Bone Implant

• US 20120109128A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Frigg, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,675,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/64
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/744 the longitudinal elements coupled to an intramedullary nail
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/746 the longitudinal elements coupled to a plate opposite the femoral head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/748 with means for adapting the angle between the longitudinal elements and the shaft axis of the femur

Abstract

A fixation device for treating an epiphyseal fracture, comprises a shaft extending longitudinally along a central axis from a first end to a second end configured to slidably engage a bone implant opening and a having a maximum radius r and a spherical head element attached to the first end of the shaft and having a radius R>r, the spherical head element configured to be inserted into a fragmented portion of bone such that the fragmented portion rotates about the spherical head element relative to the central axis of the shaft.

Claims

1. A fixation device for treating an epiphyseal fracture, comprising:

a shaft extending longitudinally along a central axis from a first end to a second end configured to slidably engage a bone implant opening and a having a maximum radius r; and

a spherical head element attached to the first end of the shaft and having a radius R>

r, the spherical head element configured to be inserted into a fragmented portion of bone such that the fragmented portion rotates about the spherical head element relative to the central axis of the shaft.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a ratio r/R is at least one of 0.65 and 0.7 and at most one of 0.8 and 0.9.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a sleeve extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end and including a lumen for slidably receiving the shaft, the proximal end of the sleeve including a joint pivotably coupling the sleeve to the bone implant opening.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the joint is formed of one of plastically deformable connecting elements and a cardan joint.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the spherical head element is expandable.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the spherical head element comprises a first section and a second section, the first and second sections being expandable relative to each other.

7. A fixation device for treating an epiphyseal fracture, comprising:

a shaft extending longitudinally along a central axis from a first end to a second end; and

a bone anchoring element movably coupled to the first end of the shaft and having a diameter greater than a diameter of the shaft, the bone anchoring element being rotatable relative to the central axis of the shaft and including a structure for engaging a fragmented portion of bone when inserted therein.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the bone anchoring element is coupled to the first end of the shaft via one of a cardan joint and a compliant member.

9. The device according to claim 7, further comprising a sleeve extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end and including a lumen for slidably receiving the shaft, the proximal end including a joint pivotably coupling the sleeve to the bone implant opening.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the joint includes one of plastically deformable connecting elements and a cardan joint.

11. The device according to claim 7, wherein the anchoring element is connected to the first end of the shaft via a ball and socket joint, the anchoring element including a spherical cavity having a radius R for receiving a spherical head element at the first end of the shaft in a rotative manner.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the spherical head element and the spherical cavity include corresponding planar surfaces such that each of the spherical head element and the spherical cavity have a polygonal cross-sectional area orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the device.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the polygonal cross-sectional area is hexagonal.

14. The device according to claim 7, wherein the bone anchoring element is longitudinally movable relative to the central axis of the shaft.

15. The device according to claim 7, wherein the bone anchoring element is not coaxial with the central axis of the shaft.

16. The device according to claim 7, wherein the bone anchoring element includes a threading extending about an outer surface thereof to engage the bone when inserted therein.

17. The device according to claim 7, wherein the bone anchoring element includes one of a cross-blade and a helical blade extending distally therefrom to engage the bone when inserted therein.

18. The device according to claim 7, wherein bone anchoring element is expandable.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the bone anchoring element comprises a first section and a second section, the first and second sections being expandable relative to each other.

20. A system for treating an epiphyseal bone fracture, comprising:

an elongated bone implant extending along a longitudinal axis and including an opening extending therethrough; and

a bone fixation device, including;

a shaft extending along a central axis from a distal end to a proximal end configured to slidably engage the opening of the bone implant; and

a bone anchoring element movably coupled to the distal end of the shaft and having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the shaft.

21. A system for treating an epiphyseal bone fracture, comprising:

an elongated bone implant extending along a longitudinal axis and including an opening extending therethrough; and

a bone fixation device, including;

a shaft extending along a central axis from a distal end to a proximal end configured to slidably engage the opening of the bone implant; and

a spherical head element attached to the first end of the shaft and having a radius R>

r, the spherical head element configured to be inserted into a fragmented portion of bone such that the fragmented portion rotates about the spherical head element relative to the central axis of the shaft.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the bone implant is one of a bone plate and an intramedullary nail, the opening extending transversely therethrough.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the bone implant is a sleeve and the opening extends along the longitudinal axis to slidably receive a proximal portion of the shaft therein.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein the bone implant includes a locking bore sized and shaped to receive a locking screw therein.

25. The system according to claim 21, further comprising a sleeve including a lumen extending therethrough to slidably receive a proximal portion of the shaft, a proximal end of the sleeve pivotably coupled to the bone implant opening.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the sleeve is coupled to the bone implant opening via one of plastically deformable connecting elements and a cardan joint.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein the spherical head element is expandable.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the spherical head element comprises a first section and a second section, wherein the first and second sections are expandable relative to each other.

29. A method for treating an epiphyseal bone fracture comprising the following steps:

positioning a guide wire in a long bone in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the long bone and penetrating through a shaft fragment of the long bone and into an epiphyseal fragment;

drilling a bore hole into the long bone from a lateral surface thereof; and

inserting a fixation device into the bore hole so that a bone anchoring element movably coupled to a distal end of a shaft is positioned within a desired portion of a fragmented bone portion such that the bone fragment is rotatable relative to a central axis of the shaft.

30. The method according to claim 29, further comprising positioning a bone implant along a length of the long bone such that a proximal portion of the longitudinal shaft slidably engages an opening thereof.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein positioning the bone implant includes inserting an intramedullary nail into the medullary cavity of the long bone.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein positioning the bone implant includes arranging a bone plate along a portion of a length of the bone.