Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A device of use during surgery, comprising: a sheath having an original diameter and including resorbable material made of knitted elastic threads adapted to permit said sheath to expand beyond its original diameter, said knitted threads defining a predetermined mesh size so that biological exchanges can take place between an associated ligament used to replace a damaged ligament of a patient and the surrounding biological environment within the patient's body; applicator means including a flexible tube for applying said sheath onto a replacement ligament, said sheath being mountable on said flexible tube and being movable from its mounted position on said flexible tube to the replacement ligament; and anchoring means for anchoring said sheath within a passageway through a bone, said anchoring means including a second tube having a conical head, said sheath extending through said second tube and said conical head and being secured to said conical head.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
149 words
A device of use during surgery, comprising: a sheath having an original diameter and including resorbable material made of knitted elastic threads adapted to permit said sheath to expand beyond its original diameter, said knitted threads defining a predetermined mesh size so that biological exchanges can take place between an associated ligament used to replace a damaged ligament of a patient and the surrounding biological environment within the patient's body; applicator means including a flexible tube for applying said sheath onto a replacement ligament, said sheath being mountable on said flexible tube and being movable from its mounted position on said flexible tube to the replacement ligament; and anchoring means for anchoring said sheath within a passageway through a bone, said anchoring means including a second tube having a conical head, said sheath extending through said second tube and said conical head and being secured to said conical head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said flexible tube has a tubular configuration and is resilient such that it may be compressed to a generally flattened configuration and may thereafter resume its original tubular configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 1 further comprising loop means attached to said sheath for permitting said sheath to be placed in association with securing means so that it can be secured to a bone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said conical head comprises an aperture therein through which said sheath extends so that said sheath can be secured thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 4 further comprising threading means for facilitating threading of said sheath through said aperture of said conical head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said threading means comprises a threading tube, said sheath being arranged within said threading tube and being removably attached thereto so that said threading tube can be removed after said sheath is placed through said aperture of said conical head.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said second tube comprises a plurality of elastic ribs arranged on an external surface of said conical head for facilitating mounting of the device on a bone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said plurality of elastic ribs are movable between a first position at which said ribs are arranged adjacent the external surface of said second tube and an extended position at which said plurality of ribs are arranged adjacent an associated bone on which it is mounted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said second tube comprises a plurality of elastic tabs arranged on the external surface thereof so that mounting of the device within an associate bone is enhanced.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device of claim 9 further comprising insertion tube means for inserting said second tube and said sheath into a passageway within a bone, said second tube being removably mounted in said insertion tube so that said insertion tube can be removed from the passageway of the bone after said second tube and said sheath are placed therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device of claim 9 wherein said insertion tube means comprises a plurality of spaced apertures arranged for alignment with said plurality of elastic tabs of said second tube so that said plurality of tabs can be removably mounted within corresponding ones of said plurality of apertures when said second tube is mounted on said insertion tube means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
205 words
A device for use during surgery, comprising: a sheath having an original diameter and including resorbable material made of knitted elastic threads adapted to permit said sheath to expand beyond its original diameter, said knitted threads defining a predetermined mesh size selected so that biological exchanges can take place between an associated ligament used to replace a damaged ligament of a patient and the surrounding biological environment within the patient's body; applicator means including a flexible tube for applying said sheath onto a replacement ligament, said sheath being mountable on said flexible tube and being movable from its mounted position on said flexible tube to the replacement ligament; and anchoring means for anchoring said sheath within a passageway through a bone, said anchoring means including a second tube having a conical head, said sheath extending through said second tube and said conical head and being secured to said conical head, said second tube comprising a plurality of elastic ribs arranged on an external surface of said conical head for facilitating mounting of the device on a bone, said second tube further comprising a plurality of elastic tabs arranged on the external surface thereof so that mounting of the device within an associated bone is enhanced.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
205 words
A device for use during surgery, comprising: a sheath having an original diameter and including resorbable material made of knitted elastic threads adapted to permit said sheath to expand beyond its original diameter, said knitted threads defining a predetermined mesh size selected so that biological exchanges can take place between an associated ligament used to replace a damaged ligament of a patient and the surrounding biological environment within the patient's body; applicator means including a flexible tube for applying said sheath onto a replacement ligament, said sheath being mountable on said flexible tube and being movable from its mounted position on said flexible tube to the replacement ligament; and anchoring means for anchoring said sheath within a passageway through a bone, said anchoring means including a second tube having a conical head, said sheath extending through said second tube and said conical head and being secured to said conical head, said second tube comprising a plurality of elastic ribs arranged on an external surface of said conical head for facilitating mounting of the device on a bone, said second tube further comprising a plurality of elastic tabs arranged on the external surface thereof so that mounting of the device within an associated bone is enhanced.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device of claim 12 further comprising insertion tube means for inserting said second tube and said sheath into a passageway within a bone, said second tube being removably mounted on said insertion tube so that said insertion tube can be removed from the passageway of the bone after said second tube and said sheath are placed therein.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The device of claim 13 wherein said insertion tube means comprises a plurality of spaced apertures arranged for alignment with said plurality of elastic tabs of said second tube so that said plurality of elastic tabs can be removably mounted within corresponding ones of said plurality of apertures when said second tube is mounted on said insertion tube means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
84 words
The device of claim 12 wherein said conical head comprises an aperture through which said sheath extends so that said sheath can be secured thereto, said device further comprises threading means for facilitating threading of said sheath through said aperture of said conical head, said threading means comprising a threading tube, said sheath being arranged within said threading tube and being removably attached thereto so that said threading tube can be removed after said sheath is placed through said aperture of said conical head.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 12 wherein said flexible tube originally has a tubular configuration and is resilient so that it may be compressed to a generally flattened configuration and may thereafter resume its original tubular configuration.