Cable and Crimp for Bone Surgery
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorAlberto Fernandez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical cable and crimp device is provided. The cable has an enlargement (bead) affixed to one of its ends. The crimp member includes two holes. One of the holes includes a slot and a cavity. The cavity is sized to accept the bead of the cable, and the slot is sized to receive the flexible cable but not allow the bead to pass through. The other hole is a simple through hole. The cable can be inserted to loop the bone isolated from the crimp member. After the beaded end of the surgical cable is fastened to the crimp, the cable is passed through the simple through hole. The cable is then tensioned by the application thereto of a tensioning tool with the tool applied to the cable and to an abutment face of the crimp member.
Claims16
1-5. (canceled)
A method for fixing bone elements, comprising:
- looping a flexible cable around a bone, the flexible cable having a first end, a second end, a width, and an enlargement at the first end greater than the width of the cable;
- providing a crimp member including:
- a first hole having a length, a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a slot running along the length of the hole, the proximal portion of the first hole including a cavity configured and dimensioned to accept the enlargement at the first end of the cable, the slot configured and dimensioned to permit the width of the cable to pass through the slot, and the distal portion of the first hole configured and dimensioned to permit the width of the cable to pass through the distal portion of the first hole and prevent the enlargement from passing through the distal portion of the first hole, and
- a second hole having a length, the second hole configured and dimensioned to permit insertion of the second end of the cable through the second hole;
- inserting the enlargement at the first end of the cable into the first hole of the crimp member and the width of the cable through the slot in the first hole of the crimp member;
- pulling the flexible cable through the first hole of the crimp member so that the flexible cable emerges from the distal portion of the first hole and the enlargement remains within the first hole;
- passing the second end of the flexible cable through the second hole of the crimp member;
- and
- tensing the flexible cable to secure the bone.
A fastening apparatus for fixing bone elements, comprising:
- a. a flexible cable having a first end, a second end, and a width, the first end including an enlargement greater than the width of the cable;
- and
- b. a crimp member including
- i. a first hole having a length, a slot, a first opening formed on a first planar face of the crimp member and opening into a first portion of the slot, a second opening formed on a second planar face of the crimp member and extending distally from the first opening and having a second portion and third portion of the slot, and a third opening formed on a third planar face of the crimp member and opening into the third portion of the slot, the first opening being configured and dimensioned to accept the enlargement at the first end of the cable, the proximal portion of the slot being configured and dimensioned to permit the enlargement of the cable to pass therethrough, the second opening being configured and dimensioned to permit the width of the cable to pass therethrough and prevent the enlargement from passing therethrough, the second portion being configured and dimensioned to permit the enlargement to pass therethrough, the third portion being configured and dimensioned to permit the width of the cable to pass therethrough and prevent the enlargement from passing therethrough;
- and
- ii. a second hole having a length, the second hole configured and dimensioned to permit insertion of the second end of the cable therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.