Expandable fastener for orthopaedic applications

An expandable fastener for orthopaedic applications, the fastener being arranged for fastening when positioned in a bore hole in bone and comprising:

• a body having an axis;
• an expansion portion moveable between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration and arranged such that the expansion portion is configured to urge outwardly from the axis of the body towards the bone surrounding the bore hole when moving towards the expanded configuration;
• a coupling member for coupling to the expansion portion, the coupling member being moveable along the axis of the body;
• and
• an actuator movable along the axis of the body and arranged to move the coupling member along the axis of the body;
• wherein one of the coupling member and the expansion portion comprises a recess and the other one of the coupling member and the expansion portion comprises a projection, and wherein the projection and the recess are arranged such that a hinge is formed when the projection is received in the recess and the expansion portion is movable about an axis through the projection, and wherein the projection is insertable into the recess in a first angular orientation of an axis of the expansion portion relative to the axis of the body and is prevented from retracting out of the recess in a second angular orientation of the axis of the expansion portion relative to the axis of the body, and
• a blocking portion configured to be moveable relative to the coupling member into a blocking configuration, wherein the blocking portion is positioned to block movement of the expansion portion into the first angular orientation when the expansion portion is in the expanded configuration thereby preventing that the expansion portion can de-couple from the coupling member, the blocking portion being arranged for blocking the expansion portion from over-expanding when in the blocking configuration.