Transosseous guide

Abstract

Instruments and methods for surgical transosseous attachment to a bone include a guide able to guide the formation of intersecting bone tunnels and a passer able to pass a member through the bone tunnels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An instrument for placing a member transosseously through first and second transverse, intersecting bone tunnels, the instrument comprising:
 a guide body defining a first guide axis and a second guide axis, the first guide axis and the second guide axis intersecting at a location spaced from the guide body;   a first tunnel member engaged with the guide body coaxial with the first guide axis, the first tunnel member having a proximal end and a distal end, the first tunnel member having a first longitudinal passage at least partway through the first tunnel member;   a second tunnel member engaged with the guide body coaxial with the second guide axis, the second tunnel member having a proximal end and a distal end, the second tunnel member having a second longitudinal passage at least partway through the second tunnel member; and   a passer operable to extend from the proximal end of the second tunnel member, through the distal end of the second tunnel member, through the distal end of the first tunnel member, and to the proximal end of the first tunnel member in one continuous path.   
     
     
         2 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second guide axes define a guide angle between them, the guide angle being adjustable. 
     
     
         3 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the first tunnel member is fixed to the guide body. 
     
     
         4 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the first tunnel member comprises a drill guide. 
     
     
         5 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first tunnel member comprises a bone punch; and   the first tunnel member comprises a first side wall and a first side opening in the first side wall nearer the distal end than the proximal end, the first longitudinal passage extending from the proximal end of the first tunnel member toward the distal end of the first tunnel member and communicating with the first side opening.   
     
     
         6 . The instrument of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the following is true:
 the second guide axis passes through the first side opening;   the first tunnel member comprises a relief opening through the side wall opposite the first side opening and communicating with the first longitudinal passage and first side opening; and   the first tunnel member comprises indicia on an outer surface and operable to align with a bone surface to indicate a depth of penetration of the first tunnel member into a bone corresponding to a predetermined tunnel depth.   
     
     
         7 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the second tunnel member is separate from the guide body and the second tunnel member engages the guide body in axial sliding relationship along the second guide axis. 
     
     
         8 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second tunnel member comprises a bone punch; and   the second tunnel member comprises a second side wall and a second side opening in the second side wall nearer the distal end than the proximal end, the second longitudinal passage extending from the proximal end of the second tunnel member toward the distal end of the second tunnel member and communicating with the second side opening.   
     
     
         9 . The instrument of  claim 8 , wherein the first tunnel member comprises a first side wall and a first side opening in the first side wall nearer the distal end than the proximal end, the first longitudinal passage extending from the proximal end of the first tunnel member toward the distal end of the first tunnel member and communicating with the first side opening, the first tunnel member and second tunnel member being engageable at their distal ends so that the first side opening and second side opening are in communication with one another. 
     
     
         10 . The instrument of  claim 9 , wherein the distal end of the second tunnel member is operable to insert into the first side opening with the second side opening in communication with the first side opening. 
     
     
         11 . The instrument of  claim 10 , further comprising an angled surface at the distal end of the second longitudinal passage, the angled surface facing the second side opening, the angled surface operable to deflect the passer through the second side opening. 
     
     
         12 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the passer has a length greater than the combined length of the first and second longitudinal passages. 
     
     
         13 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the passer comprises a first end and a second end, the passer defining a bent loop at the second end. 
     
     
         14 . The instrument of  claim 13 , wherein the passer further comprises:
 a shaft;   a wire extending from the shaft; and   an outer tube;   wherein:
 the shaft extends away from the first end; 
 the shaft has a shaft length; 
 the shaft is relatively rigid compared to the wire; 
 the wire is attached to an end of the shaft and extends away from the shaft to the second end at which the wire defines the bent loop; 
 the wire extends from the rigid shaft a wire length; 
 the wire is relatively flexible compared to the shaft; and 
 the outer tube is engaged with the shaft in axial sliding relationship and is moveable relative to the shaft from a first position in which the outer tube encloses a portion of the wire length and a second position in which the outer tube encloses less of the wire length. 
   
     
     
         15 . An instrument for placing a member transosseously through first and second transverse, intersecting bone tunnels in a bone, the instrument comprising:
 a guide body defining a first guide axis and a second guide axis, the first guide axis and the second guide axis intersecting at a location spaced from the guide body;   a first tunnel member engageable with the guide body coaxial with the first guide axis, the first tunnel member having an outer surface, a proximal end, a distal end, and a first longitudinal passage at least partway through the first tunnel member, the first tunnel member outer surface having a recess formed therein and communicating with the first longitudinal passage;   a second tunnel member engaged with the guide body coaxial with the second guide axis, the second tunnel member having an outer surface, a proximal end, a distal end, and a second longitudinal passage at least partway through the second tunnel member, the second tunnel member outer surface having an opening formed therein and communicating with the second longitudinal passage, the recess of the first tunnel member being operable to receive the distal end of the second tunnel member with the opening communicating with the recess, wherein the first longitudinal passage, recess, opening, and second longitudinal passage form a continuous passage from the proximal end of the first tunnel member to the proximal end of the second tunnel member.   
     
     
         16 . The instrument of claim  23  wherein the recess is transverse to the first longitudinal axis and the opening is transverse to the second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         17 . The instrument of claim  23  further comprising a passer having an elongate flexible portion operable to simultaneously extend through both the first and second longitudinal passages while the second tunnel member is received in the recess of the first tunnel. 
     
     
         18 . An instrument for placing a member transosseously through first and second transverse, intersecting bone tunnels, the instrument comprising:
 a guide body defining a first guide axis, a second guide axis, and a third guide axis, the second and third guide axes intersecting the first guide axis at a location spaced from the guide body, the second and third guide axes intersecting the first guide axis at the same location;   a first tunnel member engaged with the guide body coaxial with the first guide axis, the first tunnel member having a proximal end and a distal end, the first tunnel member having a first longitudinal passage at least partway through the first tunnel member, the first tunnel member including a first side wall and a first side opening in the first side wall nearer the distal end than the proximal end, the first longitudinal passage extending from the proximal end of the first tunnel member toward the distal end of the first tunnel member and communicating with the first side opening;   a second tunnel member selectively engageable with the guide body coaxial with one of the second and third guide axes, the second tunnel member having a proximal end and a distal end, the second tunnel member having a second longitudinal passage at least partway through the second tunnel member, the second tunnel member including a second side wall and a second side opening in the second side wall nearer the distal end than the proximal end, the second longitudinal passage extending from the proximal end of the second tunnel member toward the distal end of the second tunnel member and communicating with the second side opening, the first tunnel member and second tunnel member being engageable at their distal ends so that the first side opening and second side opening are in communication with one another; and   a passer operable to extend from the proximal end of the second tunnel member, through the second side opening, through the first side opening, and to the proximal end of the first tunnel member in one continuous path.   
     
     
         19 . The instrument of claim  26  wherein the distal end of the second tunnel member is operable to insert into the first side opening with the second side opening in communication with the first side opening. 
     
     
         20 . The instrument of claim  27  further comprising an angled surface at the distal end of the second longitudinal passage, the angled surface facing the second side opening, the angled surface operable to deflect the passer through the second side opening.