KNEE HINGE FIXATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR APPLICATION THEREOF

• US 20150209092A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rahul Vaidya
• Original Assignee: Rahul Vaidya
• Inventors: Vaidya, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 9,820,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/56 Surgical instruments or methods for treatment of bones or joints; Devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/80 Cortical plates , i.e. bone plates; Instruments for holding or positioning cortical plates, or for compressing bones attached to cortical plates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/567 Joint mechanisms or joint supports in addition to the natural joints and outside the joint gaps
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/384 hinged, i.e. with transverse axle restricting the movement

Abstract

An orthopaedic implant knee hinge and surgical method for minimally invasive insertion of the orthopaedic implant knee hinge. The apparatus and method stabilizes the knee in patients after ligament surgery, conventional fixation of supracondylar and intracondylar fractures of the femur and/or tibial plateau and proximal tibia fractures. The knee hinge is inserted subcutaneously (but supra-muscularly) on one of both of the medial or lateral side of the knee.

Claims

1. A orthopaedic implant knee hinge comprising:

two elongated plates, each of said elongated plates having more than one affixation opening therein to accommodate affixation means passing through said affixation opening;

said two elongated plates pivotally connected to one another at an end thereof by a pivotal connector; and

at least four affixation means to affix the knee hinge to the bones of the femur and tibia, at least two of said at least four affixation means passing through said more than one affixation opening in each of said elongated plates.

2. The orthopaedic implant knee hinge of claim 1, wherein said affixation openings are threaded, said affixation means is a screw and said screw has a threaded head which cooperates with said threading in said affixation openings.

3. The orthopaedic implant knee hinge of claim 1, wherein said affixation means is a screw and said screw has threading on the shaft only on the end thereof that will be inserted into the bone.

4. The orthopaedic implant knee hinge of claim 1, wherein one or both of said elongated plates includes an offset plate to provide for proper placement of said elongated plate along the femur or tibia.

5. The orthopaedic implant knee hinge of claim 1, wherein said affixation means is a threaded rod combined with nuts to anchor said elongated plates to said rods.

6. The orthopaedic implant knee hinge of claim 1, wherein said elongated plates, said attachment means and said pivotal connector are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel or a bio-compatible polymer material.

7. A surgical method for minimally invasive insertion of an orthopaedic implant knee hinge comprising the steps of:

providing an orthopaedic implant knee hinge comprising two elongated plates, each of said elongated plates having more than one affixation opening therein to accommodate affixation means passing through said affixation opening;

said two elongated plates pivotally connected to one another at an end thereof by a pivotal connector;

tunneling said orthopaedic implant knee hinge subcutaneously in the subcutaneous fat layer parallel to the length dimension of the femur and tibia along either the lateral of medial side of the leg; and

attaching the ends of the orthopaedic implant knee hinge to the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia;

said pivotal connector should be located adjacent the distal end of the femur close to the knee joint;

wherein said orthopaedic implant knee hinge remains disposed in the subcutaneous fat layer and away from, but parallel to the femur and tibia once attached thereto.

8. The surgical method of claim 7, wherein said tunneling step includes creating one or more incisions in the skin through which said orthopaedic implant knee hinge can be inserted.

9. The surgical method of claim 8, wherein said one or more incisions in the skin are created on at least one of the lateral or medial side of the leg near both the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia.

10. The surgical method of claim 9, wherein said one or more incisions in the skin are created on both the lateral and medial side of the leg near both the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia, and two orthopaedic implant knee hinges are implanted, one on the lateral side and one on medial side of the knee.

11. The surgical method of claim 7, wherein said step of attaching the ends of the orthopaedic implant knee hinge to the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia includes inserting at least four affixation means to affix the knee hinge to the bones of the femur and tibia, at least two of said at least four affixation means passing through said more than one affixation opening in each of said elongated plates and into the bone.

12. The surgical method of claim 11, wherein said affixation openings are threaded, said affixation means is a screw and said screw has a threaded head which cooperates with said threading in said affixation openings.

13. The surgical method of claim 11, wherein said affixation means is a screw and said screw has threading on the shaft only on the end thereof that will be inserted into the bone.

14. The surgical method of claim 7, wherein one or both of said elongated plates includes an offset plate to provide for proper placement of said elongated plate along the femur or tibia.

15. The surgical method of claim 7, wherein said affixation means is a threaded rod combined with nuts to anchor said elongated plates to said rods.

16. The surgical method of claim 7, wherein said elongated plates, said attachment means and said pivotal connector are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel or a bio-compatible polymer material.