Apparatus and method for treating a fracture of a bone

1. A bone suture assembly for treating a fracture of a bone comprising:

a first rigid bone plate positionable proximate to the bone;

a second rigid bone plate positionable proximate to the bone generally opposite the first bone plate;

a suture connected with the first and second rigid bone plates to thereby stabilize the fracture, the suture positionable through a passage in the bone; and

at least one fastener positionable through the first rigid bone plate into the bone to hold the first rigid bone plate to the bone.

2. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the passage is nonlinear.

3. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein at least one tubular member is disposed within the nonlinear passage and wherein the suture is disposed within at least one tubular member.

4. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the suture is positionable through the fracture.

5. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the suture is positionable through the fracture.

6. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the bone plates includes a channel extending between a bone-contacting surface of the plate and a non-bone-contacting surface of the plate, and wherein the suture is positioned in the channel.

7. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the surfaces face in generally opposite directions.

8. A bone suture assembly for treating a fracture of a bone comprising:

a first bone plate positionable proximate to the bone;

a suture positionable through the first bone plate and across the fracture of the bone to thereby stabilize the fracture; and

a tubular member positionable in the bone through the fracture, generally orthogonal to the first bone plate, wherein the tubular member remains in the bone such that the suture is disposed within the tubular member.

9. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the tubular member is packed with bone particles.

10. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the tubular member is packed with bone osteoinductive protein.

11. A bone suture assembly for treating a fracture of a bone comprising:

a first suture anchor positionable proximate to the bone;

a rigid bone plate positionable between the first suture anchor and the bone, the rigid bone plate and first suture anchor positionable generally on the same side of the bone;

a suture extending through the rigid bone plate and connected with the first suture anchor, the suture positionable across the bone to thereby stabilize the fracture; and

at least one fastener positionable through the rigid bone plate into the bone to hold the rigid bone plate to the bone.

12. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 11 further including a second suture anchor positionable at a location spaced from the first suture anchor, the second suture anchor connected with the suture.

13. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 12 further including a passage through bone located between the first and second suture anchors, wherein the suture is disposed within the passage.

14. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein at least one fastener extends across the fracture of the bone.

15. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the at least one fastener includes a screw.

16. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the first and second suture anchors are suture retainers.

17. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein the suture retainers include deformable material to hold the suture retainers to the suture.

18. A bone suture assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the suture includes a plurality of generally parallel suture sections.

19. A method for treating a fracture of a bone comprising:

forming at least one passage through the bone, where the passage traverses the fracture;

positioning at least one suture anchor proximate to the bone;

positioning at least one bone plate between the at least one suture anchor and the bone;

fastening the at least one bone plate to the bone with at least one screw;

moving at least one suture through the passage in the bone and through at least one bone plate;

attaching at least one suture to at least one suture anchor; and

tensioning at least one suture to stabilize the fracture of the bone.

20. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein at least one suture anchor is a suture retainer.

21. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein at least one screw has a length less than a diameter of the bone.

22. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein at least one screw has a length greater than a diameter of the bone.

23. A method as defined in claim 22 wherein at least one screw includes at least one nut.

24. A method as defined in claim 23 wherein at least one screw extends across the fracture of the bone.

25. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein attaching at least one suture to at least one suture anchor is performed prior to moving at least one suture, and wherein moving at least one suture includes moving at least one suture attached to at least one suture anchor through at least one passage.

26. A method as defined in claim 25 further including changing the orientation of at least one suture anchor from a first to a second configuration thereby causing at least one suture anchor to become proximate to the bone and impassable through at least one passage.

27. A method as defined in claim 26 wherein tensioning at least one suture includes tensioning at least one suture between at least two suture anchors to stabilize the fracture of the bone.