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US 8,475,504 B2Granted
Method of bone fixation with slender spanning members disposed outside bone
AssigneeAcumed LLC
InventorsJoel Gillard, Randall J. Huebner, Steven P. Horst
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System, including methods, apparatus, kits, and components, for bone fixation using a pair of slender spanning members to span a fracture outside bone.
Claims22
A method of fixing bone, comprising:
- selecting a bone having a discontinuity near an end of the bone;
- providing a fixation device including a plate member and a U-shaped spanning component connected to the plate member with a clamp of the plate member formed at least in part by an upper plate, a lower plate, and a locking screw, the spanning component having a pair of legs that are round in cross section and that overlap the plate member and extend axially from the plate member to a pair of heads each defining an opening, the clamp being adjustable between a first configuration that permits the spanning component to slide parallel to a long axis of the plate member and a second configuration that fixes the spanning component to the plate member;
- placing the fixation device as a unit through an incision and onto the bone such that each leg spans the discontinuity and the plate member is arranged longitudinally on the bone and on an opposite side of the discontinuity from the end of the bone and the pair of heads;
- and
- attaching the fixation device to the bone using fasteners placed into the bone through apertures of the lower plate that are not covered by the upper plate and through the opening of each head.
2 more elements
A method of fixing bone, comprising:
- selecting a bone having a discontinuity near an end of the bone;
- providing a fixation device including a plate member and a U-shaped spanning component connected to the plate member with a clamp of the plate member, the spanning component having a pair of legs overlapping the plate member and extending axially from the plate member to a pair of heads each defining an opening;
- placing the fixation device as a unit through an incision and onto the bone such that each leg spans the discontinuity and the plate member is arranged longitudinally on the bone;
- and
- attaching the fixation device to the bone using fasteners placed into the bone through apertures of the plate member and through the opening of each head,
- wherein the plate member includes a first plate disposed under a second plate, and wherein the fasteners extend through the first plate and not the second plate after the step of attaching.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.