Apparatus and method for closing a severed sternum

Abstract

A sternum clamp is provided which comprises a first elongate planar clamping member having turned over, opposed lateral flanges defining guide groove members slidingly received in said guide grooves and movable longitudinally relative to the first clamping member. The clamping members each include pairs of opposed clamping hooks for engaging the opposite sides of a severed sternum. The spacing between the pairs of hooks enables the clamping members to be engaged with the opposed jaws of a pair of pliers to thereby tighten the engagement between the clamping members. The sternum clamp is fabricated of a material such that when the lateral flanges are crimped, the second clamping member is lockingly retained by these flanges. In a method for closing a severed sternum with the sternum clamp, the following steps are carried out: drawing the severed sternum together; burning opposed, matching pairs of holes through each side of the severed sternum; pushing the hooks of one clamping member through one of the pairs of holes and the hooks of the clamping member through the other pair of holes; pushing the clamping members further into engagement until the severed sides of the sternum are correctly positioned; and crimping the lateral flanges to lock the clamping members together.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.