Extracorporeal bone compressing link and apparatus and method using same
View Patent ↗An extracorporeal bone compressing link and apparatus and method using same. Active devices that incorporate the extracorporeal bone compressing link can transport and compress bone through external means by acting on conventional bone fasteners including but not limited bone fasteners including but not limited to screws, pins or wires that penetrate through the skin and fixate into bone.
1 . An extracorporeal link for connecting percutaneous bone fasteners comprising an element wherein:
(a) the element comprises a plurality of pairs of transverse holes, wherein
(i) the plurality of pairs of transverse holes are located about the element;
(b) the element is configured in a first configuration, wherein, in the first configuration, each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises a first transverse hole mis-aligned with a second transverse hole;
(c) the element is operable for being held under force in a second configuration, wherein, in the second configuration
(i) each of the pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises the first transverse hole aligned with the second transverse hole, and
(ii) each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes is capable of allowing a bone fastener to pass through the pair of the transverse holes in the plurality of transverse holes to secure to one or more bone segments; and
(d) the element is operable to move toward the first configuration after being released from the force, wherein
(i) for each of the pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes, the movement toward the first configuration is capable of applying moments and forces to the bone fastener passed through the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole of the pair of transverse holes by mis-aligning of the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole, and
(ii) the moments and forces capable of being applied to the bone fastener are operable to act through the skin to transport and compress the one or more bone segments.
2 . The extracorporeal link of claim 1 , wherein the extracorporeal link is operatively positioned in a plurality of bone fragments.
3 . The extracorporeal link of claim 1 , wherein the extracorporeal link comprises one or more cross-sectional geometries.
4 . The extracorporeal link of claim 1 , wherein
(a) each of the pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes is capable of guiding the bone fastener, and
(b) the bone fastener is positioned through the extracorporeal link, skin, and the bone.
5 . The extracorporeal link of claim 1 , wherein the movement toward the first configuration after being released from the force operatively positions the bone fastener to fixate, move or compress the bone at a desired direction.
6 . The extracorporeal link of claim 1 , wherein the extracorporeal link is held by a restraining instrument in a sterile kit.
7 . The extracorporeal link of claim 6 , wherein the restraining instrument comprises a restrainer selected from a group consisting of pliers, power screws, sliding platens, forceps, needle drivers, and pin tower tubes.
8 . The extracorporeal link of claim 6 , wherein the sterile kit comprises the extracorporeal link, the restraining instrument, a plurality of bone fasteners, and a plurality of pin tower tubes.
9 . The extracorporeal link of claim 1 , wherein the extracorporeal link is operatively connected to a protective cover.
10 . The extracorporeal link of claim 9 , wherein the protective cover comprises a material selected from a group consisting of plastic, rubber, latex, foam and combinations thereof.
11 . The extracorporeal link of claim 9 , wherein the protective cover is movable and operates to cover cut bone fasteners or release other shape changing features of the link.
12 . The extracorporeal link of claim 9 , wherein the protective cover can act on the link to increase or decrease the magnitude of the moments and forces applied to the bone fastener.
13 . The extracorporeal link of claim 12 , wherein the protective cover is movable or contains an adjustor that acts on the link to increase or decrease the magnitude of the moments and forces applied to the bone fastener.
14 . The extracorporeal link of claim 13 , wherein the protector cover contains the adjustor, and the adjustor is a screw.
15 . An apparatus for percutaneous bone fastening comprising:
(a) an extracorporeal link, wherein
(i) the extracorporeal link comprises a plurality of pairs of transverse holes,
(ii) the plurality of pairs of transverse holes are located about the extracorporeal link,
(iii) the extracorporeal link is capable of being configured in a first configuration, wherein, in the first configuration, each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises a first transverse hole mis-aligned with a second transverse hole, and
(iv) the extracorporeal link is configured in a second configuration, wherein in the second position
(A) each of the pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises the first transverse hole aligned with the second transverse hole, and
(B) each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes is capable of allowing a bone fastener to pass through the pair of the transverse holes in the plurality of transverse holes to secure to one or more bone segments; and
(b) a restraining instrument, wherein
(i) the extracorporeal link is operatively positioned by the restraining instrument,
(ii) the operative positioning of the instrument holds the extracorporeal link in the second configuration, and
(iii) when released from the operative positioning of the restraining instrument, for each of the pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes, the extracorporeal link operably moves toward the first configuration to apply moments and forces to the bone fastener passed through the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole of the pair of transverse holes by mis-aligning the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the movement toward the first configuration is capable of applying moments and forces to the bone fastener.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the moments and forces capable of being applied to the bone fastener are operable to act through the skin to transport and compress the one or more bone segments.
