Steerable intramedullary fracture reduction device
First Claim
1. An intramedullary fracture reduction device comprisingan elongated shaft having distal and proximal ends, and a longitudinal axis,means for steering the distal end of said shaft into displaced bone segments, said means comprising,a movable tip pivotally mounted to the distal end of said shaft and extending beyond said distal end, said tip having a neutral position substantially coaxial with and extending beyond said shaft.tip actuating means for causing said tip to pivot through a range of operative positions relative to said shaft, andcontrol means for controlling said tip actuating means, said control means being positioned adjacent said proximal and of said shaft.
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Abstract
A steerable intramedullary fracture reduction device has an elongated shaft with a steerable tip pivotally mounted to the distal end of the shaft. Tip actuating apparatus near the proximal end of the shaft enable the operator to steer the tip and the shaft into successive segments of the fractured bone, even when the segments are transversely or rotationally displaced so that the segments can be aligned by the shaft.
1253 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An intramedullary fracture reduction device comprising
an elongated shaft having distal and proximal ends, and a longitudinal axis, means for steering the distal end of said shaft into displaced bone segments, said means comprising, a movable tip pivotally mounted to the distal end of said shaft and extending beyond said distal end, said tip having a neutral position substantially coaxial with and extending beyond said shaft. tip actuating means for causing said tip to pivot through a range of operative positions relative to said shaft, and control means for controlling said tip actuating means, said control means being positioned adjacent said proximal and of said shaft.
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11. An intramedullary fracture reduction device comprising
an elongated rigid shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and a longitudinal axis, a steerable tip pivotally mounted at and extending beyond the distal end of said shaft, said steerable tip having a neutral position aligned with said shaft coaxially therewith, means for causing said steerable tip to pivot relative to said shaft through a range of positions from the neutral position to a position of at least ninety degrees to the longitudinally axis, said means including a control assembly adjacent the proximal end of said shaft, a handle mounted to said control assembly, and a sleeve member carried by said shaft and adapted to slide over said shaft and said steerable tip when said tip is in the neutral position.
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18. A method of reducing fracture in a bone, wherein the bone has distal and proximal ends and a hole drilled in the proximal end communicating with the medullary canal of the bone, the method comprising the steps of
inserting an elongated steerable intramedullary fracture reducing device through the hole in the bone into the medullary canal, the device having a steerable tip at its distal end and an elongated sleeve member, steering the device by means of the steerable tip through fracture bone segments and manipulating the device to align the segments, loosening the sleeve from the device and withdrawing the device, leaving the sleeve in the medullary canals of the aligned bone segments.
Specification