Mechanical bone tamping device for repair of osteoporotic bone fractures

• US 20050124989A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Loubert Suddaby
• Original Assignee: Loubert Suddaby
• Inventors: Suddaby, Loubert
• Application Number:
  US10/990,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20050124989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/53
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8858 laterally or radially expansible inflatable A61B17/8855
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4601 for introducing bone substitute, for implanting bone graft implants or for compacting them in the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30471 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument

Abstract

A mechanical bone tamping device for osteoporotic repair include a pair of arms mounted on a spreading mechanism such as a screw jack. The mechanism is introduced into a small hole in a vertebra through a cannula, and is then operated to spread the arms apart, forming a cavity which may be filled with cement to fortify the vertebra.

Claims

1. A mechanical bone tamping device for forming cavities in soft cancellous bone, said device comprising

at least two elongate arms, and

a mechanical spreading mechanism connected to each of the arms, for spreading the arms apart,

said mechanism and said arms being adapted to be passed, when the arms are not spread apart, through a cannula into a hole formed in the bone.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said mechanism comprises a screw jack having a threaded shaft having a threaded portion, a handle for turning the shaft, a fixed nut supported on the shaft, and a traveling nut having internal threads engaged with said threaded portion, each of said arms being supported by a first link having a pin connection to said fixed nut and a second link having a pin connection to said traveling nut.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said mechanism comprises a forceps having a pair of handles an elongate body portion, a fixed collar supported on the body, and a traveling collar mounted for sliding movement along the body, means connecting one of said handles to said traveling collar in such a way that squeezing the handles together draws the collars toward one another, each of said arms being supported by a first link having a pin connection to said fixed collar and a second link having a pin connection to said traveling collar.

4. A method of forming a cavity in soft cancellous bone, said method comprising steps of

forming a hole in said bone,

introducing a cannula into the hole,

inserting a mechanically expandable tool into the hole through the cannula, and

expanding the tool in the hole to form an enlarged cavity within the bone.

5. A method of stabilizing a bone weakened by osteoporosis, said method comprising steps of

forming a hole in said bone,

introducing a cannula into the hole,

inserting a mechanically expandable tool into the hole through the cannula,

expanding the tool in the hole to form an enlarged cavity within the bone,

collapsing the tool,

withdrawing the tool through the cannula,

injecting bone cement through the cannula so as to fill the cavity, and

allowing the cement to harden.