Fracture fixation device, tools and methods
First Claim
1. A bone fixation device comprising:
- an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and a flexible-to-rigid portion, the flexible-to-rigid portion being flexible in a first state and being generally rigid in a second state which allows the elongate body to go between a flexible state and a rigid state;
an actuatable bone engaging mechanism disposed within the elongate body, wherein the bone engaging mechanism comprises a gripper having at least one bendable member such that as the gripper is actuated, the bendable member pivots away from the longitudinal axis of the elongate body and the gripper is deployed from a retracted configuration to an engaged configuration; and
an actuator operably connected to the bone engaging mechanism to actuate the bone engaging mechanism from a disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration, wherein the actuator comprises a first ramped surface that is slideably coupled to an interior surface of the bendable member of the gripper, wherein proximally moving the first ramped surface of the actuator causes the first ramped surface to slideably engage the interior surface of said bendable member at an angle thereby pivoting the bendable member of the gripper away from the longitudinal axis away from the elongate body to deploy the bone engaging mechanism into the engaged configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bone fixation device is provided with an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and having a first state in which at least a portion of the body is flexible and a second state in which the body is generally rigid, an actuateable gripper disposed at a distal location on the elongated body, and an actuator operably connected to the gripper to deploy the gripper from a retracted configuration to an expanded configuration. Methods of repairing a fracture of a bone are also disclosed. One such method comprises inserting a bone fixation device into an intramedullary space of the bone to place at least a portion of an elongate body of the fixation device in a flexible state on one side of the fracture and at least a portion of a hub on another side of the fracture, and operating an actuator to deploy at least one gripper of the fixation device to engage an inner surface of the intramedullary space to anchor the fixation device to the bone.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A bone fixation device comprising:
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an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and a flexible-to-rigid portion, the flexible-to-rigid portion being flexible in a first state and being generally rigid in a second state which allows the elongate body to go between a flexible state and a rigid state; an actuatable bone engaging mechanism disposed within the elongate body, wherein the bone engaging mechanism comprises a gripper having at least one bendable member such that as the gripper is actuated, the bendable member pivots away from the longitudinal axis of the elongate body and the gripper is deployed from a retracted configuration to an engaged configuration; and an actuator operably connected to the bone engaging mechanism to actuate the bone engaging mechanism from a disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration, wherein the actuator comprises a first ramped surface that is slideably coupled to an interior surface of the bendable member of the gripper, wherein proximally moving the first ramped surface of the actuator causes the first ramped surface to slideably engage the interior surface of said bendable member at an angle thereby pivoting the bendable member of the gripper away from the longitudinal axis away from the elongate body to deploy the bone engaging mechanism into the engaged configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification