Cartilage repair system with flexible trephine

摘要

A system for repairing cartilage includes a trephine having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the trephine. The trephine has a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end includes a cutting member operable to cut a cartilage plug from a donor site. The passage is operable to receive the cartilage plug. Also, the trephine is flexible to selectively move between a first position in which the longitudinal axis is substantially linear and a second position in which the longitudinal axis is nonlinear. Moreover, the system includes a guide tool that is removably coupled to the trephine. The guide tool is operable to selectively move the trephine between the first and second positions. In addition, the system includes an ejector tool that ejects the cartilage plug from the passage toward a defect site.

主权项

1. A system for repairing cartilage comprising:
a flexible trephine having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the trephine, a distal end, and a proximal end, the distal end including a cutting member operable to cut a cartilage plug from a donor site, the passage operable to receive the cartilage plug, the trephine being flexible to selectively move between a first position at the donor site in which the longitudinal axis is substantially linear and a second position at an implant site in which the longitudinal axis is nonlinear; a first guide tool that is removably coupled to the trephine, the first guide tool operable to selectively move a distal end of the trephine between the first and second positions; a second guide tool including a rigid cannulated tube with a non-linear longitudinal axis, the trephine capable of being removably received within the tube to guide the trephine along the non-linear longitudinal axis as the distal end of the trephine advances in the tube from the first position to the second position; and an ejector tool that ejects the cartilage plug from the passage toward a defect site.