Bone section reattachment apparatus and method

A system for reattaching a removed bone section from the greater trochanter portion of a femur following hip surgery, comprising:

• (a) a plate-like member for fitting over at least a portion of the outer surface of the bone section to be reattached, the member having an inner surface for engaging the bone section and an outer surface facing away from the bone section;
• (b) the outer surface having a plurality of cable holding portions, said cable holding portions including pairs of grooves formed in the outer surface of the plate and extending laterally across the outer surface;
• (c) a plurality of cables, at least two of which is for extending around the femur and into two of the pairs of grooves, and another of said cables for extending around the distal side of the greater trochanter and into a third pair of grooves, one end of each cable being positioned on one of the grooves of each pair and the other end on the other groove of each pair;
• (d) means, associated with the plate, for gripping the ends of a cable and holding the cable in tension on the cable holding portion;
• and
• (e) a recess in the outer surface extending perpendicular to the grooves for receiving said means for gripping and holding.

A system for reattaching a removed bone section from the greater trochanter portion of a femur following hip surgery, comprising:

• (a) a plate-like member for fitting over at least a portion of the outer surface of the bone section to be reattached, the member having an inner surface for engaging the bone section and an outer surface facing away from the bone section;
• (b) the outer surface having a plurality of cable holding portions, said cable holding portions including pairs of grooves formed in the outer surface of the plate and extending laterally across and opening onto a portion of the outer surface, the grooves extending through the member and having openings at the ends of the member;
• (c) a plurality of cables, at least one of which is for extending around the femur and into two of the grooves, and an other of said cables for extending around the distal side of the greater trochanter and into a third groove;
• (d) means, associated with the plate, for gripping the ends of a cable and holding the cable in tension on the cable holding portion;
• and
• (e) a recess, in the outer surface of the plate-like member, extending perpendicular to the grooves for receiving said means for gripping and holding, said recess intersecting each of the grooves.

A method for reattaching a removed bone section, comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning a plate-like member on the outer surface of the removed section, the plate-like member having removable cable gripping and holding means on the outer surface;
• (b) forming at least one hole in the bone on the opposite side of the removed bone section;
• (c) wrapping at least one length of cable around the bone and through the opening, with both ends being passed through opposite sides of the cable gripping and holding means;
• (d) tensioning the cable by pulling on the ends;
• and
• (e) securing the cable gripping and holding means on the cable ends for holding the cable in tension.