External fixator for calcaneus fractures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12408947-B2
Application number	US-202118250488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2021
Priority date	Oct 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an external fixator for orthopedic use, in particular for the treatment of calcaneus fractures, comprising: a rigid support for a first clamp for fixing bone screws; a second support for a second clamp that is hinged at an end of the rigid support; a third support for a third clamp that is hinged at an end of the rigid support; the rigid support being configured as a guide with the first clamp slidingly mounted thereon. The fixator according to the invention is made of radiolucent material with joint elements comprising partially radiolucent or radiopaque materials and configured to allow orienting the bone screws held by the clamps in directions that are tilted to each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An external fixator for orthopedic use, in particular for treatment of calcaneus fractures, comprising:
a first clamp for fixing bone screws;
a second clamp;
a third clamp;
a rigid support for the first clamp;
a second support for the second clamp, said second support being hinged at an end of the rigid support; and
a third support for the third clamp, said third support being hinged at the end of the rigid support; and
the rigid support being configured as at least one guide with the first clamp slidingly mounted thereon; wherein the end of the rigid support for connection with the second and third supports is configured to house respective hinges, wherein the rotational axes of said hinges are orthogonal to each other.

2. The fixator according to claim 1 , wherein the third support is also configured as a guide with the third clamp sliding thereon.

3. The fixator according to claim 2 , wherein the third clamp is mounted on an “L”-shaped element having a slider base side sliding on the third support and an elevated portion that is perpendicular to the base side whereon a jaw lid of the third clamp is coupled.

4. The fixator according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide comprises two opposite guides and the rigid support has a U-shaped cross-section, with a bottom of the U shape provided with an internal longitudinal thread and open ends of the U shape provided with the opposite guides; and an externally threaded cylindrical carriage is slidable by screwing into the longitudinal thread of the rigid support.

5. The fixator according to claim 4 , wherein the first clamp has a base with a portion that is projecting downwards to be held in an annular recess formed on said threaded cylindrical carriage and is further provided with at least one guide and anti-disassembly longitudinal tooth.

6. The fixator according to claim 4 , wherein said cylindrical carriage is configured with a self-friction structure.

7. The fixator according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid support and said second and third supports are made of radiolucent material, and the hinges are made of partially radiolucent material.

8. The fixator according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first clamp, the second clamp, and the third clamp has a first seat for receiving a first bone screw and a second seat for receiving a second bone screw, the first seat having angular recesses to allow housing the first bone screw in a tilted manner with respect to the second bone screw that is transversally held by the clamp.

9. The fixator according to claim 8 , wherein the first seat is positioned outwards with respect to the second seat.

10. The fixator according to claim 8 , wherein the first seat allows orienting the screws on only one plane that is parallel to a resting axis of the rigid support.

11. The fixator according to claim 8 , wherein the fixator comprises a cage element inserted in the first seat with angular recesses to guide and angularly orient the first bone screw into a corresponding angled seat of the clamp.

12. The fixator according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first clamp, the second clamp, and the third clamp has a first seat and a second seat for receiving respective bone screws, the second seat being transversal and the first seat being tilted with respect to the second seat.

13. The fixator according to claim 1 , wherein the second clamp has a base corresponding to the second support and a removable jaw lid that is mounted on the base by means of a tightening screw coupling.

14. The fixator according to claim 13 , wherein said tightening screw is inserted in a threaded hole passing through the base and that a head of the tightening screw is hiddenly received into the base.

15. The fixator according to claim 1 , wherein each clamp comprises a respective transversal through-hole placed at one end of the clamp towards the outside of the fixator to house a corresponding K-wire.

Assignees

• Orthofix Srl

Inventors

• Vicenzi Federico
• Caiaffa Vincenzo
• Venturini Daniele

Classifications

• A61B17/6458

  with pin-clamps fixed at ends of connecting element · CPC title

• A61B17/6475

  the connecting rod being threaded · CPC title

• A61B17/6416 Primary

  with non-continuous, e.g. hinged, pin-clamp connecting element (A61B17/6425, A61B17/6441 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/66 Primary

  {Alignment}, compression or distraction mechanisms · CPC title