Fracture consolidation measuring apparatus
First Claim
1. A fracture consolidation measurement device for determining when a patient'"'"'s bone has healed at a bone fracture or bone defect, comprising:
- a) an elongated instrument body having an axis that can be placed in a generally aligned position with the axis of the bone to be healed;
b) first and second attachments that extend between the bone to be healed and the instrument body, said attachments forming connections with the bone to be healed at positions that are spaced away from the bone fracture or defect so that the attachments do not interfere with the healing process at the fracture or bone defect;
c) one or more optical fiber sensors carried by the instrument body for transmitting light along the instrument body between first and second positions that are adjacent to the first and second attachments;
d) a measuring device for measuring light intensity that is transmitted through the optical fiber sensor as an indication of strain within the instrument body during the healing process; and
e) the attachments and instrument body defining a structure that can carry all or substantially all of the load on the bone thus bypassing the fracture or defect until healing is complete.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for measuring bone strain to detect fracture consolidation includes a fixation device which is affixed to a patient'"'"'s bone that has a fracture site to be healed and wherein the fixation device supports an elongated optical fiber. Light is transmitted through the optical fiber to an exit point. The light intensity within the optical fiber is measured, preferably at the exit point as the light travels through the optical fiber. Light intensity is measured to monitor strain in the fixation device as the fracture site heals. A physician then determines when the site has fully healed by observing changes in light intensity as the patient'"'"'s bone rather than the fixation device carries more of the patient'"'"'s normal body loading.
36 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fracture consolidation measurement device for determining when a patient'"'"'s bone has healed at a bone fracture or bone defect, comprising:
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a) an elongated instrument body having an axis that can be placed in a generally aligned position with the axis of the bone to be healed; b) first and second attachments that extend between the bone to be healed and the instrument body, said attachments forming connections with the bone to be healed at positions that are spaced away from the bone fracture or defect so that the attachments do not interfere with the healing process at the fracture or bone defect; c) one or more optical fiber sensors carried by the instrument body for transmitting light along the instrument body between first and second positions that are adjacent to the first and second attachments; d) a measuring device for measuring light intensity that is transmitted through the optical fiber sensor as an indication of strain within the instrument body during the healing process; and e) the attachments and instrument body defining a structure that can carry all or substantially all of the load on the bone thus bypassing the fracture or defect until healing is complete. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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10. A fracture consolidation measurement apparatus for determining when a patient'"'"'s bone has healed at a bone fracture or bone defect, comprising:
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a) an elongated body having an axis that can be placed in a generally aligned position with the axis of the bone to be healed; b) first and second attachments that pass through the bone to be healed and connected to the body, said attachments forming connections with the bone to be healed at positions that are spaced away from the bone fracture or defect so that the attachments do not interfere with the healing process; c) one or more optical fiber sensors carried by the instrument body for transmitting light along the instrument body between first and second positions that are adjacent to the first and second attachments; d) a measuring device for measuring light intensity that is transmitted through the fiber as an indication of strain within the instrument body during the healing process; and e) the attachments and instrument body defining a structure that can carry all or substantially all of the load on the bone. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification