Back to results
US 2026/0183028 A1Published application
Sliding flexures for pectus excavatum repair
OwnerBrandon Sargent, Clark Roubicek +2inventors
InventorsBrandon Sargent, Clark Roubicek, Larry Howell, Victor Garcia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implantable medical device, illustratively an arcuate bar with sliding flexures, for the gradual correction of pectus excavatum in patients.
Claims21
A sliding flexure bar for pectus excavatum repair, the sliding flexure bar comprising:
- a first end portion extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the first end portion including a channel;
- a second end portion in spaced relation to the first end portion, the second end portion extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and including a channel;
- a first flexible joint extending from the distal end of the first end portion;
- a second flexible joint extending from the distal end of the second end portion;
- a center portion connecting to the first flexible joint at a first end and the second flexible joint at a second end, the center portion including a channel, the flexible joints permitting the center portion to be moveable between a undeflected state and a deflected state, the center portion extending outwardly in a convex manner from the first and second flexible joint in the undeflected state, and the center portion extending inwardly in a concave manner from the first and second flexible joint in the deflected state;
- a first flexure received in the channel of the center portion on a first end and received in the channel of the first end portion on a second end, the first flexure having variable stiffness along its length;
- and
- a second flexure received in the channel of the center portion on a first end and received in the channel of the second end portion on a second end, the second flexure having variable stiffness along its length.
5 more elements
A system for pectus excavatum repair, the system comprising:
- a sliding flexure bar including:
- a first end portion extending between a proximal end and a distal end;
- a second end portion in spaced relation to the first end portion, the second end portion extending between a proximal end and a distal end;
- a first flexible joint extending from the distal end of the first end portion;
- a second flexible joint extending from the distal end of the second end portion;
- a center portion connecting to the first flexible joint at a first end and the second flexible joint at a second end, the flexible joints permitting the center portion to be moveable from a undeflected state to a deflected state, and vice versa, the center portion extending outwardly in a convex manner from the first and second flexible joint, and the center portion extending inwardly in a concave manner from the first and second flexible joint in the deflected state;
- a first flexure including a first end received in the center portion, and a second end received in the channel of the first end portion, the first flexure having variable stiffness along its length;
- a second flexure including a first end received in the center portion, and a second end received in the second end portion, the second flexure having variable stiffness along its length;
- and
- a pulling device;
- wherein the pulling device is configured to be placed externally of the sliding flexure bar and upon actuation increases the force that the center portion exerts to move from the deflected state to the undeflected state;
- and
- wherein increasing the force that the center portion exerts assists actuating the first and second flexures, moving the center portion from a deflected state to an undeflected state.
10 more elements
A method of correcting pectus excavatum, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a sliding flexure bar including a first end portion, a second end portion in spaced relation to the first end portion, a first flexible joint connected to the first end portion, a second flexible joint connected to the second end portion, a center portion connecting the first and second flexible joint, and a first and second flexure of variable stiffnesses along their length housed within the center portion and either the first end portion or the second end portion;
- inserting the sliding flexure bar within a chest cavity of a patient, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion engage opposing ribs, and the center portion engages a sternum of the patient;
- wherein the center portion applies force against the sternum in an outward direction as the first and second flexible joint moves from a deflected position to an undeflected position;
- and
- wherein as the center portion moves from a deflected position to an undeflected position, the first flexure and the second flexure are actuated in a manner that stiffens the first and second flexible joint.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.