US 9,867,551 B2 · Locating system for locking hole of intramedullary nail

Abstract

The present invention discloses a two-stage locating device and the method thereof. In stage-one, the preliminary locating device finds the approximate area of the locking hole encircled with the magnetic material on the intramedullary nail. In stage-two, the pinpoint device has a plurality of targeting devices and includes a transparent plate with a plurality of alignment lines. According to the deviations between each pointing device and the alignment lines, the direction of the pinpoint device for further adjustment can be determined. The present invention can determine the position and the orientation of the locking hole on the intramedullary nail quickly and precisely to shorten the time spent to implant the intramedullary nail. Furthermore, the present invention can also have a conductive circuit to connect to an alarm device. Thus, the precise location can be determined through the different alarm signals based on the contact conditions between each directing devices and the conductive circuit.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A magnetic targeting apparatus for locating a locking hole of an intramedullary nail, comprising:

a bearing plate having a centrally disposed sight hole, three containing through holes encircling the sight hole, and three alignment lines corresponding to the three containing through holes, respectively;
and
three pointing devices, the pointing devices configured to point to a magnetic material circling the locking hole of the intramedullary nail, each of the pointing devices comprising:
a spherical portion embedded in the respective containing through hole;
a first pointing end having a first magnetic pole and protruding from the spherical portion to a top surface of the bearing plate;
and
a second pointing end having a second magnetic pole and protruding from the spherical portion to a bottom surface of the bearing plate;
wherein
the three spherical portions are freely rotatable respectively in the three containing through holes to align each pointing device with the respective alignment line when the sight hole is coaxial with the locking hole.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Locating system for locking hole of intramedullary nail

Life of this patent

Locating system for locking hole of intramedullary nail

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7