Fracture fixation system

A fracture fixation system for stabilizing a fracture of a human metacarpal, metatarsal, or phalangeal bone, said system comprising:

• a) a solid fixation pin having a proximal end and a distal end, said fixation pin being sized to fit within the medullary canal of the metacarpal or metatarsal bone and having a stiffness sufficient to immobilize the fracture;
• and
• b) an elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end with means for boring a hole in the bone, a longitudinal axis, and a pin guide adjacent said distal end, said pin guide adapted to deflect said distal end of said fixation pin at an angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said shaft when said fixation pin is moved distally relative to said shaft in a first direction, and said shaft is removable from the bone in a direction substantially opposite said first direction without removing said fixation pin from the bone.

A fracture fixation system for stabilizing a fracture of a human metacarpal, metatarsal, or phalangeal bone, said system comprising:

• a) a fixation pin having a proximal portion and a distal portion and being sized to fit within a medullary canal of the metacarpal or metatarsal bone, said distal portion having a non-linear shape;
• and
• b) an elongate shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion with a boring tip, a longitudinal axis, and a pin guide in said distal portion, said pin guide defining a non-linear shape substantially similar to said non-linear shape of said distal portion of said fixation pin, such that when said boring tip of said shaft is entered into the metacarpal or metatarsal bone and said fixation pin is moved distally relative to said shaft in a first direction, said pin guide guides said fixation pin into said medullary canal of the metacarpal or metatarsal bone at an angle relative to said longitudinal axis, said shaft being removable from the bone in a direction substantially opposite said first direction without removing said fixation pin from the bone.

A fracture fixation system for stabilizing a fracture of a human metacarpal, metatarsal, or phalangeal bone, said system comprising:

• a) a solid fixation pin having a proximal end and a distal end, said fixation pin being sized to fit within the medullary canal of the metacarpal or metatarsal bone and having a stiffness sufficient to immobilize the bone fracture and a flexibility sufficient to permit the fixation pin to bend to facilitate insertion into the medullary canal;
• b) a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end provided with a means for boring a hole in the metacarpal bone, a longitudinal axis, and a guiding means for guiding said fixation pin into the medullary canal, wherein portions of said fixation pin and said guiding means are provided with complimentary non-linear shapes;
• c) a handle means for moving said fixation pin distally relative to said shaft in a first direction and through said guiding means, without said fixation pin extending through said proximal end of said shaft, such that said distal end of said fixation pin extends substantially beyond said distal end of said shaft, said shaft being removable from the bone in a direction substantially oppposit said first direction without removing said fixation pin from the bone.

A fixation pin for a fracture fixation system, said fracture fixation system including a shaft provided with a proximal end, a distal end having a means for boring a hole in a base of a metacarpal, metatarsal, or phalangeal bone provided with a bone fracture, and a guiding means for guiding said fixation pin into a medullary canal of the metacarpal, metatarsal, or phalangeal bone, said fixation pin comprising:

• a wire diametrically sized to extend through the medullary canal of the metacarpal, metatarsal, or phalangeal bone, having a stiffness sufficient to immobilize the bone fracture, and having a proximal portion and a distal portion provided with a distal end, said distal portion having a reduced diameter portion adjacent said distal end, and a coil provided about said reduced diameter portion.