Bone Fixation System and Method of Use

• US 20060264944A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cole J. Dean
• Original Assignee: Cole J. Dean
• Inventors: Cole, J. Dean
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/62
• 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 17/72 Intramedullary pins, nails or other devices A61B17/744 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7233 with special means of locking the nail to the bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7241 the nail having separate elements through which screws pass
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/725 with locking pins or screws of special form
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/809 with bone-penetrating elements, e.g. blades or prongs bone staples A61B17/0642; intramedullary nails with a plate at an end A61B17/7233
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/681 Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms

Abstract

An apparatus includes: a member configured to be received within an intramedullary canal, the member having an opening therethrough; a flexible elongate element sized to extend through the opening; a section having a first bone-engaging surface and a coupling structure for fixedly securing the section to the elongate element; and a further section having a bone-engaging surface and a coupling structure for fixedly securing the further section to the elongate element. In another form, an apparatus includes a first section having spaced first and second surface portions to engage a bone and a second section configured to extend into a bone. The first surface portion exerts a first force in a direction that is at an angle with respect to a force exerted by the second surface portion. Yet another form involves methods of using each apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a member configured to be received within an intramedullary canal, the member having an opening therethrough;

a flexible elongate element having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion extending between the first and second portions, the third portion being sized to extend through the opening;

a first section having a first bone-engaging surface and having a first coupling structure for operatively coupling the first section to the first portion of the elongate element; and

a second section having a second bone-engaging surface and having a second coupling structure for operatively coupling the second section to the second portion of the elongate element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first bone-engaging surface is concave.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first bone-engaging surface is shaped to approximately match an exterior bone surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first bone-engaging surface is shaped to approximately match an exterior bone surface of a fibula.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the second bone-engaging surface is substantially flat.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the second bone-engaging surface engages an exterior surface of a tibia.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the member is elongate and the opening extends in a direction substantially transverse to a length of the member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate element is approximately cylindrical.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first, second, and third portions have substantially equal diameters.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first section includes a further opening therethrough.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first section includes a projection configured to extend into a bone.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the further opening extends through the projection.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first portion of the elongate element is sized to extend through the further opening.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first coupling structure includes a ferrule configured to be crimped to the first portion of the elongate element.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the second coupling structure includes a further ferrule configured to be crimped to the second portion of the elongate element.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the third portion of the elongate element extends through the opening in the member;

the first portion of the elongate element extends through the further opening in the first section;

the first and second sections are oriented so that the first and second bone engaging surfaces face approximately toward each other, and so that the projection extends from the first section toward the second section;

the ferrule of the first coupling structure is crimped to the first portion of the elongate element on a side of the first section remote from the second section; and

the further ferrule of the second coupling structure is crimped to the second portion of the elongate element on a side of the second section remote from the first section.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the projection is located at a position eccentric to a central portion of the first section.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the projection is located at a central portion of the first section.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the projection is adapted to extend at least partially into the opening of the member.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first section is capable of limited flexing movement.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a fixation section having a curved bone-engaging surface, a portion of the bone-engaging surface being shaped to approximately match an exterior bone surface; and

structure adapted to maintain the bone-engaging surface in contact with an exterior bone surface, the structure including a flexible elongate element adapted to extend through a bone portion and including a portion to operatively couple the elongate element and the fixation section.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the bone-engaging surface is shaped to approximately match an exterior bone surface of a fibula.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the structure includes a further section configured to engage a further exterior bone surface and includes a further portion to operatively couple the elongate element and the further section.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the further section is configured to engage an exterior bone surface of a tibia.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the fixation section includes an opening therethrough.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the fixation section includes a projection adapted to extend into a bone.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the opening extends through the projection.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the elongate element is configured to pass through the opening.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein:

the elongate element extends through the bone and the opening;

the fixation section and further section are oriented so that the bone-engaging surface faces approximately toward the further section, and so that the projection extends from the fixation section toward the further section;

the portion couples the elongate element and the fixation section on a side of the fixation section remote from the further section; and

the further portion couples the elongate element and the further section on a side of the further section remote from the fixation section.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a first section including spaced first and second surface portions configured to engage an exterior bone surface, the first surface portion being configured to exert a first force in a first direction and the second surface portion being configured to exert a second force in a second direction, the first and second directions forming an angle with respect to each other;

a second section fixed to the first section, the second section being configured to extend into a bone and having an opening therethrough.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the second section is substantially cylindrical.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the first section is capable of limited flexing movement.

33. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the first section is formed of a rigid material.

34. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the first section further includes spaced first and second barbs configured to engage a bone, so that the first and second barbs help to secure the first section in place with respect to an exterior bone surface.

35. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the opening extends through the first section.

36. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the second section is fixed to the first section at a central portion of the first section.

37. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the second section is fixed to the first section eccentric to a central portion of the first section.

38. A method comprising:

inserting a member into an intramedullary canal of a bone;

positioning a section so that a bone-engaging surface thereon faces approximately toward the member and engages a bone surface portion of the bone; and

installing structure that resists relative movement of the section away from the member, the structure including an elongate flexible element that extends through an opening in the bone and that extends between and operatively engages each of the member and the section.

39. A method according to claim 38:

wherein the installing includes inserting the flexible element through an opening in the member that is substantially aligned with the opening in the bone;

including positioning a further section so that a further bone-engaging surface thereon engages a further bone surface portion, so that the sections are spaced, so that the member is disposed between the sections, and so that the bone-engaging surfaces on the sections face approximately toward each other; and

wherein the installing includes tensioning a portion of the flexible element that extends through the opening in the member and that extends between and operatively cooperates with each of the sections, the flexible element resisting relative movement of the sections away from each other.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising preparing the opening in the bone.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising preparing a further opening in a further bone, the further opening being substantially aligned with the opening in the bone.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the bone is a fibula.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the further bone is a tibia.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the installing includes inserting the flexible member through the substantially aligned openings in the bones and the member.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the flexible member is coupled to a needle and wherein the installing includes inserting the needle through the substantially aligned openings.