1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to surgical devices and particularly to drill guiding devices that are used in arthroscopic surgical procedures in knee reconstructive surgery where a surgeon forms tibial and femoral tunnel sections that pass through the ligament points or origin, the tunnel sections for receiving a prosthetic or biologic ligament secured therein, replacing the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament.
2. Prior Art
The invention is for use in an anterior or posterior cruciate ligament repair and replacement surgical procedure where tibial and femoral tunnel sections are formed to pass through the ligament points of origin, the tunnel sections for maintaining a ligament therein spanning the intra articular joint. With the knee bent to approximately ninety (90) degrees, the tibial and femoral tunnel sections form approximately a straight tunnel, facilitating fitting a ligament end therein. To provide an interference mounting for maintaining a ligament end endosteally secured in a tunnel section, it is required to form a transverse passage that intersects the tunnel section. Accordingly, drill guides referencing the prepared aligned tibial and femoral tunnel sections to direct drilling an intersecting hole from without the knee to intersect a point along that tunnel have been developed. Meeting this need, the present invention is the inventor of two earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,711 and 4,985,032, for drilling a transverse passage or hole from without the knee to intersect, at a right angle, a point along the aligned tunnel sections. Also, the present inventor is the inventor of an invention in a "Sight Barrel Arthroscopic Instrument", U.S. patent application No. 07/580,172, for forming a tunnel intersecting hole from within the knee to intersect, at an acute angle, a point along a tunnel section. Which earlier drill guides all reference the aligned tibial and femoral tunnel sections by fitting a straight reference rod therein. Whereas, the present invention utilizes a bent reference rod for arthroscopic insertion into the intra articular joint end of the femoral tunnel section.
The above set out drill guides are for forming passages or holes that intersect ligament mounting tunnels. Whereas, earlier drill guides for use in knee arthroscopic surgical procedures were for drilling, from without the knee, to a locator point positioned within the intra articular joint. Examples of such earlier devices are shown in patents to Walt, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,958; to Sapega, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,751; to Cho, U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,411; to Hourahane, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,768; to Hourahane, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,957; and a United Kingdom Patent to Lovell, et al, No. 2,078,528. Other earlier devices for drilling tibial and femoral tunnel sections are shown in patents to Odensten, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,780; to Seedholm, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,233; and a European Patent Application No. 126520. None of which patents involve a femoral entry drill guide intersecting hole as does the present invention.