Intramedullary nail

An intramedullary nail comprising:

• a nail body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end configured and dimensioned for coupling to an insertion device, and a distal end having a tip configured and dimensioned for insertion into the intramedullary canal of a long bone,
• at least three transverse holes extending through the distal end of the nail body, each transverse hole defining a hole axis, and all three transverse holes grouped at the distal end within a distance x measured from the tip of the nail body to the axis of the transverse hole furthest from the tip,
• wherein a projection of the three hole axes of the at least three transverse holes in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis is such that at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α with respect to one another, where 0<α<90°, and where the distance x≦25 d, where d is either the diameter of the largest of the at least three transverse holes or d is the mean diameter of the at least three holes.

The nail of claim 1, where the distance x≦7 d.

The nail of claim 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 58°≦α≦62°.

The nail of claim 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 59°≦α≦61°.

The nail of claim 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 43°≦α≦47°.

The nail of claim 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 44°≦α≦46°.

The nail of claims 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 35°≦α≦37°.

The nail of claim 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 35.5°≦α≦36.5°.

The nail of claim 1, The nail of claim 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 29°≦α≦31°.

The nail of claim 1, wherein at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α of 29.5°≦α≦30.5°.

The nail of claim 1, further comprising at least a fourth hole grouped at the distal end of the nail body within the distance x measured from the tip of the nail body to the axis of the transverse hole furthest from the tip.

An intramedullary nail comprising:

• a nail body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end configured and dimensioned for coupling to an insertion device, and a distal end having a tip configured and dimensioned for insertion into the intramedullary canal of a long bone,
• at least three transverse holes extending through the distal end of the nail body, each transverse hole defining a hole axis, and all three transverse holes grouped at the distal end within a distance x measured from the tip of the nail body to the axis of the transverse hole furthest from the tip,
• wherein a projection of the three hole axes of the at least three transverse holes in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis is such that at least two of the projected hole axes are at an angle α with respect to one another, where 0<α<90°, and where the distance x<2 (n)(d), where n is the number of transverse holes grouped within the distance x from the tip of the nail body and d is either the diameter of the largest of the at least three transverse holes or d is the mean diameter of the at least three holes.

The intramedullary nail of claim 51, wherein the at least two intersecting transverse holes are spaced at an angle α of 88°-92° with respect to one another.