Bone plates

• US 20040116930A1
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Original Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Inventors: OʼDriscoll, Shawn W., Jensen, David G.
• Application Number:
  US10/731,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20040116930A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/69
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence

Abstract

Sets of bone plates and components thereof for use with particular bones or regions of bones, such as periarticular regions of an elbow. These bone plates may be configured for easy identification, easy fitting, and/or as anatomical templates, among others.

Claims

1. A set for bone fixation, comprising:

at least two bone plates, each bone plate including a distinct color that indicates a distinct bone region to which the bone plate is configured to be secured.

2. The set of claim 1, wherein the distinct color indicates a left half or a right half of a skeleton in which the distinct bone region is disposed.

3. The set of claim 2, further comprising at least one other bone plate configured for use on each of the left half and the right half of a skeleton, the at least one other bone plate including a color that is distinct from the distinct colors of the at least two bone plates.

4. The set of claim 2, wherein the distinct color also indicates a particular bone region within one of the left half and the right half of the skeleton.

5. The set of claim 1, wherein each of the distinct bone regions is included in the same bone.

6. The set of claim 5, wherein the distinct bone regions are overlapping.

7. The set of claim 5, wherein the distinct bone regions are nonoverlapping.

8. The set of claim 1, wherein each distinct bone region is included in a different bone.

9. The set of claim 1, wherein each distinct bone region is included in one of a distal region of a humerus bone and a proximal region of an ulna bone.

10. The set of claim 1, wherein at least one of the bone plates includes at least one prong configured to engage bone when the bone plate is secured to bone.

11. The set of claim 1, wherein at least one of the bone plates has a first portion configured to be secured adjacent an end of a long bone and a second portion configured to be secured toward or on a shaft of the long bone, and wherein the first portion of the bone plate is thinner on average than the second portion of the bone plate.

12. The set of claim 1, wherein at least one of the bone plates includes a curved bone-facing surface configured to match the curved contour of the distinct bone region to which the at least bone plate is configured to be secured.

13. The set of claim 1, further comprising instructions that relate each bone plate to the distinct bone region to which the bone plate is configured to be secured.

14. A method of bone fixation, comprising:

selecting a distinct bone region for fixation;

selecting one of the at least two bone plates of claim 1 according to the distinct color of the one bone plate that indicates the distinct bone region; and

securing the one bone plate to the distinct bone region.

15. A bone plate for bone fixation, comprising:

a first portion defining a plurality of openings configured to receive bone screws for securing the first portion to a bone; and

a second portion joined to the first portion and including at least one prong configured to engage the bone when the first portion is secured to the bone.

16. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein the at least one prong is two or more prongs.

17. The bone plate of claim 15, the second portion defining a plane, wherein the at least one prong extends at least substantially orthogonal to the plane.

18. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein the prong includes a pointed tip configured to penetrate the bone when the first portion is secured to the bone.

19. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein the second portion includes a bone-facing surface, and wherein the at least one prong includes a blunt tip configured to engage a surface of the bone so at least a region of the bone-facing surface is spaced from the bone when the first portion is secured to the bone.

20. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein the second portion defines one or more openings configured to receive bone fasteners for securing the second portion to the bone.

21. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein the first and second portions are configured to be disposed generally on opposing sides of a bone discontinuity, and wherein the second portion has no openings for receiving bone fasteners.

22. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein the bone plate is configured for fixation of a proximal region of an ulna bone.

23. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein the bone plate is configured for fixation of at least one of an olecranon and a coronoid process of an ulna bone.

24. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein one of the first and second portions is thinner on average than the other of the first and second portions, and wherein the thinner of the first and second portions is configured to be secured to an end of a long bone and the thicker of the first and second portions is configured to be secured toward or on the shaft of the long bone.

25. The bone plate of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second portions includes a curved bone-facing surface configured to match the curved contour of a surface of the bone.

26. A method of bone fixation, comprising:

selecting a bone plate according to claim 15;

and

securing the bone plate to the bone.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising a step of placing the bone plate on the bone, prior to the step of securing, such that the at least one prong positions the second portion of the bone plate away from the bone, and such that at least one of a tendon, a nerve, and a blood vessel lies between the second portion and the bone.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of securing the bone plate to the bone includes a step of penetrating the bone with at least one of the at least one prongs.

29. A bone plate for fixing a discontinuity in a long bone, the long bone having a shaft and two ends, the bone plate comprising:

a first portion configured to be secured adjacent an end of the long bone; and

a second portion configured to be secured toward or on the shaft of the long bone;

wherein the first portion is thinner on average normal to the surface of the bone as secured than the second portion.

30. A method of bone fixation, comprising:

selecting a bone plate according to claim 29;

and

securing the bone plate to the bone.