Bone section reattachment apparatus and method

• US 5,665,088 A
• Filed: 06/07/1996
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Richards Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Richards Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Gil, Carlos E., Garner, Steven A., Ries, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Application Number:
  US08/660,502
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 623/16, 606/69, 606/72, 606/105, 606/70, 606/71, 606/74, 606/103
• US Class Current: 606/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/82 for bone cerclage apparatus for manipulating wires or straps A61B17/8861; wires, bands or straps other than cerclage A61B17/842
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/842 Flexible wires, bands or straps A61B17/72, A61B17/82, A61B17/86 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30739 Devices connected to the proximal part of an endoprosthetic femoral shaft for reinforcing or replacing the trochanters, e.g. the greater trochanter proximal parts of endoprosthetic femoral shafts A61F2/367; non-prosthetic trochanteric devices A61B17/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30741 for the lesser trochanter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/902 Cortical plate specifically adapted for a particular bone

Abstract

An implant and method for use in reattaching a removed bone section following bone surgery by using a bone engaging clamp adapted to fit over the outer surface of the removed bone section and engage cables to attach the removed bone to the desired location. The bone engaging clamp is adapted to fit over at least a portion of the outer surface of the removed bone section and has an inner surface for engaging the bone section. Further, the bone engaging clamp has at least one through bore for holding a cable; and at least one associated screw for clamping a tensioned cable in a fixed position relative to the bone engaging clamp to hold the removed bone section securely in place at the point of reattachment.

Claims

1. A bone section reattachment apparatus for fusing a surgically removed dome portion of the greater trochanter to the patient'"'"'s femur comprising;

a) a plate-like member having an outer convex surface and an inner concave surface that is sized and shaped to conform generally to the outer surface of the removed dome portion;

b) the plate-like member having a peripheral surface that extends between the outer and inner surfaces, the peripheral surface including opposed anterior and posterior peripheral portions;

c) a plurality of passageways extending transversely through the plate-like member and communicating with the opposed anterior and posterior portions of the peripheral surface of the plate-like member, each of the passageways having an inner wall surface;

d) each of the passageways having opposed anterior and posterior openings positioned respectively on the opposed peripheral anterior and posterior portions of the peripheral surface;

e) a plurality of generally vertical bores, each extending from the outer convex surface of the plate-like member to a passageway;

f) a plurality of elongated cables, each having cable ends that extend respectively through the plurality of passageways, each of said passageways being sized and shaped to allow overlapping of the cable ends at the passageway so that the cable ends of a particular cable can be overlapped and secured within the passageway;

g) a plurality of fasteners that respectively occupy the plurality of vertical bores during use, each of said fasteners forming a connection with a vertical bore that enables pressure to be applied to a pair of overlapped cable ends in a passageway;

h) the cables being of a length that enables a surgeon to pass each cable around the patient'"'"'s femur and to pass the opposed cable ends through respective opposed openings of a passageway and into the passageway a distance that allows the cable ends to be overlapped, and then held in such overlapped position by a fastener; and

i) projecting portions extending distally from the inner concave surface of the plate-like member and being of sufficient length to extend into the removed dome portion.

2. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the vertical bores has a fastener and two cable ends are clamped by a fastener against the inner wall surface of a passageway during use.

3. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the vertical bores are internally threaded.

4. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the fasteners is a set screw with external threads that engage an internally threaded vertical bore.

5. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 4 wherein each set screw has a lower end that is shaped to clamp a pair of the cable ends of a cable.

6. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the passageways has an oval shaped transverse cross section.

7. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axes of the passageways perpendicularly intersect a line that is curved to track generally the curvature of the concave surface of the plate-like member.

8. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are three passageways.

9. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein the passageways have longitudinal axes that are generally parallel to one another.

10. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projecting portions are of sufficient length to extend through the removed dome portion.

11. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the passageways has a narrowed central section and a pair of enlarged sections at the anterior and posterior openings of the passageway.

12. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projecting portions are a plurality of elongated spikes.

13. The bone section reattachment apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projecting portions each have a central axis and the axes of the projecting portions are parallel.

14. A bone section reattachment apparatus for fusing a surgically removed dome portion of the greater trochanter to the patient'"'"'s femur comprising;

a) a plate-like body having an outer convex surface and an inner concave surface that is sized and shaped to conform generally to the outer surface of the removed dome portion;

b) the plate-like body having an extended peripheral surface that extends between the outer and inner surfaces, defining a spacing between the inner and outer surfaces, the plate-like body being of a solid structural material within an interior of the plate-like body that is defined by the inner and outer surfaces and the peripheral surface;

c) a plurality of passageways extending transversely through the solid structural material of the plate-like body and communicating with opposed anterior and posterior portions of the peripheral surface of the plate-like body, each of the passageways having an inner wall surface that is spaced from both the inner and outer surfaces;

d) each of the passageways having opposed anterior and posterior openings positioned respectively on the anterior and posterior opposed portions of the peripheral surface;

e) a plurality of generally vertical bores extending from the outer surface of the plate-like body to at least a plurality of said passageways;

f) a plurality of elongated cables, each having cable ends that extend respectively through the plurality of passageways, each of said passageways being sized and shaped to allow overlapping of the cable ends at the passageway so that the cable ends of a particular cable can be overlapped and secured within the passageway;

g) a plurality of fasteners that respectively occupy the plurality of vertical bores during use, each of said fasteners forming a connection with a vertical bore that enables pressure to be applied to a pair of overlapped cable ends in a passageway;

h) the cables being of a length that enables a surgeon to pass each cable around the patient'"'"'s femur and to pass the opposed cable ends through respective opposed openings of a passageway and into the passageway a distance that allows the cable ends to be overlapped, and then held in such overlapped position by a fastener; and

i) projecting portions extending distally from the inner concave surface of the plate-like body and being of sufficient length to extend into the removed dome portion.