Devices, assemblies, kits, systems and methods for shaping of elongated elements containing thermoplastic polymers

1 . A method of bending of an elongated assembly, the method comprising:

providing an elongated assembly, the elongated assembly comprising:

an elongated orthopedic implant comprising a thermoplastic polymer, the elongated orthopedic implant comprising a bending region in which the elongated orthopedic implant is to be bent, the bending region having a length; and

a transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device surrounding completely and supporting the elongated orthopedic implant along the entire length of the bending region of the elongated orthopedic implant, such that the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device maintains a shape and prevents distortion of a transverse cross-sectional profile of the elongated orthopedic implant in the bending region during bending upon heating of the elongated assembly,

heating the elongated assembly using a heating device to provide a heated elongated assembly;

configuring a bending device according to a desired bending profile of the elongated orthopedic implant;

bending the heated elongated assembly by the bending device to provide a bended elongated assembly comprising a bended elongated orthopedic implant having the desired bending profile while maintaining the shape and preventing the distortion of the transverse cross-sectional profile in the bending region of the elongated orthopedic implant by the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device; and

releasing the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device from the elongated orthopedic implant.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising cooling the bended elongated assembly prior to releasing the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device from the elongated orthopedic implant.

3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising removably affixing, by two or more stoppers, the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device with respect to the elongated orthopedic implant to prevent undesired sliding of the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device during the bending.

4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising configuring the bending device to prevent the bending device from bending the elongated assembly above a predetermined bending radius.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a maximal predetermined bending radius is 45 mm.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device is made of a material that does not undergo thermal deformation at a temperature of the heated elongated orthopedic implant.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elongated assembly, the heating device and the bending device are sterile.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bending device and the heating device is not sterile, wherein the elongated orthopedic implant and the transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device of the elongated assembly are sterile, and wherein the elongated assembly comprises an envelope that envelopes the sterile elongated orthopedic implant and the sterile transverse cross-sectional profile maintaining device.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the envelope comprises one or more caps each adapted to close one end of the envelope.