Magnetically-actuable intramedullary device

A method of lengthening or shortening a skeletal bone to attain a predetermined length comprising the steps of:

• A. reaming the marrow of the bone to be lengthened or shortened to create a canal to accommodate a two-part telescopic intramedullary orthopedic device having a first section more or less telescoped within a second section, wherein one of said sections comprises a ferromagnetic material and the other section is either constructed of a non-magnetic material or comprises a ferromagnetic material;
• B. severing the bone to define complementary bone sections, each having a cavity therein;
• C. inserting the first section of the device into the cavity in one section of the bone and securing it thereto;
• D. inserting the second section of the device into the cavity of the other bone section and securing it thereto, whereby the degree to which the hone sections are separated and the severed bone is lengthened or shortened depends on the extent to which the first section projects beyond the second section;
• and
• E. applying successive magnetic force impulses to the first section in a substantially axial direction to cause it to advance an incremental step per impulse until the severed bone has attained said predetermined length.

Method for promoting the healing of bone fractures comprising the steps of:

• A. reaming the medullary cavity of each of the fractured bone ends to accommodate a two-part telescopic device, wherein said device comprises a first section more or less telescoped within a second section, wherein said second section contains an internal space, and wherein at least one of said sections is formed of a ferromagnetic material;
• B. inserting said second section into the reamed medullary cavity of one bone end and securing it thereto, such that the external opening of said internal space faces towards the other bone end;
• C. inserting one end of said first section into the internal space of said second section;
• D. inserting the other end of said first section into the reamed medullary cavity of the other bone end and securing it thereto;
• E. applying magnetic forces in a substantially axial direction to the ferromagnetic section(s), such that said section(s) is or are caused to oscillate axially with respect to the other section.