Femoral intramedullary rod system

• US 6,402,753 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orthodyne, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orthodyne, Inc.
• Inventors: Knobloch, Carl A., Cole, J. Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Priddy, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US09/619,189
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/62, 606/64, 606/67, 606/68
• US Class Current: 606/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/72 Intramedullary pins, nails or other devices A61B17/744 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7216 for bone lengthening or compression A61B17/7258 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7225 for bone compression
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7241 the nail having separate elements through which screws pass
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/725 with locking pins or screws of special form
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/744 the longitudinal elements coupled to an intramedullary nail
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/748 with means for adapting the angle between the longitudinal elements and the shaft axis of the femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8685 comprising multiple separate parts

Abstract

A femoral intramedullary rod system capable of treating a variety of femoral bone fractures using a uniform intramedullary rod design. The system generally comprising an intramedullary rod defining an opening having an upper surface and a transverse member including a bone engaging portion and a connection portion defining a thru-hole with the nail sized to pass therethrough. A pin is selectively coupled to the transverse member to rigidly assemble the transverse member to the nail when the nail is passed through the thru-hole and the pin is received within the opening.

Claims

1. A system for treating bone fractures, the system comprising:

an intramedullary nail having a first end portion opposite a second end portion along a longitudinal axis, said first end portion including an opening extending through said nail and having a first angled surface aligned at a first oblique angle relative to said longitudinal axis;

a sleeve configured to fit over said first end portion of said nail, said sleeve including a set of apertures positioned on opposite sides of said sleeve, said set of apertures and said opening aligned to form a first passageway bounded on one side by said first angled surface when said sleeve is fitted over said first end portion; and

a bone engaging member configured to be slidably received within said first passageway, said bone engaging member establishing an abutting relationship with said first angled surface when positioned within said first passageway.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said opening has a second angled surface generally opposite said first angled surface to engage said bone engaging member, said first and second angled surfaces cooperating to define a first pathway oriented at said first oblique angle for said bone engaging member to follow when received in said first passageway.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said opening has a third angled surface aligned at a second oblique angle relative to said longitudinal axis to engage said bone engaging member in another abutting relationship when said sleeve is aligned in another position to define a second passageway, and said bone engaging member is positioned within said second passageway.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said opening has a fourth angled surface generally opposite said third angled surface to engage said bone engaging member, said third and fourth angled surfaces cooperating to define a second pathway oriented at said second oblique angle for said bone engaging member to follow when received in said second passageway.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said first and second oblique angles are each about 135 degrees.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said opening extends through said nail and wherein said first and third angled surfaces define a first apex and said second and fourth angled surfaces define a second apex opposite said first apex.

7. A bone fracture treatment apparatus comprising:

an elongated intramedullary nail having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, said nail defining a transverse opening therethrough, said opening extending along the transverse axis from a first side of said nail to an opposite second side of said nail, said opening being bounded by an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, one of said upper and lower surfaces defining a first projection between said first side and said second side, said first projection extending in a longitudinal direction to narrow a dimension of said opening along the longitudinal axis, further comprising a sleeve with first and second apertures positioned on opposite sides of said sleeve and configured to align with said opening to form a passageway, said passageway following a pathway from one of said apertures to the other of said apertures, said pathway being oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a bone engaging member sized to pass through said passageway and contact said first projection when positioned in said passageway.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said nail includes a transverse passage extending at least partially therethrough and configured to accept a fastener, said sleeve includes a third aperture configured to align with said transverse passage, said fastener releasably securing said sleeve to said nail when said fastener is positioned through said third aperture and into said transverse passage.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said nail includes a longitudinal passage extending therethrough, and wherein said fastener has a length which does not extend into said longitudinal passage when said sleeve is releasably secured to said nail.

11. A bone fracture treatment apparatus configured to receive at least one bone fastener, comprising:

an elongated intramedullary nail having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, said nail defining a transverse opening therethrough, said opening extending along the transverse axis from a first side of said nail to an opposite second side of said nail, said opening being bounded by an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, each of said upper and lower surfaces defining a respective upper and lower projection between said first and said second side, said upper and lower projections extending in a longitudinal direction to narrow a dimension of said opening along the longitudinal axis;

said upper projection having a first portion extending at a first angle with respect to said transverse axis, said lower projection having a second portion extending at a second angle with respect to said transverse axis, said first portion and said second portion substantially parallel and spaced a first distance along said longitudinal axis to define a first passage through said transverse opening.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said upper projection includes a third portion and said lower projection includes a fourth portion, said third and fourth portions in substantial parallel alignment and spaced a second distance along said longitudinal axis to define a second passage through said transverse opening.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said transverse opening has a first length and further including a bone fastener having a width and a longitudinal length, said width substantially equal to said first distance and said longitudinal length substantially greater than said first length.

14. A system for treating bone fractures, the system comprising:

an intramedullary nail defining a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, said nail defining an opening therethrough along the transverse axis, said opening being bounded by a bearing surface;

a sleeve defining a pair of apertures on opposite sides of said sleeve, each of said apertures defining an engaging surface, said apertures and said opening aligned to form a passageway when said sleeve is fitted over said nail;

a bone engaging member sized to pass through said passageway; and

means for biasing said sleeve in a longitudinal direction to firmly engage said engaging surface of at least one of said apertures against said bone engaging member and clamp said bone engaging member to said bearing surface of said opening.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of said nail and said sleeve define an internally threaded portion, said biasing means includes an end cap, said end cap defining external threads to engage said internally threaded portion of said one of said nail and said sleeve to thereby bias said sleeve in a longitudinal direction.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said nail and said sleeve each define an internally threaded portion, said end cap including a threaded end portion, a threaded intermediate portion and an enlarged end portion, and wherein said threaded end portion engages said internally threaded portion of said nail and said threaded intermediate portion engages said internally threaded portion of said sleeve to thereby bias said sleeve in a longitudinal direction.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said end cap includes a hex broach to receive a driving tool.