# US 10,945,776 B2 · Surgical assembly and method for repairing depression fractures

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- Number: US 10,945,776 B2
- Document ID: US10945776B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/004,984
- Filed: 2018-06-11
- Published: 2018-10-11
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-21
- Assignees: Arthrex, Inc.
- Applicants: Arthrex, Inc.
- Inventors: Christoph Elser; Niclas W. Schiffer; Brandon Roller; Audrey Chaudot; Sebastien Parratte; Joshua Dines
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945776B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/8866: {for gripping or pushing bones, e.g. approximators (joint distractors A61B17/025)}
- A61B 17/3472: {for bones, e.g. intraosseus injections}
- A61B 17/8811: {characterised by the introducer tip, i.e. the part inserted into or onto the bone}
- A61B 17/8819: {characterised by the introducer proximal part, e.g. cannula handle, or by parts which are inserted inside each other, e.g. stylet and cannula (A61B17/8825 takes precedence)}
- A61B 17/8816: {characterised by the conduit, e.g. tube, along which fluid flows into the body or by conduit connections}
- A61B 2017/3456: {blunt}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A surgical method includes accessing a depressed bone fragment of a depression fracture with a surgical assembly. The surgical assembly includes a cannula and an obturator receivable through the cannula. The method further includes positioning the depressed bone fragment toward its original anatomical position using a blunt tip of the obturator. The method also includes injecting a liquid repair material through the cannula to the depression fracture to repair the depression fracture.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surgical method, comprising:
forming a pilot hole through cortical bone that is located inferior to a depression fracture;
accessing a depressed bone fragment of the depression fracture with a surgical assembly by locating a blunt tip of an obturator beneath the depressed bone fragment, the surgical assembly including a cannula positioned inside a joint and the obturator receivable through the cannula, wherein the cannula includes a distal end, and the blunt tip of the obturator and the distal end of the cannula are curved and extend along an axis that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the surgical assembly;
positioning the depressed bone fragment toward its original anatomical position using the blunt tip of the obturator to raise the depressed bone fragment toward the original anatomical position;
removing the obturator from the cannula;
inserting a delivery device in the cannula;
injecting a liquid repair material through the cannula to the depression fracture with the delivery device to repair the depression fracture; and
keeping the cannula inside the joint between the steps of removing the obturator from the cannula and injecting the liquid repair material through the cannula.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The surgical method as recited in claim 1, comprising removably attaching a first fitting of the cannula to a second fitting of the obturator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The surgical method as recited in claim 1, wherein the injection step includes flowing the liquid repair material through a plurality of openings at the distal end of the cannula.

### Claim 4

A surgical method, comprising:
accessing a depressed bone fragment of a depression fracture with a surgical assembly, the surgical assembly including a cannula positioned inside a joint and an obturator receivable through the cannula, wherein the cannula includes a distal end;
positioning the depressed bone fragment toward its original anatomical position using a blunt tip of the obturator, wherein the blunt tip of the obturator and the distal end of the cannula are curved and extend along an axis that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the surgical assembly;
injecting a liquid repair material through the cannula to the depression fracture to repair the depression fracture; and
keeping the cannula inside the joint between the steps of positioning the depressed bone fragment toward its original anatomical position and injecting the liquid repair material through the cannula.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The surgical method as recited in claim 4, wherein the accessing step includes locating the blunt tip of the obturator beneath the depressed bone fragment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The surgical method as recited in claim 5, wherein the locating step includes positioning the blunt tip such that the blunt tip is generally perpendicular to the depressed bone fragment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The surgical method as recited in claim 5, wherein the locating step includes positioning the blunt tip past the distal end of the cannula.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The surgical method as recited in claim 4, comprising, prior to the accessing step, forming a pilot hole through cortical bone that is located inferior to the depression fracture.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The surgical method as recited in claim 4, comprising, subsequent to the positioning step, removing the obturator from the cannula.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The surgical method as recited in claim 4, comprising, prior to the injecting step, inserting a delivery device in the cannula to inject the liquid repair material through the cannula.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The surgical method as recited in claim 10, wherein the injecting step includes injecting the liquid repair material through the cannula after the inserting step.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The surgical method as recited in claim 4, wherein the positioning step includes raising the depressed bone fragment toward the original anatomical position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 4)

The surgical method as recited in claim 4, comprising removably attaching a first fitting of the cannula to a second fitting of the obturator.

### Claim 14 (depends on 4)

The surgical method as recited in claim 4, wherein the injection step includes flowing the repair material through a plurality of openings at the distal end of the cannula.