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US 9,788,861 B2Granted
External bone fixation device
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorsNicole Murray, Michael Wahl, Jean-Noel Bordeaux, Thomas Joseph Maughan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application discloses embodiments related to an external bone fixation device configured to correct bone deformities or repair bone injuries. The device can include a plurality of bases configured to be attached to portions of a bone and a plurality of struts configured to be adjustable in length to change the position and orientation of the plurality of bases and the attached bone portions.
Claims16
A method of assembling an external bone fixation device, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a strut relative to a first external bone fixation member such that a fastener receiving hole of a first joint of the strut is aligned with a fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member;
- inserting a fastener into and at least partially through the fastener receiving hole of the first joint and the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member;
- rotating the strut relative to the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member about a strut axis, which the strut is elongate along, until a locking mechanism of the strut is spaced from the strut axis in a radial outward direction which extends from a center of the first external bone fixation member to the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member;
- positioning the strut relative to a second external bone fixation member such that a fastener receiving hole of a second joint of the strut is aligned with a fastener receiving hole of the second external bone fixation member;
- inserting a second fastener into and at least partially through the fastener receiving hole of the second joint and the fastener receiving hole of the second external bone fixation member;
- wherein after the step of inserting the second fastener into and at least partially through the fastener receiving holes of the second joint and the second external bone fixation member, an actuator of the strut is not rotatable relative to the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member about the strut axis when the locking mechanism of the strut is in a locked configuration in which the actuator is prevented from adjusting a length of the strut measured from the first joint to the second joint along the strut axis.
3 more elements
A method of adjusting a length of a strut body of a strut from a first joint to a second joint that is spaced from the first joint along an axis, wherein the first joint is carried by a threaded rod of the strut body and is attached to a first external bone fixation member, and the second joint is carried by a sleeve of the strut body and is attached to a second external bone fixation member, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying a force to a locking mechanism of the strut along a direction offset with respect to the strut axis, so as to iterate the locking mechanism from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration, whereby when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration, an actuator of the strut, that is configured to rotate relative to the strut body so as to cause the strut body to change in length, is rotatably fixed to the strut body, and when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked configuration, the actuator is rotatable with respect to the strut body;
- and
- after the applying step, rotating the actuator of the strut about the strut axis relative to the strut body, thereby causing at least one of the threaded and the sleeve of the strut body to translate relative to the other of the threaded rod and the sleeve along the strut axis.
A method of assembling an external bone fixation device configured to repair a deformity in a bone, the external bone fixation device including:
- (1) a strut having a first joint, a second joint, and a length measured from the first joint to the second joint along a strut axis, the first and second joints defining first and second fastener receiving holes respectively, the strut further including an actuator configured to adjust the length, and a locking mechanism configured to be supported by the actuator, the locking mechanism including a locked configuration in which the actuator is prevented from adjusting the length, and an unlocked configuration in which the actuator is able to adjust the length;
- and (2) first and second external bone fixation members, each of the first and second external bone fixation members including a top surface and a bottom surface that each extends between the respective inner and outer surfaces, the first and second external fixation members each further including a fastener receiving hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the first external fixation member defines a center and a radial outward direction that extends from the center to the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member, the method comprising:
- positioning the strut relative to the first external bone fixation member such that the fastener receiving hole of the first joint is aligned with the fastener receiving hole of the first external fixation member;
- inserting a first fastener into and at least partially through the fastener receiving hole of the first joint and the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member;
- rotating the actuator about the strut axis relative to the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member such that the locking mechanism is spaced from the strut axis in the radial outward direction;
- positioning the strut relative to the second external bone fixation member such that the fastener receiving hole of the second joint is aligned with the fastener receiving hole of the second external bone fixation member;
- inserting a second fastener into and at least partially through the fastener receiving hole of the second joint and the fastener receiving hole of the second external bone fixation member;
- wherein after the step of inserting the second fastener into and at least partially through the fastener receiving holes of the second joint and the second external bone fixation member, the actuator is not rotatable relative to the fastener receiving hole of the first external bone fixation member about the strut axis when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.