Apparatus and methods for joining bones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12336704-B2
Application number	US-202318154788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2023
Priority date	Jan 13, 2023
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are described for use in securing a first bone relative to a second bone using a pair of surgical staples or, alternatively, a surgical staple and a bone screw. When a pair of staples are used, one of the legs of one of the staples may pass between the legs of the another of the staples. When a staple and a bone screw are used, the bone screw may pass between the legs of the staple. A guide tool can be used during the drilling of the holes for the legs of the staples or the legs of the staple and a bone screw. The guide tool provides guides for drilling guide holes for the staples or for the screw and staple.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A guide tool adapted for use in drilling holes in bones for insertion of legs of a first surgical staple and legs of a second surgical staple, the guide tool comprising:
a handle;
a rearward set of drill guides fixed relative to the handle; and
an arm fixed relative to the handle, the arm having a forward set of drill guides,
each of the forward set of drill guides has a longitudinally extending opening with a central axis, the longitudinally extending openings adapted for inserting a drill bit for drilling a hole in an adjacent bone; and
each of the rearward set of drill guides has a longitudinally extending opening with a central axis, the longitudinally extending openings adapted for inserting a drill bit for drilling a hole in an adjacent bone;
wherein one of the forward set of drill guides and rearward set of drill guides includes four drill guides and another of the forward set of drill guides and rearward set of drill guides includes two drill guides, and wherein the arm is configured such that the central axes of the two drill guides project between a projection of the central axes of the four drill guides.

2. The guide tool of claim 1 , wherein the rearward set of drill guides includes four drill guides and the forward set of drill guides includes two drill guides, and wherein the arm is configured such that the central axes of the drill guides of the forward set of drill guides project between a projection of the central axes of the drill guides of the rearward set of drill guides.

3. The guide tool of claim 1 , wherein a line passing through one of the central axes of the forward set of drill guides is at an angle of between 30° and 150° relative to a line passing through one of the central axes of the rearward set of drill guides.

4. The guide tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the drill guides includes a sleeve with a through-bore for receiving, in use, a drill bit, the sleeves of the rearward set of drill guides being axially and rotationally fixed relative to the handle and the sleeves of the forward set of drill guides being axially and rotationally fixed relative to the handle.

5. The guide tool of claim 1 , wherein the handle, at least a portion of the rearward set of drill guides and at least a portion of the forward set of drill guides are unitary and formed of a single body.

6. A method of drilling holes in one or more bones for insertion of a legs of a first surgical staple and legs of a second surgical staple using the guide tool of claim 1 , the method comprising:
positioning the rearward set of drill guides adjacent the bone or one of the bones;
positioning the forward set of drill guides adjacent the bone or another of the bones;
inserting a drill bit progressively through each of the drill guides of the rearward set of drill guides and drilling holes in the bone or one of the bones for receiving the legs of the first surgical staple; and
inserting a drill bit progressively through each of the drill guides of the forward set of drill guides and drilling holes in the bone or another of the bones for receiving the legs of the second surgical staple.

7. A method of securing a first bone or bone piece to a second bone or bone piece using a first surgical staple having four legs and a second surgical staple having two legs, the method comprising:
drilling a first set of holes in the first and second bone pieces or bones using a first set of drill guides, the first set of holes comprising four holes for receiving the legs of the first surgical staple, the four holes comprising a first pair of holes and a second pair of holes, at least one of the first set of holes being in the first bone and at least one of the first set of holes being in the second bone;
drilling a second set of holes in the first and second bone pieces or bones using a second set of drill guides, the second set of holes comprising two holes for receiving the legs of the second surgical staple, one of the second set of holes being in the first bone and one of the second set of holes being in the second bone, wherein one of the two holes passes between the first pair of holes and another of the two holes passes between the second pair of holes;
inserting the four legs of the first surgical staple in the four holes; and
inserting the two legs of the second surgical staple in the two holes;
wherein the first and second set of drill guides are permanently fixed relative to each other.

8. A guide tool adapted for use in drilling holes in bone pieces or bones for insertion of legs of a surgical staple and a bone screw, the tool comprising:
a handle;
a rearward set of drill guides fixed relative to the handle for use in drilling holes for the legs of the surgical staple, each of the rearward set of drill guides having a longitudinally extending opening with a central axis, the longitudinally extending openings adapted for insertion of a drill bit for drilling a hole in an adjacent bone;
an arm extending forward relative to the handle; and
a forward drill guide fixed relative to the arm for use in drilling a hole for the bone screw, the forward drill guide having a longitudinally extending opening with a central axis, the longitudinally extending opening adapted for inserting a drill bit for drilling a hole through a pair of adjacent bones or bone pieces;
wherein the arm has a plurality of bends such that the central axis of the forward drill guide projects between a projection of the central axes of the rearward set of drill guides and at an oblique angle relative to a line extending between each of the central axes of the rearward set of drill guides.

9. A method of drilling holes in bone pieces or bones for insertion of a legs of a surgical staple and bone screw using the guide tool of claim 8 , the method comprising:
positioning the rearward set of drill guides and the forward drill guide adjacent the bones;
inserting a drill bit progressively through each of the drill guides of the rearward set of drill guides and drilling holes for the legs of the surgical staple in the bones; and
inserting a drill bit through the forward drill guide and drilling a hole for the bone screw through one of the bones and at least partially into another of the bones.

Assignees

• Medline Industries Lp

Inventors

• Niver Ryan
• Pheil Natan
• Nader Samuel
• Koka Dinesh

Classifications

• A61B17/1775

  for the foot or ankle · CPC title

• A61B17/1739

  specially adapted for particular parts of the body · CPC title

• A61B17/1782

  for the hand or wrist · CPC title

• A61B17/1714

  for applying tendons or ligaments (implements for applying tendons or ligaments A61F2/0805) · CPC title

• A61B17/1682

  for the foot or ankle · CPC title