Intramedullary fixation device for metaphyseal long bone fractures and methods of using the same

A bone fracture fixation kit, comprising:

• a) a fixation device having an elongate intramedullary portion and a plate portion, said intramedullary portion including at least one threaded screw hole and said plate portion including at least one threaded peg hole;
• b) at least one machine screw having a shaft adapted to be threadably received in one of said at least one screw hole and having a head with a flat undersurface, said head being larger than said screw hole;
• and
• c) at least one peg having a threaded head and a shaft, said head adapted to be threadably engaged in one of said at least one threaded peg hole.

A bone fracture fixation system, comprising:

• a) a fixation device having an elongate intramedullary portion and a plate portion, said intramedullary portion including at least one threaded screw hole and said plate portion including at least one threaded peg hole;
• b) at least one machine screw having a shaft threadably engaged in said at least one screw hole and having a head with a flat undersurface, said head being larger than said screw hole;
• and
• c) at least one peg having a threaded head and a shaft, said head threadably engaged in said at least one threaded peg hole.

A bone fracture fixation kit, comprising:

• a) a metal fixation device having an elongate intramedullary portion including a threaded screw hole;
• and
• b) a machine screw having a head and a shaft,
• said head having a flat undersurface which is larger than said threaded screw hole, and
• said shaft including a tip portion, a body portion, and a clearance portion between said body portion and said head, said body portion having threads adapted to be threadably engaged in said threaded screw hole and defining a first diameter across said threads, said clearance portion having a relatively smooth surface compared with said body portion and a second diameter smaller than said first diameter, and said tip portion having a relatively smooth surface compared with said body portion and a third diameter smaller than said second diameter.

A bone fracture fixation system for fixation of a metaphyseal fracture of a long bone which defines subchondral bone fragments, the long bone having interior and exterior surfaces and a cortex with and an intramedullary region therethrough, said device comprising:

• a) a rigid elongate structure adapted to extend within the intramedullary region of the bone;
• b) a rigid plate structure adapted for placement on the exterior surface of the bone over the subchondral bone fragments, said plate structure being coupled to said elongate structure;
• c) means for clamping said elongate structure against the interior surface of the bone;
• and
• d) a framework of shaft-like elements coupled to said plate structure and extending in oblique axes relative to each other so as to provide support for subchondral bone fragments.

A method of stabilizing a metaphyseal bone fracture, the bone having interior and exterior surfaces and a cortex with and an intramedullary region and the fracture region defining subchondral fragments, comprising:

• a) providing a fixation device having an intramedullary portion and an external portion, the intramedullary portion having at least one threaded hole screw hole and the external portion having a plurality of threaded peg holes;
• b) inserting the intramedullary portion into the bone at a location adjacent the bone fracture;
• c) manipulating the device to provide the intramedullary portion within the intramedullary region of the bone;
• d) first drilling at least one hole through the cortex in alignment with the at least one screw hole;
• e) second drilling a plurality of holes into at least one subchondral fragment in alignment with the peg holes, at least one of the drilled holes being oblique relative to the others;
• f) first inserting at least one screw through the cortex and into the screw hole, the screw having a relatively large head with a substantially flat undersurface;
• g) tightening the at least one screw to cause the cortex of the bone to be clamped between the intramedullary portion of the device and the undersurface of the head of the at least one screw;
• h) reducing the fracture;
• and
• i) second inserting a plurality of pegs through the plurality of holes drilled in said second drilling to provide support for subchondral fragments and threadably engaging the head of the at least one peg in the at least one peg hole.