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US 7,780,670 B2Granted
Changing relationship between bones
AssigneeP Tech, LLC
InventorPeter M. Bonutti
Life of this patent
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AssigneeP Tech, LLC
InventorPeter M. Bonutti
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 of changing a spatial relationship between first and second bones which are interconnected at a joint in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of providing a rigid wedge member having a concave bone-contacting surface, forming an opening in a portion of the patient's body to expose the joint interconnecting the first and second bones, moving the second bone relative to the first bone, said step of moving the second bone relative to the first bone includes expanding at least a portion of the joint interconnecting the first and second bones by inserting the wedge member in the joint and applying force against at least one of the first and second bones with the concave bone-contacting surface of the wedge member, closing the opening in the patient's body with at least a portion of the wedge member disposed between the first and second bones at the joint interconnecting the first and second bones, and, thereafter, transmitting force between the first and second bones through the wedge member to maintain the joint in the expanded condition.
A method of changing a spatial relationship between first and second bones, said method comprising the steps of providing an implant formed of a rigid material and having a concave bone-contacting surface, inserting the implant into a joint between the first and second bones with the concave bone-contacting surface of the implant positioned against at least one of the first and second bones thereby effecting a change in the spatial, relationship between the first and second bones.
A method for changing a spatial relationship between first and second bones which are interconnected at a joint in a patient's body, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.