Wrist fusion apparatus and method
AssigneeKinetikos Medical, Inc.
InventorsArnold-Peter C. Weiss, Michael S. Collins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wrist fusion apparatus and method for attachment to and positioning at least one carpus area bone relative to a radius bone without an attachment to a metacarpal bone. The wrist fusion apparatus includes an elongated plate with a bottom and top side and with a proximal portion for positioning an attachment to a radius bone and a distal portion for positioning over and attachment to at least one carpus area of bone without extending over or attaching to a metacarpal bone. The proximal portion has a linear longitudinal axis and the distal portion is disposed along a curved longitudinal line extending from the linear longitudinal axis of the approximal portion. The plate includes fastener holes defined therethrough for receiving bone fasteners.
Claims9
A method of fusing a wrist using a wrist fusion apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a wrist fusion apparatus comprising:
- (i) an elongated plate having a bottom side for at least partially contacting bone and an opposite top side, said plate having a proximal portion for positioning at least partially over and attachment to a radius bone and a distal portion for positioning at least partially over and attachment to at least one carpus area bone without extending over or attaching to a metacarpal bone;
- (ii) said proximal portion of said plate having a longitudinal axis, and said distal portion of said plate being disposed along a substantially curved line extending from the longitudinal axis of said proximal portion;
- and
- (iii) said plate defining a plurality of holes therethrough wherein said proximal portion defines at least one hole for positioning over a radius bone and said distal portion defines at least one hole for positioning over at least one carpus area bone;
- (b) positioning said proximal portion of said plate over and attaching said proximal portion to a radius bone;
- (c) positioning said distal portion of said plate over and attaching said distal portion to at least one carpus area bone without attachment to a metacarpal bone.
A method of fusing a wrist using a wrist fusion apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a wrist fusion apparatus comprising:
- (i) an elongated plate having a bottom side for at least partially contacting bone and an opposite top side, said plate having a proximal portion for positioning over and attachment to a radius bone and a distal portion for positioning over and attachment to a plurality of carpus area bones without extending over or attaching to a metacarpal bone;
- (ii) said distal portion of said plate defining a widened area such that said plate is substantially “t” shaped;
- (iii) said proximal portion of said plate having a longitudinal axis, and said distal portion of said plate being disposed along a substantially curved line extending from the longitudinal axis of said proximal portion, wherein the curved line of said distal portion extends initially in a direction away from the longitudinal axis of said proximal portion and then in a direction back toward the longitudinal axis of said proximal portion;
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- (iv) said plate defining a plurality of holes therethrough wherein said proximal portion defines at least one hole for positioning over a radius bone and said distal portion defines a plurality of holes, including at least one hole positioned through said widened area, for positioning at least one hole over each of a plurality of carpus area bones;
- (b) positioning said proximal portion of said plate over and attaching said proximal portion to a radius bone by fastening a bone screw through said hole of said proximal portion to a radius bone;
- and
- (c) positioning said distal portion of said plate over and attaching said distal portion to a plurality of carpus area bones without attachment to a metacarpal bone by fastening a bone screw through each of said holes of said distal portion to a plurality of carpus area bones including fastening at least one bone screw to a carpus area bone through said at least one hole of said widened area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.