Bone alignment and fixation device and method
AssigneeBioplate, Inc.
InventorsTadeusz Z. Wellisz, Eric V. Hohenstein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention concerns a device, and instruments for its insertion, that aligns two sections of bone and fixates the two sections to one another. The alignment feature and the fixation feature are typically independent, but they are incorporated into one device. The device is particularly well adapted to the alignment and fixation of a fragment of cranial bone with the remainder of the cranium. The device can be applied to a cranial bone fragment, and it allows the bone fragment to be aligned with the outer cortex of the cranium; prevents the bone fragment from entering the cranial cavity; and if desired, fixates the bone fragment to the cranium.
Claims30
A clip to inter-connect primary and secondary bone zones having edges, comprising in combination:
- a) a tab to extend over a surface of the secondary bone zone, above a level defined by that surface, and
- b) a first projection carried by the tab and configured to penetrate the primary bone zone at the edge thereof, and below said first level.
The method of using a clip to interconnect primary and secondary bone zones having edges, the clip comprising
- a) a tab to extend over a surface of the secondary bone zone, above a level defined by that surface, and
- b) a first projection carried by the tab and configured to penetrate the primary bone zone at the edge thereof, and below said first level, said method including the steps
- i) causing the first projection to penetrate said primary bone zone,
- ii) and then locating the tab to extend over said surface of the secondary bone zone, and attaching the tab to said surface.
A cranial clip comprising, in combination
- a) a clip having a support plate,
- b) a flange integral with the plate and extending away from the plate,
- c) at least one push-in tang integral with and protruding from the flange and extending generally parallel to the plate,
- d) said tang having a sharp tip to be pushed into cranial soft bone tissue proximate an edge of the skull.
Apparatus to prevent a bone fragment from entering the cranial cavity, during positioning of said fragment at an opening in the cranium, comprising
- a) a carrier for the bone fragment, and
- b) an aligner on the carrier to engage a surface or surfaces of the cranium during positioning of the bone fragment relative to said cranial opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.