Intramedullary fracture fixation devices and methods

• US 10,548,648 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Buscaglia, Alexander Carlo, Carpenter, Brian Bradford, Lappin, Kyle Edward, McDaniel, Stephen Riddle, Parekh, Selene Gunvant, Philbin, Terrence Michael, Tonks, Robert Dean, Fletcher, Daryll Leonard Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Ellen C
• Application Number:
  US15/805,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20180125545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1725 for applying transverse screws or pins through intramedullary nails or pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/683 comprising bone transfixation elements, e.g. bolt with a distal cooperating element such as a nut
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7208 Flexible pins, e.g. ENDER pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7233 with special means of locking the nail to the bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7266 with fingers moving radially outwardly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/848 Kirschner wires, i.e. thin, long nails
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/031 torque limiting

Abstract

An intramedullary bone fixation device is provided with an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and an actuator to deploy at least one gripper to engage an inner surface of the intramedullary space to anchor the fixation device to the bone. Methods of repairing a fracture of a bone are also disclosed. One such method comprises inserting a fixation device into an intramedullary space of the bone to place at least a portion of the fixation device on one side of the fracture, providing rigidity across the fracture, and operating an actuator to deploy at least one gripper to engage an inner surface of the intramedullary space to anchor the fixation device to the bone. Various configurations allow a segmented device body to lock in the intramedullary space before and/or after fixation of the bone.

Claims

1. A method of inserting a device comprising:

inserting a device within an intramedullary canal of a fibula, the device comprising one or more apertures;

inserting a first fastener through the device in a lateral-medial direction;

inserting a second fastener through the device, the second fastener angled from the first fastener by angle alpha;

inserting a third fastener through the device, the third fastener angled from the first fastener by angle beta, wherein the third fastener extends into a tibia; and

actuating a mechanism of the device to grip the intramedullary canal of a fibula,

wherein actuating the mechanism comprises deflecting at least two members towards the intramedullary canal,

wherein the mechanism includes an actuator extending through a central portion of the device, the actuator having a drive head adjacent a proximal end and an actuator head adjacent a distal end,

wherein the actuator head engages the at least two members, and

wherein the one or more apertures includes a first aperture for accepting the first fastener and the actuator head is located distal of the first aperture and the first aperture is located adjacent a proximal end of the device and separates the proximal end of the device from another one of the one or more apertures.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein angle alpha is between 45-75 degrees.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein angle beta is between 10-40 degrees.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising translating the first fastener within an aperture of the device toward the mechanism.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the aperture of the device is a first aperture and is elongated in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising translating the first fastener from a proximal side of the first aperture to a distal side of the first aperture.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising engaging the first fastener with a cap to prevent the first fastener from translation through the first aperture.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cap includes external threads that engage internal threads on a proximal end of the device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotating the first fastener, wherein the rotation of the first fastener causes translation of the first fastener within an aperture of the device toward the mechanism.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fastener and the second fastener are contained within the fibula.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the third fastener is a screw.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising passing at least one of the first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener through an aperture in a tool aligned with an aperture in the device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting K-wires within bone portions near a fracture and rotating the bone portions using the K-wires.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein rotating the bone portions further comprises rotating a knob of a distractor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes a hub portion at a proximal end and the one or more apertures are located in the hub.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the hub portion extends along a hub portion central longitudinal axis and a distal end portion of the device extends along a distal end portion central longitudinal axis that is transverse to the hub portion central longitudinal axis.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the hub portion is connected to the distal end portion through a connecting portion having a bend.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two members includes three members.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two members includes two, three, four, five, or six members.