Patent ID: 8663297
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. A method of anchoring an implant in tissue, wherein the tissue is hard tissue, hard tissue replacement material or a combination of hard tissue and hard tissue replacement material, the method comprising the steps of: providing an initial opening in the tissue; providing a thermoplastic augmentation element, a tool and a counter element, wherein an interface is formed between a tool contact surface and a first augmentation element contact surface at a distal end of the augmentation element, and wherein the tool comprises a plurality of lateral wing structures; compressing the augmentation element between the tool and the counter element while the lateral wing portions radially protrude into the tissue, while energy is coupled into the tool, into the augmentation element or into both the tool and the augmentation element, and while a periphery of at least one liquefaction interface is within the opening, thereby liquefying material of the augmentation element at the at least one liquefaction interface to yield liquefied material and causing portions of the liquefied material to penetrate into one or both of structures of the tissue and structures of an element connected to the tissue, wherein the at least one liquefaction interface is one or more selected from the group consisting of the interface between the tool and the augmentation element and an interface between the counter element and the augmentation element, and wherein a force for compressing the augmentation element is coupled into the tool as a tensile force; allowing the liquefied material to harden and to thereby become augmentation material; removing the tool and the counter element from the opening; and anchoring the implant, at least in part, in the augmentation material.