# US 10,117,686 B2 · Method and apparatus for treating a bone fracture

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- Number: US 10,117,686 B2
- Document ID: US10117686B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/053,726
- Filed: 2016-02-25
- Published: 2017-01-26
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-02-07
- Assignees: The Vertical Group, L.P.
- Applicants: MNR Device Corporation
- Inventors: Dennis McDevitt; Vince Novak; Hadley Callaway
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117686B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/7233: {with special means of locking the nail to the bone}
- A61B 17/0401: {Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors (A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811)}
- A61B 17/1717: {for applying intramedullary nails or pins}
- A61B 17/1725: {for applying transverse screws or pins through intramedullary nails or pins}
- A61B 17/72: Intramedullary devices, e.g. pins or nails
- A61B 17/7266: {with fingers moving radially outwardly}
- A61B 17/88: {Osteosynthesis instruments;} Methods or means for implanting or extracting internal {or external} fixation devices {(A61B17/7074 takes precedence)}
- A61B 17/8872: {Instruments for putting said fixation devices against or away from the bone (A61B17/7074, A61B17/808 take precedence)}
- A61B 17/921: {for intramedullary devices}
- A61B 17/808: {Instruments for holding or positioning bone plates, or for adjusting screw-to-plate locking mechanisms}
- A61B 2017/0404: {Buttons}
- A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors}
- A61B 2017/0496: {for tensioning sutures}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Apparatus for treating a bone fracture, the apparatus comprising: an anchoring tube comprising a hollow elongated shaft adapted for disposition in a hole formed in a bone and having a distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending therebetween, and a substantially planar plate mounted to the proximal end of the hollow elongated shaft and adapted for disposition against the outer surface of the bone; wherein the plate comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, and further wherein the bottom surface of the plate is convex, such that when the anchoring tube is disposed in a hole formed in a bone and is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the hollow elongated shaft, the convex bottom surface of the plate maintains supporting contact with the outer surface of the bone.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Apparatus for treating a bone fracture, the apparatus comprising:
an anchoring tube comprising a hollow elongated shaft adapted for disposition in a hole formed in a bone and having a distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending therebetween, and a substantially planar plate mounted to the proximal end of the hollow elongated shaft and adapted for disposition against the outer surface of the bone;
wherein the hollow elongated shaft comprises at least two diametrically-opposed holes extending therethrough;
a breakaway rod for disposition within the lumen of the hollow elongated shaft, the breakaway rod comprising a distal end, a proximal end, a hole proximal to the distal end for alignment with at least two diametrically-opposed holes formed in the hollow elongated shaft, and a breakaway section proximal to the hole formed in the breakaway rod; and
a fixation element for extending through a bone fragment, through two of the at least two diametrically-opposed holes in the hollow elongated shaft, and through the hole in the breakaway rod for securing the bone fragment to the anchoring tube, whereby to secure the bone fragment to the bone receiving the anchoring tube.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fixation element comprises a pin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the pin is threaded.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fixation element comprises a bone screw.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the breakaway rod comprises a plurality of holes formed in the breakaway rod distal to the breakaway section, and wherein the fixation element comprises a plurality of fixation elements each for extending through a bone fragment, two of the at least two diametrically-opposed holes in the hollow elongated shaft, and a hole of the plurality of holes in the breakaway rod.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the fixation elements are selected from the group consisting of a pin, a threaded pin and a bone screw.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a suture assembly extending through a bone fragment, at least one of the diametrically-opposed holes, and the lumen of the anchoring tube, the suture assembly securing the bone fragment to the anchoring tube under tension, whereby to secure the bone fragment to the bone receiving the anchoring tube.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plate comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, and further wherein the bottom surface of the plate is convex, such that when the anchoring tube is disposed in a hole formed in the bone and is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the hollow elongated shaft, the convex bottom surface of the plate maintains supporting contact with the outer surface of the bone.