Sternal closure device

• US 20070038218A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Grevious
• Original Assignee: Mark Grevious
• Inventors: Grevious, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,871,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/71
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8076 for the ribs or the sternum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/823 for the sternum

Abstract

A sternal closure device for securing and retaining longitudinally divided halves of a sternum, the device having two sets of anterior and posterior longitudinally extended brace members with brace joining mechanisms extending through the sternal halves to join the anterior brace members to the posterior brace members, such that the sternal halves are compressed between the anterior and posterior brace members, and transverse bridging members that laterally connect the two sets of brace members, with securing mechanisms to retain the two sets of brace members in a contracted configuration with the sternal halves in abutting relation.

Claims

1. A sternal closure device comprising:

a pair of brace assemblies, each said brace assembly comprising a longitudinally extensive anterior brace member and a longitudinally extensive posterior brace member;

brace joining means connecting said anterior brace member with said posterior brace member in each said brace assembly;

transverse bridging means connecting said anterior brace members to each other; and

locking means securing said brace assemblies in fixed lateral relation to each other.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said transverse bridging means is such that the distance between said anterior brace members is adjustable.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said transverse bridging means allows relative movement of said anterior brace members only toward each other.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said transverse bridging means comprises overlapping arm members.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said transverse bridging means comprises telescoping arm members.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein said transverse bridging means comprises mechanical interlocking members.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said mechanical interlocking members are ratcheting members.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said locking means is releasable.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein said locking means is releasable.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said brace joining means is such that the distance between said anterior brace member with said posterior brace member is adjustable.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said brace joining means comprises threaded sleeve members extending from said posterior brace members and threaded fasteners extending through said anterior brace members and mating with said sleeve members.

12. The device of claim 2, wherein said transverse bridging means comprise arm members disposed on at least one of said anterior brace members, and wherein said locking means comprise arm brackets mounted on at least one of said anterior brace members, wherein said arm members are received by said arm brackets.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein said transverse bridging means comprise arm members disposed on at least one of said anterior brace members, and wherein said locking means comprise arm brackets mounted on at least one of said anterior brace members, wherein said arm members are received by said arm brackets.

14. A sternal closure device securing the longitudinally severed halves of a sternum in abutting relationship, said device comprising:

a pair of brace assemblies, each said brace assembly comprising a longitudinally extensive anterior brace member and a longitudinally extensive posterior brace member, wherein said anterior brace members are disposed on the anterior of said sternal halves and said posterior brace members are disposed on the posterior of said sternal halves, such that said sternal halves are compressed between said anterior and posterior brace members;

brace joining means connecting said anterior brace member with said posterior brace member in each said brace assembly;

transverse bridging means connecting said anterior brace members to each other in a manner whereby said sternal halves may be brought together in abutting relation; and

locking means securing said brace assemblies in fixed lateral relation to each other and retaining said sternal halves in abutting relation.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said brace joining means pass through said sternal halves.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein said transverse bridging means allows relative movement of said anterior brace members only toward each other.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein said transverse bridging means comprises overlapping arm members.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein said transverse bridging means comprises telescoping arm members.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein said transverse bridging means comprises mechanical interlocking members.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said mechanical interlocking members are ratcheting members.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein said locking means is releasable.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein said locking means is releasable.

23. The device of claim 14, wherein said brace joining means is such that the distance between said anterior brace member with said posterior brace member is adjustable.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said brace joining means comprises threaded sleeve members extending from said posterior brace members and threaded fasteners extending through said anterior brace members and mating with said sleeve members.

25. The device of claim 14, wherein said transverse bridging means comprise arm members disposed on at least one of said anterior brace members, and wherein said locking means comprise arm brackets mounted on at least one of said anterior brace members, wherein said arm members are received by said arm brackets.

26. The device of claim 20, wherein said transverse bridging means comprise arm members disposed on at least one of said anterior brace members, and wherein said locking means comprise arm brackets mounted on at least one of said anterior brace members, wherein said arm members are received by said arm brackets.

27. A method of maintaining a longitudinally severed sternum in abutting relation comprising the steps of:

providing a pair of brace assemblies, each said brace assembly comprising a longitudinally extensive anterior brace member and a longitudinally extensive posterior brace member;

brace joining means connecting said anterior brace member with said posterior brace member in each said brace assembly;

transverse bridging means connecting said anterior brace members to each other; and

locking means securing said brace assemblies in fixed lateral relation to each other and retaining said sternal halves in abutting relation;

disposing said anterior brace members on the anterior of said sternal halves and said posterior brace members on the posterior of said sternal halves, and joining said anterior and posterior brace members such that said sternal halves are compressed between said anterior and posterior brace members; and

connecting said transverse bridging means and forcing said brace assemblies together such that said sternal halves are abutted.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of adjusting said locking means such that said brace assemblies cannot be separated.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said steps of disposing said anterior brace members on the anterior of said sternal halves and said posterior brace members on the posterior of said sternal halves and joining said anterior and posterior brace members such that said sternal halves are compressed between said anterior and posterior brace members are accomplished by drilling bores through said sternal halves and passing threaded sleeves through said bores and inserting threaded fasteners into said threaded sleeves.