External bone fixation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9675382-B2
Application number	US-201414774374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

The present application discloses embodiments related to an external bone fixation device configured to correct bone deformities or repair bone injuries. The device can include a plurality of bases configured to be attached to portions of a bone and a plurality of struts configured to be adjustable in length to change the position and orientation of the plurality of bases and the attached bone portions.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A strut configured to be connected to a pair of external bone fixation members along a strut axis, the strut comprising:
a threaded rod including a rod body that is elongate along the strut axis, the rod body including a portion and the portion defining an outer surface that is at least partially threaded, the outer surface defining a cross-sectional shape with respect to a direction that is parallel to the strut axis, and the cross-sectional shape is non-circular;
a sleeve including a sleeve body and a bore that extends at least into the sleeve body, the sleeve body defining an inner surface that defines the bore, the inner surface defining an opening of the bore, the opening defining a cross-sectional shape with respect to the direction, the cross-sectional shape of the opening corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the outer surface such that the opening is configured to receive a portion of the rod body and prevent the threaded rod from rotating relative to the sleeve; and
an actuator threadedly attached to the threaded rod and rotatably supported by the sleeve such that the actuator is configured to rotate about the portion of the outer surface of the rod body defining the non-circular cross-sectional shape;
wherein when the portion of the rod body is inserted into the opening of the sleeve, actuation of the actuator causes at least one or both of the threaded rod and the sleeve to translate relative to the other of the threaded rod and the sleeve along the strut axis.

2. The strut of claim 1 , further comprising a length measurement device that is configured attached to the strut and determine the length of the strut.

3. The strut of claim 2 , wherein the length measurement device includes a sensor and a marker, the sensor and the marker configured to be secured to the strut such that rotation of the actuator causes at least one or both of the sensor and the marker to translate relative to the other of the sensor and the marker along the strut axis.

4. The strut of claim 3 , wherein the sensor is supported by the sleeve and the marker is supported by the threaded rod.

5. The strut of claim 2 , wherein the length measurement device outputs the length of the strut to a digital display supported by the length measurement device.

6. The strut of claim 2 , wherein the length measurement device transmits the length of the strut wirelessly to a digital display on a device separate from the length measurement device.

7. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the threaded rod includes at least one flat that partially defines the cross-sectional shape of the outer surface.

8. The strut of claim 7 , wherein the at least one flat extends along a plane that is partially defined by a chord of a circular shape, a portion of the circular shape defining the outer surface.

9. The strut of claim 8 , wherein the plane is defined by the first direction and the second direction.

10. The strut of claim 1 , wherein actuation of the actuator includes rotation of the actuator relative to the threaded rod about the strut axis.

11. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the outer surface matches the cross-sectional shape of the opening.

12. The strut of claim 1 wherein the inner surface includes at least one flat that partially defines the cross-sectional shape of the opening.

13. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the outer surface and the cross-sectional shape of the opening are each substantially D-shaped.

14. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the rod body defines a first maximum dimension that is measured within a first plane that the strut axis is normal to, and the opening of the sleeve defines a second maximum dimension that is measured within a second plane that the strut axis is normal to, wherein the second maximum dimension is greater than the first maximum dimension.

15. A strut configured to be connected to a pair of external bone fixation members along a strut axis, the strut comprising:
a strut body that includes a threaded rod and a sleeve, the threaded rod including a rod body that is elongate along the strut axis, the rod body defining an outer surface that is at least partially threaded, and the sleeve including a sleeve body and a bore that extends at least into the sleeve body, the bore configured to receive at least a portion of the threaded rod such that the threaded rod is translatable relative to the sleeve along the strut axis; and
an actuator supported by the sleeve, the actuator defining an inner surface that is threaded about an entirety of its circumference, such that the inner surface threadedly engages the outer surface of the threaded rod, and rotation of the actuator relative to the threaded rod about the strut axis causes at least one or both of the threaded rod and the sleeve to translate relative to the other of the threaded rod and the sleeve along the strut axis; and
a locking mechanism supported by the threaded rod so as to be translatable relative to the actuator along the strut axis between a locked configuration whereby the locking mechanism prevents the actuator from rotating relative to the threaded rod, and an unlocked configuration whereby the locking mechanism does not prevent the actuator from rotating relative to the threaded rod,
wherein when the actuator is supported by the sleeve and when the locking mechanism is supported by the threaded rod, the actuator defines a first maximum cross-sectional dimension with respect to a direction perpendicular to the strut axis, and the locking mechanism defines a second maximum cross-sectional dimension with respect to the direction, the second maximum cross-sectional dimension being greater than the first maximum cross-sectional dimension.

16. The strut of claim 15 , wherein the entirety of the circumference contacts the outer surface of the threaded rod: 1) when the actuator is rotated in a first direction of rotation about the strut axis and 2) when the actuator is rotated in a second direction of rotation about the strut axis that is opposite the first direction of rotation.

17. The strut of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is configured such that rotation of the actuator relative to the threaded rod about the strut axis requires a minimum force that is constant throughout a full (360 degrees) rotation in either direction of rotation about the strut axis.

18. The strut of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is supported by the sleeve, and the strut is devoid of any mechanism that disengages the threaded attachment of the actuator and the threaded rod.

19. A strut configured to be connected to a pair of external bone fixation members along a strut axis, the strut comprising:
a strut body that includes a threaded rod and a sleeve, the threaded rod including a rod body that is elongate along the strut axis, the rod body defining an outer surface that is at least partially threaded, and the sleeve including a sleeve body and a bore that extends at least into the sleeve body, the bore configured to receive at least a portion of the threaded rod such that the threaded rod is translatable relative to the sleeve along the strut axis; and
an actuator supported by the sleeve and threadedly attached to the threaded rod, such that rotation of the actuator relative to the threaded rod about the strut axis causes at least one or both of the threaded rod and the sleeve to translate relative to the other of the threaded rod and the sleeve along the strut axis, and the strut is devoid of any mechanism tha

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Bordeaux Jean-Noel
• Wahl Michael
• Maughan thomas
• Murray Nicole

Classifications

• A61B17/6441

  Bilateral fixators, i.e. with both ends of pins or wires clamped · CPC title

• A61B17/64

  Devices extending alongside the bones to be positioned · CPC title

• A61B17/6466

  with pin-clamps movable along a solid connecting rod · CPC title

• A61B17/62

  Ring frames, i.e. devices extending around the bones to be positioned ({A61B17/6433} , A61B17/66 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/6416 Primary

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