Surgical device for connection of fractured bones

• US 5,429,641 A
• Filed: 12/20/1993
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orthofix SRL (Orthofix Medical Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yechiel Gotfried
• Inventors: Gotfried, Yechiel
• Primary Examiner(s): Graysay, Tamara L.
• Application Number:
  US08/170,529
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/65, 606/69, 606/72, 606/73, 606/86, 606/96, 606/97, 606/104, 606/67, 411/383, 411/410, 81/459, 81/436, 81/461
• US Class Current: 606/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1721 for applying pins along or parallel to the axis of the femoral neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1725 for applying transverse screws or pins through intramedullary nails or pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/746 the longitudinal elements coupled to a plate opposite the femoral head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8888 at its central region
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/916 Tool for installing or removing orthopedic fastener

Abstract

A surgical device for percutaneous connection of a fractured upper part of the femur to the shaft comprises: a connector plate with a lower straight portion for screwed connection to the femur shaft and with a sharp bottom end for insertion through a small skin incision, having its upper portion perforated by two oblique, tapped bores for fixation of two long screws serving for connection of the fractured parts. Each screw has a wood-screw-shaped inner end and a cylindrical shaft with a hexagonal recess at its outer end which is continued by a tapped bore. Each screw is slidingly positioned in a sleeve which has its outer end slotted and screw-threaded for fixation in the oblique bores of the plate. The connector plate is positioned and fastened to the femur by an angular connector arm composed of a short horizontal arm for firm perpendicular connection to the top of the plate by a long screw, and a vertical portion parallel to the plate provided with bores coaxial with the bores in the plate for guidance of the screws. A screwdriver contains a central shaft having a screw-threaded inner end for engagement with the tapped bores in the screw ends, an intermediate tubular shaft having its inner end hexagonally shaped for engagement with the recesses in the screw ends, and an outer tubular shaft provided with teeth for engagement with the slots in the sleeve ends. All three shafts can be independently rotated and axially moved by separate grips at the outer end of the screwdriver.

Claims

1. A surgical device for percutaneous connection of a fractured upper part of a femur to a femur shaft of a patient, comprising the following components to remain in the body of the patient:

a bar-shaped connector plate having an axis, an inner surface to be placed onto the femur, an outer surface, a head portion and a bottom provided with a sharpened end for insertion of said bar-shaped connector plate through a small incision in the skin of the patient, said bar-shaped connector plate being provided in a lower portion thereof with at least two countersunk, through-going bores and in an upper portion thereof with two adjoining oblique, screw-threaded bores directed in an upward direction at an angle of about 130°

, a screw-threaded bore perpendicular to the axis of said bar-shaped connector plate being provided in said head portion,

two long screws, each screw having a straight shaft, a wood-screw-shaped inner end for insertion into said fractured upper part of the femur and an outer end coaxially recessed with a polygonal shape, said recess being continued by a screw-threaded bore concentric with an axis of said shaft,

a sleeve of a shorter length than said screw, with the outer end of said screw being positioned in said sleeve in a manner so as to be movable in both axial and rotational directions in the sleeve, the sleeve having an outer end provided with a screw-thread corresponding to the screw thread in said oblique bores in said bar-shaped connector plate and with at least two recesses for engagement of a screwdriver, and

at least two shorter screws for securing said bar-shaped connector plate to the femur shaft, said at least two shorter screws extending through said countersunk, through-going bores into bone material of the femur shaft.

2. Auxiliary equipment serving to insert and to connect to the fractured upper part of said femur and for use with the surgical device as defined in claim 1, comprising:

an angular connector arm including a short horizontal portion for connection to the head portion of said bar-shaped connector plate and a longer vertical portion extending parallel to the lower portion of said bar-shaped connector plate, wherein said horizontal portion is provided with an axial perforation for passage of a screw engaging with said screw-threaded bore in said head portion of said bar-shaped connector plate and is shaped to conform to the shape of said head portion to ensure absolute parallelism of said vertical portion with said bar-shaped connector plate, and wherein said vertical portion is provided with two adjoining obliquely directed bores coaxially aligned with said two oblique screw-threaded bores in said plate, and with at least two straight bores coaxially aligned with said at least two countersunk, through-going bores in said plate,

