APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEQUENTIALLY ANCHORING MULTIPLE GRAFT LIGAMENTS IN A BONE TUNNEL

摘要

An apparatus for anchoring elongate strands within a longitudinal tunnel is disclosed. At least two cams are arranged longitudinally adjacent each other along a longitudinal axis. A first anchor member includes a first cam-contacting surface and a first strand-contacting surface. The first cam-contacting surface is selectively operatively connected to a first cam. A second anchor member includes a second cam-contacting surface and a second strand-contacting surface. The second cam-contacting surface is selectively operatively connected to a second cam. An elongate strand is positioned between the tunnel wall and the first or second strand-contacting surfaces. Rotation of a selected cam causes the selected cam to selectively apply a force to a corresponding first or second cam-contacting surface to urge the corresponding first or second strand-contacting surface away from the longitudinal axis to produce frictional engagement of the elongate strand with both a tunnel wall and the first or second strand-contacting surface.

主权项

1. An apparatus for anchoring at least two elongate strands within a longitudinal tunnel, the tunnel having a tunnel wall, the apparatus comprising:
a longitudinal axis; at least two cams arranged longitudinally adjacent each other along the longitudinal axis; a first anchor member having a first anchor member body, the first anchor member being laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis and extending in a first lateral direction with respect to the longitudinal axis, the first anchor member including a first cam-contacting surface disposed on a portion of the first anchor member body and a first strand-contacting surface disposed on a portion of the first anchor member body laterally spaced from the first cam-contacting surface, the first cam-contacting surface being selectively operatively connected to a first one of the at least two cams; a second anchor member having a second anchor member body, the second anchor member being laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis and extending in a second lateral direction with respect to the longitudinal axis, the second lateral direction being different from the first lateral direction, the second anchor member including a second cam-contacting surface disposed on a portion of the second anchor member body and a second strand-contacting surface disposed on a portion of the second anchor member body laterally spaced from the second cam-contacting surface, the second cam-contacting surface being selectively operatively connected to a second one of the at least two cams; wherein at least a portion of at least one first elongate strand is positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and is interposed laterally between the tunnel wall and at least a portion of the first strand-contacting surface, and at least a portion of at least one second elongate strand is positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and is interposed laterally between the tunnel wall and at least a portion of the second strand-contacting surface; wherein rotation of a selected cam about an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis produces pivotal movement of at least a portion of the selected cam about the longitudinal axis, the pivotal movement of the portion of the selected cam causing the pivotally-moving portion of the selected cam to selectively apply a force to at least a portion of a corresponding first or second cam-contacting surface to urge the corresponding first or second strand-contacting surface away from the longitudinal axis in the corresponding first or second lateral direction, thereby producing frictional engagement of at least one corresponding elongate strand with both the tunnel wall and the corresponding first or second strand-contacting surface.