Patent ID: 7776043
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A surgical procedure comprising: harvesting a graft for placement in a recipient opening in a bone of an animal species; inserting a dilator having a hollow frusto conical configuration having a distal and proximal end, said dilator having a continuous tapered outer surface extending from said distal end to said proximal end of said dilator, said continuous tapered outer surface configured to engage said bone in order to radially expand the bone outwardly as the dilator is advanced into said opening; inserting a graft in the dilator such that the graft is received within the hollow frusto-conical dilator; expanding the dilator into engagement with the portion of the bone surrounding the opening by inserting of the graft in the dilator, the dimensions of the dilator and the graft being such that the latter insertion causes the expansion of the dilator; and, removing the dilator from the opening to permit the bone surrounding the opening to collapse around the graft to secure the graft in the opening by compression produced by the collapse.