a first tubular guide of an outer diameter cooperating with said oblique bores in said angular connector arm and of an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of said sleeve covering said long screw, of a length compatible with a distance between the respective oblique bores in said plate and said angular connector arm,

a first removable tube for insertion into said first tubular guide and having a bore with an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of a guide wire to be pushed therethrough into said fractured upper part,

a second removable tube for insertion into said first tubular guide and having a bore with an inner diameter corresponding to a diameter of a drill for predrilling said femur,

a guide wire to be pushed through the bore in said first removable tube,

a drill to be inserted into the bone material through the bore in said second removable tube,

a second tubular guide for insertion into said straight bores in said angular connector arm, of a length compatible with the distance to said bar-shaped connector plate, and of an inner diameter suitable for the passage of a drill destined for predrilling the bone material for acceptance of said shorter screws,

a screw-driver for insertion and fixation of said long screws, said screw-driver comprising;

an inner shaft provided with a screw-threaded inner end for engagement with said screw-threaded bore in the recessed end of said long screw,

a median tubular shaft provided with a polygonal inner end for engagement with said polygonal recess in said long screw, and

an outer tubular shaft provided at an inner end thereof with protruding teeth for engagement with said recesses in said sleeve covering said long screw,

wherein all three shafts are independently movable in both axial and rotational directions by grips attached to outer ends thereof, and

wherein helical springs are provided to adjust axial alignment of the respective shafts.

3. The surgical device as defined in claim 2, wherein said vertical portion of said angular connector arm is provided with set screws serving to secure said tubular guides.

4. The surgical device as defined in claim 2, wherein a lower end of the vertical portion of said angular connector arm is provided with means for holding a rod-shaped aiming device.

5. The surgical device as defined in claim 4, wherein said aiming device comprises an aiming rod connected at right angles to a connecting bar, said connecting bar being adapted to be attached to the lower end of said vertical portion of said angular connector arm by means permitting adjustment of the angular direction of said aiming bar.

6. The surgical device as defined in claim 2, wherein said screwdriver is provided with means for pulling the screw-threaded end of said inner shaft into said outer tubular shaft, serving to pull said long screw in an outward direction relative to said sleeve.

7. The surgical device as defined in claim 2, wherein said screwdriver is provided with an outer sleeve held in position by a removable pin and engaging said outer tubular shaft by means of a pin movable along a circumferential recess on an outside of said outer sleeve.

8. The surgical device as defined in claim 2, further including a screw extending through said horizontal portion of said angular connector arm, said screw being provided with a grip at an outer end thereof and being centrally perforated permitting the passage of a sharp pin to be pushed into the bone material for exact fixation of said angular connector arm.

9. The surgical device as defined in claim 2, wherein said head portion of said bar-shaped connector plate is convex, and an end of said horizontal portion of said angular connector arm is concave to correspond with the convex head portion of said bar-shaped connector plate.

10. The surgical device as defined in claim 1, wherein an outer portion of said bar-shaped connector plate surrounding said oblique screw-threaded bores is thickened in the form of two oblique lugs protruding out of the outer surface of the bar-shaped connector plate.

11. The surgical device as defined in claim 1, wherein the head portion of said bar-shaped connector plate is bent outwardly to conform to the contour of the femur, and wherein said head portion is perforated by said screw-threaded bore and by at least one smooth bore, both bores being perpendicular to the axis of said bar-shaped connector plate.

12. The surgical device as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner surface of said headportion of said bar-shaped connector plate slopes outwardly in accordance with the contour of said femur.

13. The surgical device as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the head portion of said bar-shaped connector plate is convex.

14. The surgical device as defined in claim 13, wherein an end of said horizontal portion of said angular connector arm is concave to correspond with the convex head portion of said bar-shaped connector plate.

15. The surgical device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said long screws is provided with a circumferential step, and wherein each said sleeve has an inner end which is inwardly crimped, to prevent said screw from sliding out of said sleeve, due to contact of said step with said crimped end.

16. The surgical device as defined in claim 1, wherein said polygonal shape is a hexagon.