft bone cross pin implant

Abstract

A surgical implant for securing ligament grafts into a joint. The implant is formed entirely of allograft cortical bone, and has a tapered tip with a suture eye. A length of suture is knotted or looped through the eye. The suture is used to draw the implant transversely through a looped graft construct to fix the graft by spanning a bone socket, for example. In a preferred embodiment, the implant is used for knee ligament repair by forming a longitudinal socket in a bone. A flexible strand is drawn with the pin through the bone. A looped portion of the flexible strand is diverted so as to protrude out of the entrance to the longitudinal socket. The ends of the flexible strand remain accessible on either side of the bone. The ligament graft is captured within the strand loop protruding from the entrance to the socket. The strand is retracted into the socket, drawing the graft into the socket by pulling on the accessible ends of the flexible strand. The graft is fixed in the socket using the transverse implant.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of surgery comprising the steps of: 
 forming a graft opening having side walls in a bone;    installing a graft construct having a loop in the graft opening; and    fixating the graft construct in the graft opening using an allograft bone implant inserted through the loop and engaging the side walls in the bone.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the implant has an eye formed in a distal tip of the implant, and step of fixating the graft further includes the steps of inserting a flexible strand through the eye of the implant, and drawing the implant through the loop in the graft by pulling on the flexible strand.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the implant has a blunt proximal end, and the step of fixating the graft further includes the step of impacting the blunt proximal end of the implant.  
     
     
         4 . The method  claim 2 , wherein the distal tip of the implant is tapered.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the distal tip of the implant includes channels formed on opposite sides of the implant that accommodate suture to prevent binding of the suture as the implant is inserted into the bone.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the eye of the implant is formed by drilling a hole through the tip of the implant.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the implant is made entirely of allograft cortical bone.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the implant is made from a single piece of allograft material.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a shaft of the implant is cylindrical.