Patent ID: 7678138
Filing Date: 2010-03-16
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. A graft retaining system for retaining a graft in a bone tunnel having a length, a longitudinal axis, an entrance aperture and a closed end, the graft retaining system comprising: a graft block having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said graft block having an outer side wall, said graft block being sized and adapted to fit within said bone tunnel with its proximal end closer to said entrance aperture and its distal end closer to said closed end, said graft block defining a transverse hole through the graft block transverse to the longitudinal axis and between the proximal and distal ends, the transverse hole having a first end opening to the outer side wall and a second end opening to the outer side wall, the transverse hole having a transverse hole length from the first end to the second end; an intermediate connector attached to the graft block, connecting a predetermined portion of said graft, said predetermined portion being situated within said tunnel proximal to said proximal end of said graft block, to a predetermined portion of said graft block at the distal end of said graft block and distal to said transverse hole; and an elongated transverse member intraoperatively receivable in said transverse hole to engage bone adjacent said graft block to attach said graft block adjacent said bone tunnel at a predetermined point along the length of said tunnel, the elongated transverse member having a first end, a second end, and defining a transverse member length from the first end to the second end, the transverse member length being greater than the transverse hole length, the transverse member being intraoperatively receivable in the transverse hole with the transverse member extending from both ends of the transverse hole to extend into bone adjacent the graft block near both the first and second ends of the transverse hole.