Apparatus for loading tendons into the knee

Abstract

A surgical kit for loading ligament grafts into a joint. A longitudinal socket formed in a bone is intersected by a transverse pin. The kit includes a flexible strand that is drawn with a pin through the bone. The strand is positioned so that a looped portion of the strand protrudes out of the entrance to the longitudinal socket. The ends of the strand remaining 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. The kit includes an implant for transversely fixing the graft in the socket.

1 . A surgical kit for performing ACL reconstructive surgery on a knee, comprising:
 (a) a flexible strand for supporting a graft in an opening in the knee;   (b) a drill pin;   (c) a drill guide for receiving and positioning the drill pin with respect to a knee; and   (d) a cannulated implant for transverse fixation of the graft in the knee.   
   
   
       2 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible strand comprises a nitinol wire. 
   
   
       3 . The surgical kit of  claim 2 , wherein the cannulation of the implant is sized to accept the nitinol wire, such that the implant can be advanced into the knee over the nitinol wire. 
   
   
       4 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the implant has a tapered distal end. 
   
   
       5 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the implant has a threaded back end. 
   
   
       6 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the implant has a socket in the proximal end for receiving a driver to rotate the implant. 
   
   
       7 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the drill guide is in the form of a C-ring. 
   
   
       8 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a cannulated headed reamer for drilling a tunnel in bone. 
   
   
       9 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a tunnel dilator. 
   
   
       10 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the drill pin has a distal end with a point and a proximal end with a hook for receiving the flexible strand. 
   
   
       11 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a tunnel hook for grasping the flexible strand and pulling into down through a tunnel in bone. 
   
   
       12 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the implant is configured to be secured in bone by impaction.