Systems and methods for internal bone fixation

• US 8,734,460 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Rabiner, Robert A., Colleran, Dennis P., O'Leary, Anthony W., Dye, Justin G., Drew, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Pedro
• Application Number:
  US12/983,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 606190-197, 606 92- 95, 606/63, 606/62, 606/99, 606/100, 623/23.5, 623/23.58, 604/20
• US Class Current: 606/93
• 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 17/7097 Stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant, e.g. balloon; devices for inserting or filling such implants disc prostheses made of inflatable chambers or pockets filled with fluid A61F2/441; replacing the nucleus pulposus A61F2002/444
• 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 17/8816 characterised by the conduit, e.g. tube, along which fluid flows into the body or by conduit connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8819 characterised by the introducer proximal part, e.g. cannula handle, or by parts which are inserted inside each other, e.g. stylet and cannula A61B17/8825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8833 Osteosynthesis tools specially adapted for handling bone cement or fluid fillers; Means for supplying bone cement or fluid fillers to introducing tools, e.g. cartridge handling means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8836 for heating, cooling or curing of bone cement or fluid fillers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres

Abstract

Internal bone fixation devices and methods for using the devices for repairing a weakened or fractured bone are disclosed herein. According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a device for repairing a fractured bone that includes a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the delivery catheter having an inner void for passing at least one reinforcing material, and an inner lumen for accepting a light pipe, wherein a distal end of the inner lumen terminates in an optical lens; a conformable member releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, the conformable member moving from a deflated state to an inflated state when the at least one reinforcing material is delivered to the conformable member; and an adapter releasably engaging the proximal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the light pipe and the at least one reinforcing material.

Claims

1. A device for repairing a fractured bone comprising:

a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the delivery catheter having an inner void for passing at least one reinforcing material, and an inner lumen;

a conformable member releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, wherein the conformable member is expandable from a deflated state to an inflated state by adding the at least one reinforcing material into the conformable member; and

an optical fiber having a core, wherein the optical fiber is sized to pass through the inner lumen of the delivery catheter and into the conformable member, wherein the core of the optical fiber is at least partially exposed along a length of the optical fiber to disperse light energy along the length of the optical fiber and at a distal end of the optical fiber, and

wherein, when the optical fiber is in the conformable member, the optical fiber is able to disperse the light energy along the length and at a distal end of the optical fiber to harden the at least one reinforcing material within the conformable member.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a cladding surrounding the core of the optical fiber.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the core of the optical fiber is exposed by removing a portion of the cladding.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein a distal portion of the optical fiber is modified by cutting at least one notch into the cladding to expose the core of the optical fiber.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein a distal portion of the optical fiber is modified by removing varying amounts of a cladding along the distal portion to create one or more terminating faces to disperse the light energy.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein a distal portion of the optical fiber is modified by removing a cladding from the optical fiber to create a helical design on a surface of the optical fiber to disperse the light energy along the length and at a distal end of the optical fiber in a helical pattern.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising an adapter releasably engaging the proximal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the optical fiber and the at least one reinforcing material.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising an optical lens that transmits the light energy from the optical fiber to the conformable member.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more illuminators within the core of the optical fiber.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a light source for providing the light energy to the optical fiber.

11. A device for repairing a fractured bone comprising:

a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the delivery catheter having an inner void for passage of at least one reinforcing material, and an inner lumen;

a conformable member releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, the conformable member expandable from a deflated state to an inflated state by passing the at least one reinforcing material into the conformable member; and

an optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is sized to pass through the inner lumen of the delivery catheter and into the conformable member, wherein the optical fiber includes an output end tapered along a length to disperse light energy in a radial direction, and

wherein, when the optical fiber is in the conformable member, the output end of the optical fiber disperses the light energy in a radial direction to harden the at least one reinforcing material within the conformable member.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the optical fiber disperses the light energy along a length of the optical fiber and at the output end.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the optical fiber includes a core surrounded by a cladding.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the output end is tapered by removing a portion of the cladding surrounding the core along the length of the output end.

15. The device of claim 11 further comprising one or more illuminators within a core of the optical fiber.

16. The device of claim 11 further comprising an optical lens that transmits the light energy from the optical fiber to the conformable member.

17. The device of claim 11 further comprising a light source for providing the light energy to the optical fiber.

18. A kit for repairing a fractured bone, the kit comprising:

an optical fiber, wherein at least a distal portion of the optical fiber is modified by removing a portion of a cladding from the optical fiber, and wherein the distal portion of the optical fiber is configured to disperse light energy at a distal end and along a length of the distal portion of the optical fiber;

at least one reinforcing material; and

a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the delivery catheter has an inner void for passing the at least one reinforcing material into a conformable member releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, and wherein the delivery catheter has an inner lumen for passing the optical fiber into the conformable member.

19. The kit of claim 18 further comprising an adapter to be releasably engaged to the proximal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the optical fiber and the at least one reinforcing material.

20. The kit of claim 18 further comprising a light source for providing the light energy to the optical fiber.

21. The kit of claim 18 further comprising a device for cutting the conformable member from the delivery catheter.