The present invention has multiple aspects relating to assembled self
fixing bone-tendon-bone (BTB) grafts and BTB implants. A preferred
application in which self fixing assembled bone-tendon-bone (BTB) grafts
and implants of the present technology can be used is for ACL repairs in
a human patient. In one embodiment, a self fixing BTB graft is
characterized by the presence of threads along at least a portion of the
exterior surface of one or both bone blocks. In another embodiment, a
self fixing assembled bone-tendon-bone implant comprises a removable
tendon tensioner which imparts a predetermined tension on the tendon of
the BTB graft. In this embodiment, the tensioner can be narrower than the
diameter of the bone blocks or can be threaded such that the threads are
continuous with the threads of at least one of the bone blocks. The
threads facilitate the simultaneous implantation of the leading and
trailing bone blocks of the BTB graft in tapped (threaded) holes in the
tibia and the femur of a recipient patient. The tensioner maintains the
tension on the tendon and the spacing between the bone blocks until the
leading bone block is fixed (threaded) in the tapped hole in the femur
and the trailing bone block is fixed (threaded) into the tapped tibial
bone tunnel. Once the bone blocks are substantially in their fixed
positions, the tensioner is removed arthroscopically in the joint space
between the tibia and the femur.