| abstract |
An anchor device for mounting a bodily tissue to a bone, such as for repairing ligaments and tendons, particularly ham string tissue grafts for repairing a knee joint. The anchor device is configured and sized to pass through a bone tunnel and comprises a sheath member having a bone-engagement end and bodily tissue attachment end. The bone-engagement end includes structure for selective overlapping and engaging the bone adjacent an exit opening of the bone tunnel. The bodily tissue attachment end includes structure known in the art for attaching a bodily tissue, such as a ligament, tendon, or ligament graft, to the sheath member. The anchor device further includes a camming member slidably disposed relative to the sheath member, which selectively urges the sheath member to engage the bone surface. The sheath member and camming member include interlocking features for locking the anchor device in a deployed position within the bond tunnel. The anchor device also includes structures which give the surgeon a tactile, aural or other indication when the anchor device has been deployed and locked in the deployed position. The anchor device is preferably inserted, deployed and locked by means of a system of suture cords in order to reduce the number of incisions necessary to anchor the bodily tissue to the bone. |