Greater trochanteric re-attachment device

1. A greater trochanter re-attachment device for use in transfemoral revision surgery comprising an attachment means adapted for securing the device to a proximal end of a femoral prosthesis with which it is to be used, a bracket having a first portion for extending distally along the femur and an adjustable securing means adapted to extend through a guide on the first portion of the bracket and around a flap of bone containing the greater trochanter and which securing means, when secured in position, holds the greater trochanter in position in relation to the femoral prosthesis wherein the guide consists of a multiplicity of slits through the first portion spaced at intervals therealong intermediate first and second sides of the first portion and multiplicity of outwardly extending sections deformed outwardly of a bone surface on the first side of each slit along the bracket first portion, each of the outwardly extending sections of the bracket first portion extending away from a bone contacting surface of the bracket, the securing means extending below the outwardly extending section and above a bone contacting section of the first portion on the second side of the slits.

2. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the attachment means comprises a threaded screw adapted for insertion in a screw threaded socket in a proximal shoulder of the femoral prosthesis with which it is to be used.

3. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjustable securing means are in the form of one or more elongated flexible ties.

4. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the elongated flexible tie is in the form of a wire or ribbon.

5. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bracket has a second portion which when in use extends over the proximal external surface of the greater trochanter.

6. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the first bracket portion has two arms which are substantially parallel to each other, each arm having a curved re-entrant shape forming the second bracket portion for extending over a proximal end of the greater trochanter and having a bifurcated free end provided with said adjustable securing means.

7. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 6 wherein the bifurcated free ends of each arm include the guide for the adjustable securing means.

8. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 7 wherein the bracket is made from a synthetic plastics material or metal which is compatible with the requirements of the human body.

9. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the bracket is made from a resilient material which can be deformed to fit the bracket to the shape of the greater trochanter with which it is used.

10. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 1 in combination with a femoral prosthesis.

11. The greater trochanter re-attachment device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the femoral prosthesis is provided with a threaded bore in a proximal shoulder for receiving the attachment means.

12. A device for securing bone segments of a proximal femur after implantation of a prosthetic femoral component, comprising:

a bracket for engaging a bone segment of the proximal femur, the bracket including at least one arm extending distally along an outer surface of the femur, the arm including a guide;

a securing element for securing said bracket to a femoral component extending through the guide;

at least one band having first and second ends extending through the guide in said arm in a circumferential direction around the femur wherein the guide consists of a multiplicity of slits through the arm spaced at intervals thereon intermediate first and second sides of the arm, the slits spaced by flat bone-contacting sections and a multiplicity of outwardly extending sections of the at least one arm, the outwardly extending section of the at least one arm extending away from a bone contacting surface, the band extending below the outwardly extending section and above a bone contacting section of the arm on the second side of the slits; and

a clamp for joining said first and second ends of said band and preventing relative movement therebetween.

13. The device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bracket includes two spaced apart arms extending distally along the outer surface of the femur.

14. The device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said arms extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the femur and said guide extending generally perpendicular thereto.

15. The device as set forth in claim 12 wherein the femoral component includes a threaded bore and the bracket has an opening alignable with said threaded bore.

16. The device as set forth in claim 15 wherein the securing element is a threaded bolt insertable through said opening in the bracket into said threaded bore.

17. A system for clamping bone segments of a resected proximal femur around a femoral component comprising:

a femoral component having a stem extending along a longitudinal axis and having a threaded bore at a proximal end thereof;

a bracket for engaging a bone segment of the proximal femur, the bracket including a pair of generally parallel arms extending from an attachment portion;

a threaded coupling element for coupling the attachment portion of the bracket to the threaded bore of the femoral component; and

at least one elongated clamping element for extending circumferentially around the femur in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis after said bracket engages said bone segment to clamp said bone segments around the femoral component wherein each generally parallel arm has a guide therein for receiving the at least one elongated clamping element wherein the guide consists of a multiplicity of slits spaced at intervals through each arm located intermediate first and second sides thereof and the slits spaced by flat bone-contacting sections, a multiplicity of outwardly extending sections deformed away from a bone surface on the first side of each slit of each arm each extending away from a bone contacting surface of the bracket , the elongated clamping element extending below the outwardly extending section of each arm and above a bone contacting section of each arm on the second side of each slit.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the bracket has a portion with a curved re-entrant shape for extending over a proximal end of the greater trochanter.