Boyer, II, Michael L.; Paul, David C.; Higgins, Thomas B.; Angelucci, Christopher M.; Messerli, Dominique D.; Kobayashi, Kenneth I.;

Plugs for filling bony defects

The present invention relates to plugs for filling vacancies in bone tissue. The plugs include a body and at least one end cap that are coupled together and may be formed from bone. The body of the plug may be a sleeve, and the plug may further include an insert configured and dimensioned to be received in the sleeve.

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What is claimed is:

1. A plug for filling a vacant region in anatomical bone, comprising:

a body with a top end, a bottom end, and an outer surface disposed between the top and bottom ends; and

a first cap comprising a locking portion mechanically lockable to an end of the body and configured and dimensioned to be rotatably received in the body,

wherein the locking portion extends substantially across a face of the first cap, and

wherein the body and first cap are substantially formed from bone selected from the group consisting of cortical and cancellous bone.

2. The plug of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a sleeve with an inner surface.

3. The plug of claim 2, further comprising an insert configured and dimensioned to be received in the sleeve.

4. The plug of claim 3, wherein the insert is formed of cancellous bone.

5. The plug of claim 4, wherein the cancellous bone has a fluid concentrated therein.

6. The plug of claim 5, wherein the insert is subjected to mechanical pressure to concentrate the fluid.

7. The plug of claim 6, wherein the mechanical pressure is applied by aspiration.

8. The plug of claim 5, wherein the fluid is concentrated by soaking.

9. The plug of claim 4, wherein the insert is secured to at least one of the sleeve and first cap with at least one fastener.

10. The plug of claim 9, wherein the at least one fastener is selected from a screw, key, pin, peg, rivet, cotter, nail, spike, bolt, stud, staple, boss, clamp, clip, dowel, stake, hook, anchor, tie, band, crimp, and wedge.

11. The plug of claim 10, wherein at least one of the sleeve, first cap, insert, and fastener is formed from partially demineralized or demineralized bone.

12. The plug of claim 9, wherein at least two of the sleeve, first cap, insert, and fastener are bonded together with a bonding agent.

13. The plug of claim 9, wherein at least one of the sleeve, first cap, insert, and fastener is at least partially dehydrated to loosely fit within a surrounding mating surface.

14. The plug of claim 4, wherein at least one of the sleeve, first cap, and insert further comprises alignment indicia.

15. The plug of claim 2, wherein the sleeve is packed with at least one of bone chips, bone particulate, bone fibers, bone growth materials, hydroxyapatite, metal, resorbable material, polymer, ceramic, and bone cement.

16. The plug of claim 15, wherein the sleeve further comprises at least one through-hole extending from the inner surface to the outer surface.

17. The plug of claim 16, wherein the sleeve is cylindrical.

18. The plug of claim 15, wherein the sleeve further comprises at least one depression extending from the outer surface toward the inner surface.

19. The plug of claim 2, wherein the sleeve further comprises a plurality of fingers formed integrally therewith.

20. The plug of claim 2, wherein the sleeve and first cap are substantially formed of cortical bone.

21. The plug of claim 2, wherein the body is formed of cancellous bone and the first cap is formed of cortical bone.

22. The plug of claim 2, wherein one of the top and bottom ends of the body is open.

23. The plug of claim 1, further comprising a second cap disposed on a different end from the first cap.

24. A plug for filling a vacant region in anatomical bone, comprising

a sleeve comprising a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, an outer surface disposed between the top and bottom ends, a groove disposed on the inner surface proximate one of the ends, and a plurality of through-holes extending from the inner surface to the outer surface; and

a first cap comprising opposing faces and a locking portion configured and dimensioned to be received in the groove;

wherein one of the faces of the first cap abuts one of the ends of the sleeve, and

wherein the sleeve and first cap are substantially formed of bone.

25. The plug of claim 24, wherein the sleeve and first cap are substantially formed of cortical bone.

26. The plug of claim 24, wherein the sleeve is formed of cancellous bone and the first cap is formed of cortical bone.

27. The plug of claim 24, wherein one of the top and bottom ends of the body is open.

28. The plug of claim 24, wherein the sleeve further comprises threading disposed on the outer surface thereof.

29. The plug of claim 24, wherein the sleeve further comprises a slot intersecting the groove.

30. The plug of claim 29, wherein the slot has a width sized to allow passage of a portion of the locking portion of the cap.

31. The plug of claim 24, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve is substantially cylindrical.

32. The plug of claim 24, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve is substantially arcuate.

33. The plug of claim 29, wherein the sleeve further comprises a central axis and a circumferential lip extending toward the central axis.

34. The plug of claim 33, wherein the circumferential lip is disposed proximate an end of the sleeve.

35. The plug of claim 24, wherein the sleeve further comprises a chamfer proximate an end of the sleeve.

36. The plug of claim 24, wherein the locking portion is integrally formed the first cap.

37. The plug of claim 24, wherein the locking portion comprises a substantially arcuate outer edge.

38. The plug of claim 24, wherein the locking portion comprises a substantially circular outer edge.

39. The plug of claim 24, wherein the locking portion comprises an outer edge provided with undulations.

40. The plug of claim 39, wherein the undulations form a serrated edge.

41. The plug of claim 24, wherein the locking portion is generally symmetrical about a central line and tapers from a wide portion to a narrow portion.

42. The plug of claim 41, wherein the locking portion tapers from the wide portion to the narrow portion along a radius of curvature of between about 0.5 cm and 1.1 cm.

43. The plug of claim 41, wherein outer edges of the narrow and wide portions are disposed substantially along the circumference of a circle.

44. The plug of claim 24, wherein the locking portion is disposed on one of the faces of the first cap.

45. The plug of claim 24, wherein the first cap further comprises a first outer diameter and the sleeve further comprises a second outer diameter, the first and second outer diameters being about the same.

46. The plug of claim 24, wherein the sleeve further comprises a plurality of fingers formed integrally therewith.

47. The plug of claim 24, further comprising a second cap disposed on a different end from the first cap.

48. The plug of claim 24, wherein the sleeve further comprises a stop for limiting rotation of the locking portion of the first cap when disposed in the groove.

49. The plug of claim 48, wherein the stop interrupts the groove.

50. The plug of claim 24, wherein the groove extends circumferentially around the inner surface of the sleeve.

51. The plug of claim 24, further comprising an insert formed of bone and configured and dimensioned to be received in the sleeve.

52. The plug of claim 24, wherein the through-holes are arranged plurality of rows.

53. The plug of claim 52, wherein the rows are disposed in generally parallel planes.

54. The plug of claim 52, wherein the through-holes are disposed at a generally constant angular interval with respect to each other as measured from a central axis of the sleeve.

55. A plug for filling a vacant region in anatomical bone, comprising:

a sleeve comprising a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, an outer surface disposed between the top and bottom ends, a groove disposed on the inner surface proximate one of the ends, and a plurality of through-holes extending from the inner surface to the outer surface; and

a first cap comprising opposing faces and a locking portion protruding from and extending substantially across one of the faces, the locking portion being configured and dimensioned to be received in the groove;

wherein the sleeve and first cap are substantially formed of bone.