18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the restraining instrument comprises a restrainer selected from a group consisting of pliers, power screws, sliding platens, forceps, needle drivers, and pin tower tubes.
19 . A method for using an extracorporeal link for connecting percutaneous bone fasteners, the method comprising:
(a) selecting an element, wherein
(i) the element comprises a plurality of pairs of transverse holes,
(ii) the plurality of pairs of transverse holes are located about the element, and
(iii) the element is configured in a first configuration, wherein, in the first configuration, each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises a first transverse hole mis-aligned with a second transverse hole;
(b) restraining the element in a second configuration, wherein, in the second configuration
(i) the element is restrained using external force,
(ii) each of the pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises the first transverse hole aligned with the second transverse hole, and
(iii) each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes is capable of allowing a bone fastener to pass through the pair of the transverse holes in the plurality of transverse holes to secure to one or more bone segments;
(c) positioning the element near, but not proximate to, one or more bone segments;
(d) passing a plurality of bone fasteners through the plurality of pairs of transverse holes, wherein each of the bone fasteners in the plurality of bone fasteners passes through the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole of a pair of the transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes; and
(e) releasing the element from the external force, wherein
(i) responsive to releasing the element from the external force, the element moves toward the first configuration,
(ii) the movement toward the first configuration applies moments and forces to the plurality of bone fasteners by mis-aligning the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes, and
(iii) the moments and forces being applied to the plurality of bone fasteners act through the skin to transport and compress the one or more bone segments.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the positioning of the element adjusts the moments and forces being applied to the plurality of bone fasteners.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the external force is applied by a restraining instrument.
22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the restraining instrument comprises a restrainer selected from a group consisting of pliers, power screws, sliding platens, forceps and needle drivers and pin tower tubes.
23 . A method for using an extracorporeal link for connecting percutaneous bone fasteners, the method comprising:
(a) selecting an element, wherein
(i) the element comprises a plurality of pairs of transverse holes,
(ii) the plurality of pairs of transverse holes are located about the element, and
(iii) the element is configured in a first configuration, wherein, in the first configuration, each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises a first transverse hole and a second transverse hole;
(b) restraining the element in a second configuration, wherein, in the second configuration
(i) the element is restrained using external force,
(ii) each of the pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes comprises the first transverse hole aligned with the second transverse hole, and
(iii) each pair of transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes is capable of allowing a bone fastener to pass through the pair of the transverse holes in the plurality of transverse holes to secure to one or more bone segments;
(c) positioning the element near, but not proximate to, one or more bone segments;
(d) passing a plurality of bone fasteners through the plurality of pairs of transverse holes, wherein each of the bone fasteners in the plurality of bone fasteners passes through the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole of a pair of the transverse holes in the plurality of pairs of transverse holes and is fastened to at least one of the one or more bone segments; and
(e) releasing the element from the external force, wherein
(i) responsive to releasing the element from the external force, the element moves toward the first configuration,
(ii) the movement toward the first configuration applies moments and forces to the plurality of bone fasteners by mis-aligning the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole relative to the bone fastener passed therethrough, and
(iii) the moments and forces being applied to the plurality of bone fasteners act through the skin to transport and compress the one or more bone segments.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the positioning of the element adjusts the moments and forces being applied to the plurality of bone fasteners.
25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the external force is applied by a restraining instrument.
26 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the restraining instrument comprises a restrainer selected from a group consisting of pliers, power screws, sliding platens, forceps and needle drivers and pin tower tubes.