Orthopedic intramedullary fixation system

• US 7,632,277 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WOLL Bioorthopedics, LLC
• Original Assignee: WOLL Bioorthopedics, LLC
• Inventors: Woods, Richard, Dickens, Duane, Woll, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett; Thomas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Araj; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US10/811,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,087 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606 62- 68, 606/105, 623/1.12, 411/34
• US Class Current: 606/86.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1717 for applying intramedullary nails or pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1782 for the hand or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7225 for bone compression
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7258 with laterally expanding parts, e.g. for gripping the bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7275 with expanding cylindrical parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7291 for small bones, e.g. in the foot, ankle, hand or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself

Abstract

A system and method for repairing fractured long bones. A guide wire is inserted through an opening drilled in a proximal bone segment and pushed through the intramedullary cavity of the proximal bone segment, across the fracture site and into the intramedullary cavity of a distal bone segment. A dilator is inserted over the guide wire and pushed through the intramedullary cavity into the distal bone segment to a stop at the distal end of the guide wire. A flexible tube having a radially expandable distal portion is then pushed over the guide wire into the distal bone segment and against the dilator. A compression nut is threaded over the proximal end of the guide wire to engage the proximal bone segment and compress the flexible tube. Compression of the flexible tube deploys the radially expandable distal portion to anchor the device in the distal bone segment.

Claims

1. An intermedullary apparatus for positioning and providing compressive fixation of fractured bones comprising:

a guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end;

a dilator disposed on said guide wire about adjacent to said guide wire distal end;

a proximal stop disposed on said guide wire about adjacent to said guide wire proximal end;

said dilator having a tapered distal surface, an at least partially transverse proximal surface and a tubular inner surface defining a longitudinal through hole, said dilator being disposable on said guide wire wherein said guide wire extends into said through hole;

a tube disposable over said guide wire and having a sidewall including a radially expandable anchor portion adapted for radial expansion upon compression of said tube between said at least partially transverse proximal surface and said proximal stop; and

wherein said tapered distal surface includes means to prevent rotation of said dilator relative to said guide wire.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guide wire includes a distal tip having a diameter greater than the diameter of said longitudinal through hole.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means to prevent rotation comprise a polygonal mating surface adapted to fit an opposite gendered polygonal mating surface of said distal tip.

4. An intermedullary apparatus for positioning and providing compressive fixation of fractured bones comprising:

a guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end;

a dilator disposed on said guide wire about adjacent to said guide wire distal end;

a proximal stop disposed on said guide wire about adjacent to said guide wire proximal end;

said dilator having a tapered distal surface, an at least partially transverse proximal surface and a tubular inner surface defining a longitudinal through hole, said dilator being disposable on said guide wire wherein said guide wire extends into said through hole;

a tube disposable over said guide wire and having a sidewall including a radially expandable anchor portion adapted for radial expansion upon compression of said tube between said at least partially transverse proximal surface and said proximal stop;

wherein said tube and said guide wire are flexible; and

wherein said ribs include at least one reduced section formed in a central portion of each rib.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said at least one reduced section comprises a crease formed transversely across said central portion of each rib.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said at least one reduced section comprises a narrowed section of each rib.

7. A long bone segment positioning apparatus comprising:

a flexible guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end;

a distal stop disposed on said guide wire about adjacent to said guide wire distal end;

a proximal stop disposed on said guide wire about adjacent to said guide wire proximal end;

a flexible tube disposable over said guide wire and having a sidewall including a radially expandable anchor portion adapted for radial expansion upon compression of said tube between said distal stop and said proximal stop;

a dilator having a tapered distal surface, an at least partially transverse proximal surface and a tubular inner surface defining a longitudinal through hole;

said dilator being disposable on said guide wire wherein said guide wire extends through said through hole;

wherein said at least partially transverse proximal surface is countersunk to accept said tube and serves as said distal stop;

wherein said distal stop has a width greater than the diameter of said longitudinal through hole;

wherein said proximal stop is formed as a distal surface of an interface washer installed over said proximal end of said guide wire;

wherein said radially expandable anchor portion comprises a plurality of evenly spaced ribs formed between a plurality of longitudinal slots disposed through said sidewall;

wherein said radially expandable anchor portion is disposed toward said distal end for engagement with a distal bone segment;

wherein said ribs include at least one reduced section formed in a central portion of each rib segment; and

wherein said radially expandable anchor portion is adapted to collapse upon relaxation of compression forces between distal and proximal segments of said tube.