Rotary-rigid orthopaedic rod

• US 9,730,739 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conventus Orthopaedics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Conventus Orthopaedics, Inc.
• Inventors: Taylor, Kyle, Hindrichs, Paul, Brenzel, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Merene, Jan Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): COTRONEO, STEVEN J
• Application Number:
  US13/945,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7208 Flexible pins, e.g. ENDER pins
• 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 17/7266 with fingers moving radially outwardly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7283 with special cross-section of the nail
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00964 composite

Abstract

Apparatus and method for repairing a fractured bone. The apparatus and methods may involve an intramedullary rod. The rod may include a first elongated member and a second elongated member. Each of the first and second elongated members may be configured to bend in a first direction and to resist bending in a second direction. The first and second elongated members may be arranged such that: (1) the rod is bendable when the first direction of the first elongated member is aligned with the first direction of the second elongated member; and (2) the rod is rigid when the first direction of the first elongated member is aligned with the second direction of the second elongated member. Some embodiments may include rods that have sections that may be configured to be curved and rigid.

Claims

1. An intramedullary rod defining a longitudinal axis and comprising:

a first elongated member disposed coaxially within a second elongated member, the first elongated member having inner stress relief features and an inner longitudinal member and the second elongated member having outer stress relief features and an outer longitudinal member;

wherein the elongated members are arranged such that;

the rod is bendable when the first elongated member is circumferentially rotated about the longitudinal axis to align the outer stress relief features with the inner stress relief features; and

the rod is rigid when the first elongated member is circumferentially rotated about the longitudinal axis to align the outer longitudinal member with the inner stress relief features.

2. The intramedullary rod of claim 1 wherein each of the outer stress relief features and the inner stress relief features correspond to an arrangement of slots that are longitudinally spaced from each other.

3. The intramedullary rod of claim 2 wherein the slots are configured to provide tension relief.

4. The intramedullary rod of claim 2 wherein the slots are configured to provide compression relief.

5. The intramedullary rod of claim 1 wherein:

the outer stress relief features and the inner stress relief features correspond to;

a first arrangement of slots that are longitudinally spaced from each other for tension relief; and

a second arrangement of slots that are longitudinally spaced from each other to provide compression relief; and

the first and second arrangements of slots are spaced circumferentially apart from each other on one of the elongated members.

6. The intramedullary rod of claim 1 wherein the first and second elongated members include, respectively, a first and second anchor receiving feature.

7. The intramedullary rod of claim 6 wherein the first and second elongated members are configured to be positioned relative to each other such that the first and second anchor receiving features are positioned to receive the same anchor.

8. The intramedullary rod of claim 7 wherein the first and second anchor receiving features are distal a first and a second arrangement of slots.

9. The intramedullary rod of claim 8 wherein the first and second elongated members include, respectively, a third and fourth anchor receiving feature.

10. The intramedullary rod of claim 9 wherein the third and fourth anchor receiving features are proximal the first and second arrangements of slots.

11. The intramedullary rod of claim 1 further comprising a locking mechanism that includes:

a first adjustment flange attached to the first elongated member;

a second adjustment flange attached to the second elongated member; and

a setting element that is configured to prevent relative rotation about the longitudinal axis of the first elongated member with respect to the second elongated member.

12. The intramedullary rod of claim 11 wherein one of the first and second adjustment flanges is threaded.

13. The intramedullary rod of claim 1 further comprising a bone support extending from an end of one of the first and second elongated members.

14. The intramedullary rod of claim 13 further comprising, when the bone support is a first hone support and the end is a first end, a second bone support extending from a second end of one of the first and second elongated members.

15. An intramedullary rod defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a first elongated member disposed coaxially within and a second elongated member, the first elongated member having inner stress relief features and an inner longitudinal member and the second elongated member having outer stress relief features and an outer longitudinal member;

wherein the elongated members are arranged such that the rod is more easily bendable when the first elongated member is circumferentially rotated about the longitudinal axis to align the outer stress relief features with the inner stress relief features than when the first elongated member is circumferentially rotated about the longitudinal axis to align the outer longitudinal member with the inner stress relief features.

16. The intramedullary rod of claim 15 wherein each of the outer stress relief features and the inner stress relief features corresponds to an arrangement of slots that are longitudinally spaced from each other.

17. The intramedullary rod of claim 16 wherein the slots are configured to provide tension relief.

18. The intramedullary rod of claim 16 wherein the slots are configured to provide compression relief.

19. The intramedullary rod of claim 15 wherein:

the outer stress relief features and the inner stress relief features correspond to;

a first arrangement of slots that are longitudinally spaced from each other for tension relief; and

a second arrangement of slots that are longitudinally spaced from each other to provide compression relief; and

the first and second arrangements of slots are spaced circumferentially apart from each other on one of the elongated members.

20. The intramedullary rod of claim 15 wherein the first and second elongated members include, respectively, a first and second anchor receiving feature.

21. The intramedullary rod of claim 20 wherein the first and second elongated members are configured to be positioned relative to each other such that the first and second anchor receiving features are positioned to receive the same anchor.

22. The intramedullary rod of claim 21 wherein the first and second anchor receiving features are distal a first and a second arrangement of slots.

23. The intramedullary rod of claim 22 wherein the first and second elongated members include, respectively, a third and fourth anchor receiving feature.

24. The intramedullary rod of claim 23 wherein the third and fourth anchor receiving features are proximal the first and second arrangements of slots.

25. The intramedullary rod of claim 15 further comprising a locking mechanism that includes:

a first adjustment flange attached to the first elongated member;

a second adjustment flange attached to the second elongated member; and

a setting element that is configured to prevent relative rotation about the longitudinal axis of the first elongated member with respect to the second elongated member.

26. The intramedullary rod of claim 25 wherein one of the first and second adjustment flanges is threaded.

27. The intramedullary rod of claim 15 further comprising a bone support extending from an end of one of the first and second elongated members.

28. The intramedullary rod of claim 27 further comprising, when the bone support is a first bone support and the end is a first end, a second bone support extending from a second end of one of the first and second elongated members.