Patent ID: 7485136

Claim:
A method for fixing a ligament or tendon in a bone tunnel, the method comprising the steps of: providing a jamming retainer of substantially rigid spherical configuration and having first and second discrete bores extending side by side through the jamming retainer; extending a suture through the first bore, encircling the ligament or tendon, and thereafter extending the suture through the second bore so as to provide a loop of the suture on a first side of the jamming retainer, circling the ligament or tendon, and two suture strands extending from a second side of the jamming retainer; drawing at least one of the suture strands outwardly from the jamming retainer so as to close the loop, with the ligament or tendon snugged up against the jamming retainer first side; connecting the two suture strands to each other at the second side of the jamming retainer; drawing the two suture strands through the bone tunnel to thereby draw the jamming retainer and the ligament or tendon into the bone tunnel, with the jamming retainer being drawn through the bone tunnel so that the first and second bores extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bone tunnel; and introducing an interference screw into the bone tunnel, the screw impinging upon the ligament or tendon and impinging upon a wall of the bone tunnel, with the interference screw proximal to the jamming retainer, so as to securely fix the ligament or tendon in the bone tunnel.