Apparatus and Methods for Repairing Craniomaxillofacial Bones Using Customized Bone Plates

• US 20130158607A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Rabiner, Robert A., Crisco, Joseph John III
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/280
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8085 with pliable or malleable elements or having a mesh-like structure, e.g. small strips A61B17/8071, A61B17/8076 take precedence

Abstract

Bone plates and methods of using the bone plates for adjoining bone fragments are disclosed herein. A device for adjoining at least two bone fragments includes a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the delivery catheter has an inner void for passage of at least one filling material and an inner lumen for passage of a light source; a conformable bone plate releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, wherein the conformable bone plate has a first surface, a second surface, a proximal end, and a distal end and at least one aperture extending from the first surface to the second surface for receiving a fastener; and an adapter releasably engaging the proximal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the light source and a delivery system housing the at least one filling material.

Claims

1. A device for adjoining at least two bone fragments comprising:

a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the delivery catheter has an inner void for passage of at least one filling material and an inner lumen for passage of a light pipe;

a conformable bone pad releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, wherein the conformable bone pad has a first surface, a second surface, a proximal end, and a distal end and at least one aperture extending from the first surface to the second surface for receiving a fastener; and

an adapter releasably engaging the proximal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the light pipe and a delivery system housing the at least one filling material.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the adjoining of the at least two bone fragments occurs at an exterior surface of the bone fragments.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least two bone fragments are craniomaxillofacial bones.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the conformable bone pad is constructed from a polymer material.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the conformable bone pad has an opening at the proximal end so that the at least one filling material can pass from the inner void of the delivery catheter into the conformable bone pad.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the conformable bone pad expands when the at least one filling material passes from the inner void of the delivery catheter into the conformable bone pad.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the conformable bone pad has an opening at the proximal end so that the light pipe can pass from the inner lumen of the delivery catheter into the conformable bone pad.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one filling material is a light curable glue.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a light source emitting visible light for curing the at least one filling material.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the light pipe guides light from a light source into the conformable bone pad.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the light emitted from the light pipe causes the at least one filling material in the conformable bone pad to cure.

12. A device for adjoining at least two bone fragments comprising:

a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween;

a conformable bone pad releasably engaging to the distal end of the delivery catheter, the conformable bone pad defining an inner space in communication with an inner void of the delivery catheter for passage of at least one filling material into the inner space and in communication with an inner lumen of the delivery catheter for passage of an optical fiber into the inner space to transmit light from a light source into the inner space for hardening the at least one filling material in the inner space of the conformable bone pad;

an opening at a proximal end of the conformable bone pad so the optical fiber passes into the inner space along a major longitudinal axis of conformable bone pad; and

at least one aperture extending through the conformable bone pad along a minor longitudinal axis transverse to the major longitudinal axis of the conformable bone pad for receiving a fastener through the conformable bone pad.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein inner space is defined by a first bone contacting surface and an opposing second outer surface, a left side surface and an opposing right side surface extending between the first bone contacting surface and the second outer surface, and a proximal surface and an opposing distal surface extending between the first bone contacting surface and the second outer surface.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the conformable bone pad has one or more openings at the proximal surface for passing the at least one filling material and the optical fiber into the inner space of the conformable bone pad.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the adjoining of the at least two bone fragments occurs at an exterior surface of the bone fragments.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the at least two bone fragments are craniomaxillofacial bones.

17. The device of claim 12 wherein at least one surface of the bone pad is textured.

18. A method for adjoining at least two bone fragments comprising:

providing a device for adjoining at least two bone fragments, the device including a conformable bone pad engaged to a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the conformable bone pad has at least one aperture extending from a first surface of the conformable bone pad to a second surface of the conformable bone pad for receiving a fastener to affix the bone pad to the at least two bone fragments;

positioning the conformable bone pad over an exterior surface spanning the at least two bone fragments;

attaching a delivery system housing at least one filling material to the delivery catheter, wherein the elongated shaft of the delivery catheter has an inner void for passage of the at least one filling material to the conformable bone pad;

inserting a light fiber into the delivery catheter, wherein the elongated shaft of the delivery catheter has an inner lumen for passage of the light fiber into the conformable bone pad;

infusing the at least one filling material through the elongated shaft of the delivery catheter and into the conformable bone pad to expand the conformable bone pad;

activating the light source to harden the at least one filling material in the expanded conformable bone pad;

releasing the hardened conformable bone pad from the delivery catheter; and

affixing the conformable bone pad to the exterior surfaces of the at least two bone fragments to adjoin the bone fragments.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the at least two bone fragments are bones of the face.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising removing the light fiber from the delivery catheter after at least one filling material has been hardened.