Bone alignment implant and method of use

• US 8,133,230 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter M. Stevens
• Original Assignee: Peter M. Stevens
• Inventors: Stevens, Peter M., Justin, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, MARY C
• Application Number:
  US12/051,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 606280-299, 606 70- 71, 606/75
• US Class Current: 606/87
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1728 for holes for bone plates or plate screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1778 for the shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1782 for the hand or wrist
• 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 17/80 Cortical plates , i.e. bone plates; Instruments for holding or positioning cortical plates, or for compressing bones attached to cortical plates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8085 with pliable or malleable elements or having a mesh-like structure, e.g. small strips A61B17/8071, A61B17/8076 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8625 Shanks, i.e. parts contacting bone tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8635 Tips of screws

Abstract

A method for correcting an angular deformity in a bone includes inserting a guide wire within a physis of a bone having an angular deformity, the physis extending between a first side the bone on which the guide wire is inserted and an opposing second side of the bone. The guide wire is used to guide a link to the physis. The link is then secured to the first side of the bone so that the link spans across the physis and restricts the growth of the physeal tissue of the physis on the first side of the bone. The physis is then allowed to generate more physeal tissue on the second side of the bone than on the first side of the bone so that the angular deformity of the bone is reduced.

Claims

1. A method for correcting an angular deformity in a bone, the method comprising:

inserting a guide wire within a physis of a long bone of an arm or leg having an angular deformity, the physis separating a metaphyseal section of the bone from a epiphyseal section of the bone;

using the guide wire to guide a link to the physis, the link comprising a first opening and a spaced apart second opening passing therethrough;

advancing a first bone engager through the first opening and into the metaphyseal section of the bone; and

advancing the second bone engager through the second opening and into the epiphyseal section of the bone so that the link spans across the physis and restricts growth of the physeal tissue of the physis adjacent to the link, the first bone engager and the second bone engager each being pivotably coupled to the link so that the first bone engager and the second bone engager pivot relative to the link as the physis generates more physeal tissue.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the guide wire extends through a guide opening formed on the link, the step of using the guide wire to guide the link to the physis comprising sliding the link over the guide wire to the physis.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of using the guide wire to guide the link to the physis comprises:

passing a free end of the guide wire through a guide opening on the link, the guide opening extending through and being completely encircled by the link; and

sliding the link down the length of the guide wire to the physis.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the steps of advancing the first bone engager and advancing the second bone engager comprise screwing the first bone engager into the metaphyseal section of the bone and screwing the second bone engager into the epiphyseal section of the bone.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising allowing the physis to generate more physeal tissue so that distal ends of the first bone engager and the second bone engager are further separated by the more physeal tissue and the angular deformity of the bone is reduced.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing the physis to generate more physeal tissue so that distal ends of the first bone engager and the second bone engager are increasingly separated so as to cause bending of the link between the first bone engager and the second bone engager.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising removing the first bone engager and the second bone engager from the bone after the physis has generated sufficient physeal tissue to reduce the angular deformity of the bone.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing the steps of advancing the first bone engager and advancing the second bone engager when the bone is free of any fractures.

9. A method for correcting an angular deformity in a bone, the method comprising:

positioning a link so that the link spans across a physis of a bone, the bone having an angular deformity;

advancing a first bone engager through a first opening on the link and into a metaphyseal section of the bone so that the first bone engager secures the link to the metaphyseal section, the metaphyseal section being located on one side of the physis;

advancing a second bone engager through a second opening on the link and into an epiphyseal section of the bone so that the second bone engager secures the link to the epiphyseal section, the epiphyseal section being located on an opposite side of the physis, the link thereby restricting the growth of physeal tissue of the physis adjacent to the link; and

allowing the physis to generate more physeal tissue on a side of the bone opposite the link so that the angular deformity of the bone is reduced, the first bone engager and the second bone engager each being pivotably coupled to the link so that the first bone engager and the second bone engager pivot relative to the link as the physis generates more physeal tissue.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising removing the link from the bone after the angular deformity of the bone is reduced.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the steps of advancing the first bone engager and advancing the second bone engager comprise screwing the first bone engager into the metaphyseal section of the bone and screwing the second bone engager into the epiphyseal section of the bone.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising allowing the physis to generate more physeal tissue so that distal ends of the first bone engager and the second bone engager are increasingly separated so as to cause bending of the link between the first bone engager and the second bone engager.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising performing the step of positioning the link when the bone is free of any fractures.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of positioning the link comprises:

inserting a guide wire within the physis of the bone; and

using the guide wire to guide the link to the physis.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the step of using the guide wire to guide the link to the physis comprises:

passing a free end of the guide wire through a guide opening on the link; and

sliding the link down the length of the guide wire to the physis.

16. A method for correcting an angular deformity in a bone, the method comprising:

positioning a link so that the link spans across a physis of a long bone of an arm or leg, the bone having an angular deformity;

screwing a first bone engager into a metaphyseal section of the bone so that the first bone engager secures the link to the metaphyseal section, the metaphyseal section being located on one side of the physis;

screwing a second bone engager into an epiphyseal section of the bone so that the second bone engager secures the link to the epiphyseal section, the epiphyseal section being located on an opposite side of the physis, the link thereby restricting the growth of physeal tissue of the physis adjacent to the link; and

allowing the physis to generate more physeal tissue on a side of the bone opposite the link so that the angular deformity of the bone is reduced, the first bone engager and the second bone engager each being pivotably coupled to the link so that the first bone engager and the second bone engager pivot relative to the link as the physis generates more physeal tissue.