Methods for treating fractures of the femur and femoral fracture devices

An apparatus for treating fractures of the femur comprising:

• An intramedullary rod having a proximal end and a distal end and configured for insertion into the marrow canal of the femur, the intramedullary rod includes a proximal pair of openings closer to the proximal end than to the distal end;
• a spherical joint inserted internal to the intramedullary rod near the proximal pair of openings in the intramedullary rod;
• a cross member configured for insertion through the proximal pair of openings and the spherical joint to permit sliding compression of a fracture of the femur and rotation about a plurality of axes as provided by the spherical joint;
• and
• a securing mechanism internal to the intramedullary rod and configured to lock the polyaxial joint at a predetermined orientation in the first opening.

A method for treating fractures of the femur comprising:

• inserting an intramedullary rod having a proximal end and a distal end into a femur, the intramedullary rod further having a proximal pair of openings closer to the proximal end than to the distal end and a spherical joint internal to the intramedullary rod and near the proximal pair of openings;
• determining a proper angle for insertion of a cross member to engage a head of the femur;
• rotating the spherical joint to an orientation that corresponds with the proper angle for the cross member to engage the femoral head;
• engaging a securing mechanism to lock the spherical joint at the corresponding orientation;
• and
• inserting the cross member through the pair of proximal openings and the spherical joint to engage the femoral head, the cross member permitting a sliding compression of a fracture of the femur.