Surgical staple and instrument for holding and implanting the surgical staple

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016338697-A1
Application number	US-201615161124-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A surgical staple for compressing bones or bone fragments includes a first leg, a second leg, and a bridge monolithically formed with the first and second legs. The bridge has a first end section from which the first leg extends and a second end section from which the second leg extends. A connection between the first leg and the first end second forms a cross-sectional profile, and the bridge has an engagement portion at the first end section that extends away from the cross-sectional profile for engagement with an external tool to adjust the staple from a relaxed state to an expanded state. When the staple is in the relaxed state, at least a portion of the bridge is bent or curved, and free ends of the legs are closer to one another than are portions of the legs connected to the bridge.

First claim

1 . A surgical staple for compressing bones or bone fragments, comprising:
a first leg for anchoring in a first bone or bone fragment; a second leg for anchoring in a second bone or bone fragment; and a bridge monolithically formed with the first leg and the second leg, the bridge having a first end section from which the first leg extends and a second end section opposite the first end section from which the second leg extends; wherein a connection between the first leg and the first end second of the bridge forms a cross-sectional profile perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first leg, wherein the bridge extends away from the cross-sectional profile in a first direction towards the second end section of the bridge, and wherein the bridge comprises at lest one an engagement portion at the first end section that extends away from the cross-sectional profile in a direction different from the first direction for engagement with an external tool to adjust the surgical staple from a relaxed state to an expanded state; wherein when the surgical staple is in the relaxed state, at least a portion of the bridge is bent or curved such that a central region of the bridge is directed away from the first and second legs, and free ends of the first and second legs are positioned closer to one another than are portions of the first and second legs connected to the bridge.

2 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein the engagement portion is formed by a recess, a projection, or an extension at a side surface of the bridge.

3 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein a second engagement portion is provided at the second end section.

4 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein the engagement portion extends along a side surface of the bridge from the first end section to the second end section.

5 . The surgical staple of claim 4 , wherein two engagement portions are respectively provided on opposing side surfaces of the bridge.

6 . The surgical staple of claim 3 , wherein the engagement portions are projections or recesses at at least one side surface of the bridge at or adjacent the first and second end sections, respectively.

7 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein when the surgical staple is in the expanded state, the bridge has a straight shape.

8 . The surgical staple of claim 7 , wherein when the surgical staple is in the expanded state, a surface on a side of the bridge at which the first and second legs are connected substantially defines a plane, and the engagement portion is located at least partially on a side of the plane opposite the first and second legs.

9 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein when the surgical staple is in the relaxed state, the first leg and the second leg have respective leg axes that intersect each other to form an angle between 20 and 40 degrees.

10 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein when the surgical staple is in the expanded state, the legs extend substantially parallel to each other.

11 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein each of the legs extends from the bridge at a 90 degree angle, when the surgical staple is in both the relaxed state and the expanded state.

12 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein the bridge, the first leg, and the second leg each extends in a common single plane when the surgical staple is in the relaxed state.

13 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein the surgical staple comprises a shape memory material exhibiting superelastic properties.

14 . The surgical staple of claim 1 , wherein when the surgical staple is in the expanded state, a distribution of compression forces is exerted along the length of one of the legs in a direction perpendicular to the leg, and wherein a maximum compression force is exerted in a middle third section or in a bottom third section of the leg that is located farthest away from the bridge.

15 . An instrument or tool for holding the surgical staple of claim 1 , the instrument comprising:
an shaped engagement structure shaped corresponding to and configured to cooperate with the engagement portion of the surgical staple; and a pressing portion configured to contact and to exert a pressing force on a central portion of the bridge; wherein the engagement structure and the pressing portion define a cavity shaped to receive and to hold the bridge of the surgical staple in a form-fit manner when the surgical staple is in the expanded state.

16 . The instrument or tool of claim 15 , wherein a second engagement portion is provided at the second end section of the staple and the instrument or tool comprises a second engagement structure for engaging the second engagement portion, and wherein the engagement structures of the instrument or tool are provided at opposite end sections of the cavity.

17 . The surgical staple of claim 3 , wherein the engagement portions are extensions that are integrally formed with the bridge and that extend away from the first and second legs in respective directions opposite to the direction of extension of the portion of the bridge that connects the first leg and the second leg.

18 . The surgical staple of claim 8 , wherein the engagement portion is located entirely on the side of the plane opposite the first and second legs.

19 . A method of implanting a surgical staple in bones or bone fragments for compressing the bones or bone fragments towards one another, the surgical staple comprising a first leg, a second leg, and a bridge monolithically formed with the first leg and the second leg, the bridge having a first end section from which the first leg extends and a second end section opposite the first end section from which the second leg extends, wherein a connection between the first leg and the first end second of the bridge forms a cross-sectional profile perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first leg, wherein the bridge extends away from the cross-sectional profile in a first direction towards the second end section of the bridge, and wherein the bridge comprises an engagement portion at the first end section that extends away from the cross-sectional profile in a direction different from the first direction for engagement with an external tool to adjust the surgical staple from a relaxed state to an expanded state, wherein when the surgical staple is in the relaxed state, at least a portion of the bridge is bent or curved such that a central region of the bridge is directed away from the first and second legs, and free ends of the first and second legs are positioned closer to one another than are portions of the first and second legs connected to the bridge, the method comprising:
engaging the engagement portion of the surgical staple with an external tool to adjust the surgical staple to the expanded state; inserting the first leg of the surgical staple in a first bone or bone fragment and the second leg of the surgical staple in a second bone or bone fragment while the external tool holds the surgical staple in the expanded state; and releasing the external tool from the engagement portion of the surgical staple and moving the surgical staple from the expanded state to the relaxed state.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein when the surgical staple is in the expanded state, the first and second legs are substantially parallel to one another to facilitate the insertion of the legs into the respective bones or bone fragments.

Assignees

• Biedermann Lutz
• Biedermann Timo
• Zipse Achim
• Dreher Gael

Inventors

• Biedermann Lutz
• Biedermann Timo
• Zipse Achim
• Dreher Gael

Classifications

• A61B17/0682

  for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil · CPC title

• A61B2017/564

  Methods for bone or joint treatment · CPC title

• A61B17/861

  specially shaped for gripping driver · CPC title

• A61B2017/8655

  with special features for locking in the bone · CPC title

• A61B17/92

  Impactors or extractors, e.g. for removing intramedullary devices {(insertion or extraction of artificial joints A61F2/4603)} · CPC title