External ankle distraction and load bypassing system and method
AssigneeMoximed, Inc.
InventorsAnton G. Clifford, Imraan Aziz, Thomas King, Michael Strasser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ankle distraction or load bypassing devices include a shoe or shoe insert that securely holds a patient's foot, and a cuff that securely holds the patient's lower leg. A load bypassing device can transmit force between the cuff and the shoe or shoe insert bypassing a portion of the load around the joint. A distraction force generating mechanism between the cuff and the shoe or shoe insert can distract the patient's ankle, while permitting the ankle to flex at a joint which joins together the cuff and the shoe.
Claims41
A device useful for treatment of the ankle joint of a patient, the device comprising:
- a first external member configured and arranged to receive a portion of the patient's leg between the patient's ankle and the patient's knee;
- a second external member configured and arranged to receive at least a portion of the foot of the patient, wherein the second external member is movable with respect to the first external member;
- at least one joint connecting the first and second external members in a movable manner which allows the patient to walk and bend the ankle;
- and
- at least one bone securing element configured and arranged to be implanted in the patient's tibia, fibula, or both, the at least one bone securing element including ends configured and arranged to be connected to the first external member, wherein the device is configured and arranged to at least partially unload the ankle joint by transmitting a portion of the weight of the patient from the first external member to the second external member during loading of the ankle.
A device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one foot securing element comprises at least two spaced apart foot securing elements.
A device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one foot securing element comprises a pin, a screw, or a wire.
A method of treating an ankle of a patient, the method comprising:
- providing a device including a first external member configured and arranged to receive a portion of the patient's leg between the patient's ankle and the patient's knee, a second external member configured and arranged to receive at least a portion of the foot of the patient and at least one joint connecting the first and second external members in a movable manner which allows the patient to walk and bend the ankle;
- implanting a bone securing element in the patient's tibia, fibula, or both;
- positioning the lower leg of the patient in the first external member and securing the first external member to the bone securing element;
- positioning the foot of the patient in the second external member;
- and
- transmitting a load from the patient's leg to the ground via the bone securing element, the first external member and the second external member at least partially bypassing the patient's ankle joint.
A load transferring system for a joint, the system comprising:
- a first external brace portion configured and arranged to be attached to at least one bone on one side of said joint by an implantable member;
- an entirely external second brace portion configured and arranged to be fixed the other side of the joint without any implantable member;
- and
- a rotatable joint connected to the first portion and the second portion, the rotatable joint configured and arranged to bypass load around the joint.
A device useful for treatment of a joint of a patient, the device comprising:
- a first external member configured and arranged to receive a portion of the patient's joint;
- a second external member configured and arranged to receive at least a second portion of the of the patient's joint, wherein the second external member is movable with respect to the first external member;
- at least one device joint connecting the first and second external members in a movable manner which allows the joint of the patient to articulate;
- and
- at least one bone securing element configured and arranged to be implanted in a patient's joint bone, the at least one bone securing element including ends configured and arranged to be connected to the first external member, wherein the device is configured and arranged to at least partially unload the joint by transmitting a portion of the joint forces of the patient from the first external member to the second external member during loading of the joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.