Adjustable bone plates

• US 20040102778A1
• 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: Horst, Steven P., Huebner, Randall J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,090,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/71
• 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 an adjustable joint, and methods of using the bone plates to fix bones.

Claims

1. A bone plate for bone fixation, comprising:

first and second plate members each defining one or more openings configured to receive fasteners that secure the first and second plate members to portions of at least one bone; and

a joint connecting the first and second plate members and defining an angular disposition between the first and second plate members, the joint having (1) a pivotable configuration in which the angular disposition is adjustable by pivotal movement of the first plate member about two or more nonparallel axes, and (2) a fixed configuration in which the angular disposition is fixed.

2. The bone plate of claim 1, the portions of the at least one bone being portions of at least two bones, wherein the first and second plate members are configured to be secured to the portions of the at least two bones.

3. The bone-plate of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more openings defined by at least one of the first and second plate members is threaded.

4. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein the first and second plate members are configured to be secured to a distal portion of a radius bone.

5. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein the first and second plate members can be adjusted so that the bone plate is generally T-shaped.

6. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the one or more openings for each plate member are arrayed in a line.

7. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein the first plate member is generally T-shaped.

8. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein the first and second plate members include respective concave and convex surfaces that are at least substantially complementary, and wherein the concave and convex surfaces are configured to slide on each other in the pivotable configuration of the joint.

9. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein the joint includes a detent mechanism configured to compress the first and second plate members together to produce the fixed configuration.

10. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein the joint includes at least two separate joints that permit pivotal movement of the first plate member relative to the second plate member about different axes.

11. Thee bone plate of claim 1, the joint being a first joint, further comprising a second joint configured to permit the first plate member to move translationally in relation to the second plate member.

12. The bone plate of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reference marks disposed on at least one of the first and second plate members and configured to indicate the angular disposition of the first and second plate members relative to one another.

13. A bone plate for intra-bone fixation, comprising:

first and second plate members each defining one or more openings configured to receive fasteners for securing first and second plate members to different portions of one bone, the first and second plate members being configured to fit onto surface regions of the one bone, and

a joint connecting the first and second plate members and defining an angular disposition between the first and second plate members, the joint having an adjustable configuration in which the angular disposition is adjustable and a fixed configuration in which the angular disposition is fixed.

14. The bone plate of claim 13, wherein the joint is configured to permit pivotal movement of the first plate member relative to the second plate member about at least two nonparallel axes.

15. The bone plate of claim 13, wherein the first and second plate members are configured to fit onto the volar surface of a distal portion of a radius bone.

16. The bone plate of claim 13, wherein the joint includes a threaded fastener, and wherein the joint is configured to be placed in the fixed configuration by rotation of the threaded fastener.

17. The bone plate of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of reference marks disposed on at least one of the first and second plate members and configured to indicate the angular disposition of the first and second plate members relative to one another.

18. A bone plate for bone fixation, comprising:

first and second portions configured to be secured to at least one bone; and

a joint connecting the first and second portions and defining an angular disposition between the first and second portions, the joint having (1) an adjustable configuration in which the angular disposition is adjustable by pivotal movement of the first portion relative to the second portion about three orthogonal axes and (2) a fixed configuration in which the angular disposition is fixed.

19. The bone plate of claim 18, the at least one bone being at least two bones, wherein the first and second portions are configured to be secured to the at least two bones.

20. The bone plate of claim 18, wherein the first and second portions are configured to be secured to a distal portion of a radius bone.

21. The bone plate of claim 18, wherein the first and second portions can be adjusted so that the bone plate is generally T-shaped.

22. The bone plate of claim 18, wherein the first and second portions include respective concave and convex surfaces that are at least substantially complementary, and wherein the concave and convex surfaces are configured to slide on each other in the adjustable configuration of the joint.

23. The bone plate of claim 18, wherein the joint includes a detent mechanism configured to compress the first and second portions together to produce the fixed configuration.

24. The bone plate of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of reference marks disposed on at least one of the first and second portions and configured to indicate the angular disposition of the first and second portions relative to one another.

25. A method of bone fixation, comprising:

securing first and second plate members to different portions of one bone;

pivoting the first and second plate members relative to one another after the step of securing so that the different portions of the one bone move relative to one another; and

restricting pivotal movement of the first and second plate members relative to each other so that the different portions of the one bone are fixed.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of securing includes a step of placing bon e screws through openings of the first and second plate members and into the one bone.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of pivoting includes (1) a step of moving a handle member that is connected to the first plate member, and (2) a step of disconnecting the handle member after the step of moving.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of pivoting includes a step of pivoting the first and second plate members relative to one another about at least two nonparallel axes.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of restricting includes a step of compressing the first and second plate members together so that these plate members engage each other.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of compressing includes a step of turning a threaded fastener.

31. The method of claim 25, the one bone having a discontinuity, wherein the step of securing includes securing the first plate member to the one bone on one side of the discontinuity and securing the second plate member on the other side of the discontinuity.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising observing a plurality of reference marks disposed on at least one of the plate members and configured to indicate a plurality of predefined adjustments, during the step of pivoting, and prior to or concurrent with the step of restricting.

33. A method of fixing a bone, comprising:

selecting a bone plate having first and second plate members pivotably connected to one another;

securing the first and second plate members to a bone;

adjusting an angular disposition of the first plate member relative to the second, plate member by relative pivotal movement of the first arid second plate members about at least two nonparallel axes; and

restricting pivotal movement of the first and second plate members to fix the angular disposition.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of adjusting is performed after the step of securing.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of restricting includes a step of compressing the first and second plate members together so that they engage each other.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of securing secures the bone plate to a distal portion of a radius bone.

37. The method of claim 33, the bone having a discontinuity, wherein the step, of securing includes securing the first plate member to the bone on one side of the discontinuity and securing the second plate member on the other side of the discontinuity.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of adjusting an angular disposition, includes at step of observing a plurality of reference marks disposed on at least one of the plate members and configured to indicate a plurality of predefined adjustments.

39. A bone plate for bone fixation, comprising:

means for securing first and second members to different portions of one bone;

means for pivoting the first member relative to the second member so that the different portions of the one bone secured to the first and second members move relative to one another; and

means for restricting pivotal movement of the first and second members relative to each other so that the different portions of the one bone are fixed.