Intra-oral bone distraction device
OwnerCesar A. Guerrero, William H. Bellinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bone distraction device fixed by screws to a sectioned bone to facilitate multidirectional repositioning of the jaw bone. The expansion device is expandable to cause incremental expansion in the bone for lengthening or widening thereof. Support wires extending from the device can be clipped to desired lengths to accommodate the particular orientation of the device with respect to the bone. Forked or split anchor ends are then attachable to the wire arms and crimped or otherwise secured thereto. The anchor ends engage with respective bone screws so that when the expansion device is activated, the bone is forced apart.
Claims31
A bone distraction device for applying a uniform expansion pressure to a plurality of anchor posts set into a bone, comprising in combination:
- an expansion device having a first part movably attached to a second part and an adjustment mechanism for axially moving said first part with respect to said second part;
- anchor post engaging apparatus for connecting said expansion device to an anchor post, each said anchor post engaging apparatus having only two components, including
- 1) an anchor end, and
- 2) a rigid arm;
- said anchor end being structured for engaging with a respective anchor post and attachment to a distal end of said rigid arm, and said rigid arm having no bends at said distal end when attached to said anchor end, thus reducing any compromise in the transfer of lateral forces;
- and
- a proximal end of said rigid arm fastened to said expansion device and said rigid arm constructed so as to be adjustable in length by a surgeon, thereby allowing said anchor end to be spaced a desired distance from said expansion device.
A method of constructing a bone distraction device, comprising the steps of:
- forming a first part and a second part movable with respect to each other;
- forming a first member so as to be attached to said first part and extending therefrom;
- forming a second member so as to be attached to said second part and extending therefrom;
- forming a respective anchor end for attachment to each said member, and forming said first and second members so as to be adjustable in effective length to thereby vary the spacing between said anchor ends and the respective first and second parts during use of the device;
- and
- forming each said anchor end with a portion thereof having an opening for engaging with an anchor post secured within a bone, each said anchor end further being formed with a tubular receptacle formed integral with said portion, and said tubular receptacle having an internal closed end.
A method of using a bone distraction device, comprising the steps of:
- installing at least two spaced apart bone screws to a severed bone, said bone screws being set in the bone on different sides of a cut in the bone;
- adjusting a length of at least one of a plurality of arms attached to a body portion of the bone distraction device;
- attaching an end to said adjusted arm for engaging a bone screw;
- installing said device for engagement between the bone screws;
- and
- adjusting said device to expand a first part from a second part of said device to thereby force the bone screws apart and thereby separate the severed bone.
A bone distraction device, comprising in combination:
- an expansion device having two parts that are coupled together with a threaded rod so that when the threaded rod is rotated, the expansion device parts are moved apart in an axial direction;
- an anchor end structured for engagement with a post anchored in a bone;
- and
- a plurality of rigid wire arms, at least one end of each wire arm being threaded and engageable with a threaded part in one of said expansion device or said anchor end, whereby rotation of said arms is effective to adjust a spacing of said anchor ends in said axial direction from said expansion device without removing said bone distraction device from a patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.