ACL bone tunnel projection drill guide and method for its use

摘要

An ACL bone tunnel projection drill guide and method for its use that includes a body configured to by held by a surgeon that includes a straight wire guide tube secured to extend, at approximately a right angle outwardly, from a lower end thereof and contains an arcuate slot formed therein to receive a radial arm fitted to slide in and out therefrom. A drill tube mount is secured across an end of the radial arm that includes a longitudinal passage wherethrough a barrel is fitted to be installed into a tibial tunnel section formed in a patient's proximal tibial in an anterior cruciate ligament replacement procedure. The wire guide tube contains a connecting wire that connects, on a distal end to a straight articulating tip pivotally connected to the wire guide tube distal end, and is fitted over at least one roller to extend to pivot the articulating tip when the radial arm travels out of the body arcuate slot. Which wire guide tube also includes a projecting wire fitted into the articulating tip to extend therefrom when an actuator slide fitted in a slot in the body, whereto the projecting wire proximal end is attached, is moved. The length of projecting wire extension is determined by a comparison of an indicator on the actuator slide with marking on a scale scribe alongside of the slot. With the articulating tip proximal end maintained at the tibial tunnel section end, the determination of the length of projecting wire extension along with the length of that articulating tip determines the distance between the tibial tunnel section end and a point along the femur intercondylar notch contacted by the projecting wire end, which distance is used by a surgeon to select and appropriate length of a replacement ligament graft.