US 11,813,168 B2
Artificial meniscus including circumferential and non-circumferential fiber bundles
Trent Gardner Callcott, Atlanta, GA (US); Jonathan William Schwartz, Atlanta, GA (US); and David Nelson Ku, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION, Atlanta, GA (US)
Appl. No. 17/045,886
Filed by GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION, Atlanta, GA (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 12, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/027184
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 7, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/200235, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 17, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/656,564, filed on Apr. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0137691 A1, May 13, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 2/38 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/3872 (2013.01) [A61F 2/30942 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30009 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30957 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An artificial meniscus for a knee joint, the artificial meniscus comprising:
a peripheral edge, an interior edge, anterior and posterior horns, an inferior surface, and a superior surface;
a polymer material;
at least one circumferential fiber bundle extending in a circumferential direction between the anterior horn and the posterior horn; and
at least one non-circumferential fiber bundle separate and distinct from the at least one circumferential fiber bundle and defining radial segments extending in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction to inhibit tears in the circumferential direction;
wherein the at least one circumferential fiber bundle and the at least one non-circumferential fiber bundle are each embedded in the polymer material, the at least one non-circumferential fiber bundle fully encapsulated within the polymer material, and the at least one circumferential fiber bundle extending out of the anterior and posterior horns of the artificial meniscus and terminating in ends that are configured for fixation to bone;
wherein the at least one non-circumferential fiber bundle extends back and forth in an at least partially curved line from positions near the peripheral edge of the artificial meniscus to positions near the interior edge of the artificial meniscus;
wherein the at least one non-circumferential fiber bundle alternates between curved segments near the peripheral edge and the interior edge of the artificial meniscus and straight radial segments between the peripheral edge and the interior edge of the artificial meniscus; and
wherein the at least one circumferential fiber bundle has a shape different from a shape of the at least one non-circumferential fiber bundle.