Plugs for filling bony defects

Abstract

The present invention relates to plugs for filling vacancies in bone tissue. The plugs include a body and at least one end cap that are coupled together and may be formed from bone. The body of the plug may be a sleeve, and the plug may further include an insert configured and dimensioned to be received in the sleeve.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A plug for filling a vacancy in bone tissue, comprising a body and at least one end cap coupled together.  
     
     
         2 . The plug of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a sleeve with a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface and an outer surface.  
     
     
         3 . The plug of  claim 2 , further comprising an insert configured and dimensioned to be received in the sleeve.  
     
     
         4 . The plug of  claim 3 , wherein the insert is formed of cancellous bone.  
     
     
         5 . The implant of  claim 4 , wherein the cancellous bone has a fluid concentrated therein.  
     
     
         6 . The implant of  claim 5 , wherein the insert is subjected to mechanical pressure to concentrate the fluid.  
     
     
         7 . The implant of  claim 6 , wherein the mechanical pressure is applied by aspiration.  
     
     
         8 . The implant of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid is concentrated by soaking.  
     
     
         9 . The plug of  claim 4 , wherein the insert is secured to at least one of the sleeve and end cap with at least one fastener.  
     
     
         10 . The plug of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one fastener is selected from a screw, key, pin, peg, rivet, cotter, nail, spike, bolt, stud, staple, boss, clamp, clip, dowel, stake, hook, anchor, tie, band, crimp, and wedge.  
     
     
         11 . The plug of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the sleeve, end cap, insert, and fastener is formed from partially demineralized or demineralized bone.  
     
     
         12 . The plug of  claim 9 , wherein at least two of the sleeve, end cap, insert, and fastener are bonded together with a bonding agent.  
     
     
         13 . The plug of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the sleeve, end cap, insert, and fastener is at least partially dehydrated to loosely fit within a surrounding mating surface.  
     
     
         14 . The plug of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the sleeve, end cap, and insert further comprises alignment indicia.  
     
     
         15 . The plug of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is packed with at least one of bone chips, bone particulate, bone fibers, bone growth materials, hydroxyapatite, metal, resorbable material, polymer, ceramic, and bone cement.  
     
     
         16 . The plug of  claim 15 , wherein the sleeve further comprises at least one through-hole extending from the inner surface to the outer surface.  
     
     
         17 . The plug of  claim 16 , wherein the sleeve is cylindrical.  
     
     
         18 . The plug of  claim 15 , wherein the sleeve further comprises at least one depression extending from the outer surface toward the inner surface.  
     
     
         19 . The plug of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve further comprises a plurality of fingers formed integrally therewith.  
     
     
         20 . The plug of  claim 1 , wherein the body and the at least one end cap are formed from bone.  
     
     
         21 . The plug of  claim 20 , wherein the sleeve and end cap are formed of cortical bone.  
     
     
         22 . A plug for filling a vacant region in anatomical bone, comprising: 
 a body with a top end, a bottom end, and an outer surface disposed between the top and bottom ends;    at least one cap disposed at an end of the body,    wherein the body and at least one cap are formed from bone.    
     
     
         23 . The plug of  claim 22 , wherein the body and cap are integrally formed.  
     
     
         24 . The plug of  claim 23 , wherein the body and cap are formed from a section of a long bone taken transverse to a long axis of the long bone, with the body including a through-hole formed by a canal of the long bone.  
     
     
         25 . The plug of  claim 23 , wherein the body is formed of cancellous bone and the cap is formed of cortical bone.  
     
     
         26 . A method for filling a vacancy in bone comprising: 
 inserting a filler into a portion of the vacancy, the filler comprising at least one of bone chips, bone particulate, bone fibers, bone-growth materials, hydroxyapatite, metal, resorbable material, polymer, ceramic, and bone cement; and    fitting a cap to the vacancy to seal the filler therein.