Implantable, surgical buttressing device

• US 5,941,878 A
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Medoff, Lars G. Tellman, Robert J. Medoff
• Original Assignee: Robert J. Medoff
• Inventors: Medoff, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/005,138
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/64, 606/72, 606/73, 606/151, 606/75, 606/219, 606/220, 606/69
• US Class Current: 606/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/809 with bone-penetrating elements, e.g. blades or prongs bone staples A61B17/0642; intramedullary nails with a plate at an end A61B17/7233

Abstract

An implantable surgical device for fixation of one or more bone fragments or grafts to an adjacent stable bone. The device is formed by a U-shaped wire having a U bend portion and two legs extending from the U bend portion, the device being secured near the U bend portion by a fixation device including a washer and a bone screw to a stable bone. The distal ends of the legs are formed with pointed projections or with bends providing projections extending out of the plane of the U-shaped wire to penetrate the surface of the bone fragment or graft and provide translational constraint of the fragment or graft.

Claims

1. An implantable surgical buttressing means for fixation of one or more bone fragments or grafts to an adjacent stable bone, said buttressing means comprising a U-shaped wire including a U portion and two legs extending from said U portion, said buttressing means being securable at one end thereof, by a fixation means, to a stable bone, at least one of said legs of said U-shaped wire including projection means for penetrating the surface of the bone fragment or graft to provide translational constraint of the fragment or graft.

2. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection means is formed by a bend in said at least one of said legs.

3. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 2, wherein said U-shaped wire is disposed substantially in a plane and said projection means extends from said plane.

4. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 3, wherein both of said legs include a respective said bend and corresponding said projection means.

5. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection means comprises a pointed projection protruding from a distal end of said at least one of said legs at right angles thereto.

6. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 5, wherein one said pointed projection is provided at the distal end of each said leg of said U-shaped wire.

7. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped wire is disposed substantially in a plane and said projection means extends from said plane.

8. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixation means comprises a bone screw which is insertable into the stable bone to apply a rearwardly directed force on said at least one leg and produce a contraction force across a fracture site or bone graft.

9. A surgical buttressing means as claimed in claim 8, wherein said projection means is formed by a bend in each of said legs to provide projections extending out from a plane containing the U-shaped wire, said projections being adapted to provide the translational constraint of the fragment or graft, the bends in the legs enabling the buttressing means to apply a rearwardly directed force on said legs for producing a contraction force across a fracture site or bone graft.