Patent ID: 7591820
Filing Date: 2009-09-22
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of retrograde delivery of an osteochondral core into a recipient site, the method comprising the steps of: forming a tunnel through bone leading to an articular surface of the bone at a recipient site corresponding an osteochondral defect; harvesting an osteochondral core from a donor site with a first core harverster in an antegrade manner; placing the first core harvester in a face-to-face configuration with a second core harvester, and transferring the harvested osteochondral core from the first core harvester to the second core harvester to reverse the orientation of the osteochondral core relative to its longitudinal axis, to obtain a reversed osteochondral core; and accessing the recipient site from its backside and from a location away from the articular surface of the bone, and inserting the reversed osteochondral core into the recipient site in a retrograde manner by inserting the reversed osteochondral core into the tunnel through an opening distal to the articular surface of the bone, such that an end of the reversed core is pushed up flush to the articular surface of the bone at the recipient site.