Intramedullary nail having integrated compression mechanism, and related instrumentation, systems, and methods

An intramedullary nailing system, comprising:

• an intramedullary nail, comprising:
• a nail body elongate along a longitudinal nail axis;
• a spring member disposed within an interior channel defined by the nail body;
• and
• a shuttle joined with the spring member within the interior channel, the shuttle defining at least one aperture extending through the shuttle along an aperture axis angularly offset from the longitudinal nail axis, the at least one aperture configured to receive a locking member for affixing the shuttle to bone;
• a nail inserter having a leading end and a trailing end spaced from each other along a longitudinal direction, wherein the leading end is configured to couple with a trailing end of the intramedullary nail, the nail inserter having an inserter body that defines an inserter cannulation extending from the trailing end to the leading end in a forward direction oriented along a central axis of the inserter body, wherein the forward direction is oriented along the longitudinal direction;
• and
• an instrument comprising:
• an instrument body elongate along a central instrument axis and having a trailing portion, a leading portion spaced from the trailing portion in the forward direction, and an intermediate portion located longitudinally between the trailing and leading portions, the leading portion defining engagement structures and is configured to extend through the inserter cannulation and into engagement with the shuttle, the intermediate portion defining one or more transmission structures;
• and
• a force actuator connectable to the intermediate portion of the elongate instrument body, the force actuator defining one or more complementary transmission formations configured to engage the one or more transmission structures, wherein the force actuator is manipulatable to cause the one or more transmission formations to engage the one or more transmission structures in a manner to translate the elongate instrument body and the shuttle in unison in a rearward direction opposite the forward direction, thereby displacing the spring member so as to load a spring force in the spring member in the forward direction.

A method for preparing an intramedullary nail to provide bone compression, the method comprising:

• attaching a leading portion of a nail inserter to a trailing portion of a nail body of an intramedullary nail, wherein the nail body is elongate along a longitudinal nail axis, the intramedullary nail comprising:
• a spring member disposed within an interior channel defined by the nail body;
• and
• a shuttle joined with the spring member within the interior channel, the shuttle defining at least one aperture configured to receive a locking member for affixing the shuttle to bone;
• wherein the nail body defines a leading portion spaced from the trailing portion in a forward direction;
• advancing an instrument body of an instrument through a longitudinal cannulation of the nail inserter an into engagement with the shuttle;
• coupling a leading portion of the instrument body with the shuttle;
• and
• manipulating a transmission member of the instrument relative to the instrument body in a manner translating the instrument body and the shuttle in unison in a rearward direction opposite the forward direction, thereby loading a spring force in the spring member in the forward direction, wherein the spring force is configured to drive the shuttle in the forward direction to provide the bone compression.