Osteosynthetic implants and methods of use and manufacture

• US 7,985,222 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medshape Incorporated (Enovis Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Medshape Solutions, Inc. (Enovis Corp.)
• Inventors: Gall, Kenneth A., Tyber, Jeffrey A., Pacaccio, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMANA, ANURADHA
• Application Number:
  US11/112,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/62, 606/63, 606/300, 606/301, 606/308, 606/320
• US Class Current: 606/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/62 Ring frames, i.e. devices extending around the bones to be positioned A61B17/6433 , A61B17/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/66 Alignment, compression or distraction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7225 for bone compression
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7283 with special cross-section of the nail
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7291 for small bones, e.g. in the foot, ankle, hand or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8004 with means for distracting or compressing the bone or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/866 Material or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect

Abstract

The present invention provides bone fracture fixation devices, systems and methods of use and manufacture. One such bone fixation device includes an elongate element having a responsive zone. The element is adapted to be coupled to the bone so that the responsive zone is positioned adjacent a fracture site in the bone. The responsive zone is adapted to apply a desired pressure to the bone when coupled thereto. In some embodiments, the responsive zone comprises a shape memory material, which may be nickel titanium or Nitinol, to apply compressive pressure across the fracture site for longer periods of time than standard bone screws.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

inserting a bone device having a longitudinal axis into a first bone fragment and a second bone fragment, wherein the inserting causes a first portion of the bone device to contact the first bone fragment and causes a second portion of the bone device to contact the second bone fragment, the second portion different from the first portion;

wherein the bone device comprises a shape memory alloy having an austenite finish temperature;

creating in a responsive portion of the bone device at least a partial transformation into a stress-induced martensitic phase via stretching the responsive portion along the longitudinal axis;

after performing the stretching, fixing the second portion of the bone device to the second bone fragment; and

wherein the creating is performed at a temperature greater than the austenite finish temperature of the shape memory alloy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein stretching the bone device is performed with the bone device substantially in an austenitic phase.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before performing the stretching, fixing the bone device to the first bone fragment.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

holding the responsive portion above the austenite finish temperature of the shape memory alloy while the fixing the bone device to the first bone fragment is performed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

holding the shape memory alloy at a temperature greater than the austenite finish temperature of the shape memory alloy while the stretching is performed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

holding the responsive portion above the austenite finish temperature of the shape memory alloy while the fixing the second portion is performed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the bone device into the second bone fragment is performed while the responsive portion is substantially in an austenitic phase.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the bone device into the first bone fragment is performed while the responsive portion is substantially in an austenitic phase.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises the shape memory alloy.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises the shape memory alloy.