Patent ID: 6440141
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
A surgical instrument, comprising:a trocar defining a lumen extending to a lumen opening at a distal end of the trocar, the trocar further comprising a magazine adjacent the trocar lumen for housing one or more implantable prostheses and a mechanism that transfers an implantable prosthesis to the trocar lumen; a drill positioned within the trocar lumen, the drill having a distal drill tip for preparing a subchondral bleeding bed for insertion of an implantable prosthesis, the drill tip being extendable distal relative to the lumen opening of the trocar and retractable proximal relative to where the transfer mechanism transfers the implantable prosthesis to the trocar lumen; and an advancement mechanism capable of causing an implantable prosthesis to be transferred into the trocar lumen when the drill tip is retracted.