초록 ▼

A cartilage plug, which is made from a biocompatible, artificial material, that is used to fill a void in natural cartilage that has been resected due to traumatic injury or chronic disease. Alternatively, the plug may be relied upon to anchor a flowable polymer to subchondral bone. The plug is pref

A cartilage plug, which is made from a biocompatible, artificial material, that is used to fill a void in natural cartilage that has been resected due to traumatic injury or chronic disease. Alternatively, the plug may be relied upon to anchor a flowable polymer to subchondral bone. The plug is prefabricatable in any size, shape, and contour and may be utilized either singly or in a plurality to fill any size void for any application. The plug may be formed of a laminated structure to match the physiological requirements of the repair site. A plurality of anchoring elements may share a single upper layer.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A bridged cartilage plug device for insertion into a void in cartilaginous tissue in a living mammal, comprising a continuous upper surface and a plurality of anchoring elements extending therefrom, wherein said upper surface bridges said anchoring elements and is mechanically joined to said anch

1. A bridged cartilage plug device for insertion into a void in cartilaginous tissue in a living mammal, comprising a continuous upper surface and a plurality of anchoring elements extending therefrom, wherein said upper surface bridges said anchoring elements and is mechanically joined to said anchoring elements.2. The bridged plug device of claim 1, wherein said upper surface has a protrusions extending from there below, each of said anchoring elements has a void formed therein for receiving one of said protrusions and each of said protrusion has a barb-like projection formed about its periphery for positively retaining said protrusions in said void upon full insertion thereinto.3. The bridged plug device of claim 2, wherein each of said anchoring elements is configured to radially expand upon receipt of said protrusion within said void.4. The bridged plug device of claim 3, wherein each of said anchoring element has an expansion slit formed therein to facilitate the expansion of said elements upon receipt of said protrusion within said void.