Bone plates with reference marks

• US 20040102776A1
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acumed Llc (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Acumed Llc (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huebner, Randall J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,326,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/69
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1728 for holes for bone plates or plate screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1735 for rasps or chisels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1782 for the hand or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/80 Cortical plates , i.e. bone plates; Instruments for holding or positioning cortical plates, or for compressing bones attached to cortical plates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8004 with means for distracting or compressing the bone or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8033 having indirect contact with screw heads, or having contact with screw heads maintained with the aid of additional components, e.g. nuts, wedges or head covers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8052 immobilised relative to screws by interlocking form of the heads and plate holes, e.g. conical or threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/808 Instruments for holding or positioning bone plates, or for adjusting screw-to-plate locking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8085 with pliable or malleable elements or having a mesh-like structure, e.g. small strips A61B17/8071, A61B17/8076 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/067 for measuring angles

Abstract

Bone plates having reference marks, and methods of using the bone plates to fix bones.

Claims

1. A method of bone fixation, comprising:

securing a bone plate to at least one bone, or portion thereof, so that the bone plate has a relative disposition to bone;

selecting an adjustment to the relative disposition; and

applying the adjustment by movement of the bone plate and observation of reference marks, the reference marks being disposed on the bone plate and being configured to indicate a plurality of predefined adjustments.

12. A kit for bone fixation, comprising:

at least one bone plate according to claim 1;

and

a measurement device having a plurality of reference marks corresponding to a least two of the plurality of reference marks disposed on at least one of the first and second plate members of the bone plate.

13. The kit of claim 12, wherein the measurement device includes an x-ray template.

2. A bone plate for bone fixation, comprising:

first and second plate members configured for attachment to different portions of at least one bone and connected by a joint so that a relative disposition of the first and second plate members is adjustable; and

a plurality of reference marks disposed on at least one of the first and second plate members and configured to indicate the relative disposition.

3. The bone plate of claim 2, wherein the joint is configured to allow pivotal movement of the first and second plate members relative to one another.

4. The bone plate of claim 3, wherein the reference marks include numbers configured to describe an angular disposition.

5. The bone plate of claim 2, wherein the joint is configured to allow sliding movement of the first and second plate members relative to one another.

6. The bone plate of claim 5, wherein the reference marks include numbers configured to describe a translational disposition.

7. The bone plate of claim 2, wherein the bone plate is configured for use on a distal portion of a radius bone.

8. The bone plate of claim 2, wherein at least a subset of the reference marks are disposed in an arcuate array adjacent the joint.

9. The bone plate of claim 2, wherein the reference marks include at least one of line segments and dots, the at least one of line segments and dots being spaced regularly.

10. The bone plate of claim 2, wherein the reference marks include a landmark on the first plate member and a set of regularly spaced marks on the second plate member, and wherein the set of regularly spaced marks are configured to be compared to the landmark to measure the relative disposition.

11. The bone plate of claim 10, wherein at least one of the regularly spaced marks corresponding to a standard setting is further denoted relative to the remaining regularly spaced marks by alternative and/or additional indicia.

14. A method of bone fixation, comprising:

securing plate members of a bone plate to different portions of at least one bone, the different portions having a relative disposition;

selecting an adjustment to the relative disposition; and

applying the adjustment by relative movement of the plate members and observation of reference marks, the reference marks being disposed on at least one of the plate members and being configured to indicate a plurality of predefined adjustments.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of securing is performed before the step of selecting.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising a step of cutting the at least one bone to form a cut region, wherein the step of securing includes securing the plate members to opposing sides of the cut region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of cutting excises a segment of the at least one bone.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting an adjustment includes a step of measuring an angular disposition of one or more of the different portions.

19. The method of claim 14, the predefined adjustments corresponding to a set of predefined numerical values, wherein the step of selecting includes a step of selecting a numerical value for the adjustment, and wherein the step of applying includes a step of moving the plate members until the reference marks indicate that the numerical value has been reached.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising presetting the adjustment to the relative disposition, prior to the step of securing plate members or applying the adjustment.