SOFT TISSUE GRAFT FIXATION

摘要

A surgical method for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction includes creating a bone tunnel in a head of a femur of a patient. A connective tissue is inserted into the bone tunnel. A shape memory polymer plug is inserted into the bone tunnel. The plug has a first configuration for insertion and a second configuration for affixation that has a radially expanded dimension that presses the connective tissue against a side wall of the bone tunnel to affix the connective tissue in the bone tunnel. The plug changes from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to an activation temperature equal to or greater than a temperature of the femur.