Minimally invasive intramedullary nail insertion instruments and method

A minimally invasive method of creating an entry portal into the canal of a bone and providing a working channel in which to ream the canal of the bone, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) locating an entry portal in a bone of a patient;
• b) inserting a selected guide pin in the bone at the site of the entry portal;
• c) creating a minimally invasive entry portal in the bone with a reaming assembly, with the guide pin acting as a guide for the assembly, the reaming assembly comprising:
• i) an elongated cylindrically-shaped hollow sleeve having a proximal and a distal end, the distal end having a plurality of cutting blades;
• ii) a housing adjacent to the sleeve, the housing having a top portion, a bottom portion and a through bore, the top portion including a first connecting mechanism configured to releasably engage an inner reamer;
• iii) an inner reamer having an elongated cannulated body and proximal and distal ends, the distal end having a rotatable reaming head and the proximal end having a first mechanism configured to connect to a drill, a portion of the body including a second mechanism configured to is engage with the housing, the reamer being sized and shaped for insertion through the bore of the housing and the sleeve;
• d) removing the guide pin and the inner reamer from the assembly while leaving the assembly in the entry portal in the bone;
• e) inserting selected progressively larger sized reamers through the assembly to ream the canal of the bone to a larger diameter;
• f) removing the assembly from the bone upon completion of the canal preparation;
• and
• g) inserting an intramedullary nail into the prepared canal.

A minimally invasive reaming assembly for creating an entry portal into the canal of a bone and providing a working channel in which to ream the canal of a bone, the assembly comprising:

• a) an elongated cylindrically-shaped hollow sleeve having a proximal and a distal end, the distal end having a plurality of cutting blades;
• b) a connecting mechanism on the proximal end of the sleeve configured to engage with an inner reamer;
• c) an inner reamer having an elongated body and proximal and distal ends, the distal end having a rotatable reaming head and the proximal end having a first mechanism configured to connect to a drill, a portion of the body including a second mechanism configured to engage with the proximal end of the sleeve, the reamer being sized and shaped for insertion through a bore of a housing adjacent to and in communication with the hollow sleeve;
• d) whereas the minimally invasive reaming assembly is configured to create an entry portal into the canal of a bone and to provide a working channel in which a plurality of reamers of graduated sizes are inserted for progressively reaming the canal of a bone.