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US 6,423,063 B1Granted
Changing relationship between bones
OwnerPeter M. Bonuttiinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerPeter M. Bonuttiinventor
Estimating the term…
To change a spatial relationship between two or more bones in a patient's body, a wedge member is moved into a joint between the bones. As the wedge member enters the joint, pivotal movement occurs between the bones to change the orientation of the bones relative to each other. The wedge member may have a circular cross sectional configuration and be moved into the joint by rotating the wedge member about an axis which extends between a thin leading edge portion and a thick trailing edge portion of the wedge member. Alternatively, the wedge member may have a cam-shaped configuration and be rotated through less than a revolution to apply force against the bones. The wedge member may have a porous construction which enables bone to grow through the wedge member and immobilize the joint. The wedge member may be coated with and/or contain bone growth promoting material. The wedge member may be connected to only one of the bones or may be connected to two adjacent bones. If the wedge member is connected to only one bone, the joint may be capable of being flexed after the wedge member is inserted into the joint.
A method comprising the steps of changing a spatial relationship between first and second bones which are ginter connected at a joint in a patient's body, said step of changing a spatial relationship between the first and second bones includes moving a wedge member which is at least partially formed of biodegradable material into the joint between the first and second bones, said step of moving the wedge member into the joint between the first and second bones includes moving the second bone from a first orientation relative to the first bone to a second orientation relative to the first bone Under the influence of force applied against the second bone by the wedge member as the wedge member moves into the joint between the first and second bones, thereafter, transmitting force between the first and second bones through the wedge member while the second bone is in the second orientation relative to the first bone, and, thereafter, degrading biodegradable material of the wedge member.
A method comprising the steps of changing a spatial relationship between first and second bones which are interconnected at a joint in a patient's body, said step of changing a spatial relationship between the first and second bones includes providing a plurality of wedge members at a location where an operation is to be performed on the patient, said step of providing a plurality of wedge members includes providing a plurality of wedge members of different sizes, selecting one wedge member from the plurality of wedge members while the plurality of wedge members is at the location where an operation is to be performed on the patient, moving the selected one of the plurality of wedge members into the joint between the first and second bones to move the second bone from a first orientation relative to the first bone to a second orientation relative to the first bone under the influence of force applied against the second bone by the selected one of the plurality of wedge members as the selected one of the plurality of wedge members moves into the joint between the first and second bones, and transmitting force between the first and second bones through the selected one of the plurality of wedge members while the second bone is in the second orientation relative to the first bone.
A method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of wedge members formed of bone at a location where an operation is to be performed on the patient, selecting one wedge member formed of bone from the plurality of wedge members formed of bone while the plurality of wedge members formed of bone is at the location where an operation is to be performed on the patient, moving the selected one of the plurality of wedge members formed of bone into the joint between the first and second bones, and transmitting force between the first and second bones through the selected one of the plurality of wedge members formed of bone.
A method comprising the steps of changing a spatial relationship between first and second bones which are interconnected at a joint in a patient's body, said step of changing the spatial relationship between the first and second bones includes abrading a portion of the first bone at the joint between the first and second bones, abrading a portion of the second bone at the joint between the first and second bones, providing a wedge member which is at least partially formed of biodegradable material, and moving the wedge member which is at least partially formed of biodegradable material into the joint between the first and second bones, said step of moving the wedge member which is at least partially formed of biodegradable material into the joint between the first and second bones includes engaging the abraded portion of the first bone with the wedge member and engaging the abraded portion of the second bone with the wedge member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.