Modular femoral nail and method of use thereof
AssigneeSpinal Generations, LLC
InventorsPatrick J. Sweeney, Matthew V. Leyden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intramedullary nail for implantation within a fractured bone. The intramedullary nail includes two or more nail modules. Each nail module has an elongated body with a first end and a second end. For each nail module, at least one of the first end or the second end is a connecting end configured to connect to a second connecting end on a second nail module.
Claims30
An intramedullary nail for implantation within a fractured bone, the nail comprising:
- two or more nail modules, each nail having an elongated body with a first end and a second end;
- wherein, for each nail module, at least one of the first end or the second end is a connecting end configured to connect to a second connecting end on a second nail module;
- and
- an engagement mechanism configured to prevent at least one of rotation of a first nail module relative to a second, adjacent nail module and separation of the first nail module from the second, adjacent nail module.
A modular intramedullary nail supply kit comprising:
- a plurality of nail modules, each nail module having an elongated body with a first end and a second end;
- wherein, for each nail module, at least one of the first end or the second end is a connecting end configured to connect to a second connecting end on a second nail module;
- and
- wherein a plurality of intramedullary nails can be formed by selecting and connecting at least two of the plurality of nail modules together;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of nail modules comprises an engagement mechanism configured to prevent at least one of rotation of a first nail module relative to a second, adjacent nail module and separation of the first nail module from the second, adjacent nail module.
A method for building a customizable intramedullary nail, the method comprising:
- determining desired properties for the intramedullary nail;
- based on the desired properties for the intramedullary nail, selecting two or more nail modules from a set of a plurality of nail modules, each nail module having an elongated body with a first end and a second end, wherein, for each nail module, at least one of the first end or the second end is a connecting end;
- and
- connecting the two or more selected nail modules together to form the intramedullary nail by connecting at least one connecting end on each nail module with a second connecting end on a second nail module;
- wherein connecting the two or more selected nail modules together uses an engagement mechanism configured to prevent at least one of rotation of a first nail module relative to a second, adjacent nail module and separation of the first nail module from the second, adjacent nail module.
The method of claim 25, wherein, for at least one selected key, the at least one top ridge is offset from the at least one bottom ridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.