Patent ID: 8142502

Claim:
A cartilage defect repair plug that extends along a longitudinal axis for distributing a load at a cartilage defect site, comprising: a first layer having a first width bound by a first wall defining a perimeter of the first layer, the first layer including a superior layer and an inferior layer each extending across the width of the first layer in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to form the perimeter of the first layer, the superior layer being formed from a first material and configured to engage cartilage and the inferior layer being formed from a second different material and configured to engage an underlying region of bone, the superior layer and inferior layer abutting each other in a stacked relationship along the longitudinal axis such that the inferior layer is positioned below the superior layer and a lower side of the superior layer abuts an upper side of the inferior layer, the inferior layer defining a first shoulder having a first bearing surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first layer including a first thickness extending along the longitudinal axis that is configured to extend from a region of cartilage at the cartilage defect site into the region of underlying bone at the defect site; and a second layer having a second width bound by a second wall defining a perimeter of the second layer, the second layer abutting the inferior layer of the first layer to form a stacked relationship along the longitudinal axis, the second width of the second layer being smaller than the first width of the first layer, the second layer defining a second shoulder having a second bearing surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second shoulder being spaced inward from the first shoulder in a direction towards the longitudinal axis, wherein an opposite lower side of the inferior layer abuts the second layer.