Bone anchoring element

1. A bone anchoring element comprising:

a shaft for anchoring in a bone wherein said shaft comprises a shaft axis, a plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements, a tip at one end of the shaft that is configured for insertion into a bone, and a head at the other end of the shaft that is configured for attachment to a connection element;

wherein each barb element of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements has a base and a free end with the free end of each barb element closer to the head of the shaft than the base of each barb element, and the free ends of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are arranged along at least one helical line around the shaft axis for at least one full turn and are configured to provide for threading into or out from a bone by means of a screwing motion;

wherein the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are elastically deformable such that the free ends are movable between a collapsed position closer to the shaft axis and a deployed position further from the shaft axis.

2. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements has a cutting edge at the free end of the barb element positioned on said helical line, and wherein the cutting edge is inclined with regard to a circumference line around the shaft to be positioned on the helical line.

3. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements is essentially a flat trapezoid whose base is connected to the shaft of the bone anchoring element.

4. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete spaced apart barb elements, viewed in the direction of the shaft axis, are arranged in at least two axial rows.

5. A bone anchoring element according to claim 4 , wherein the distances between spaced-apart barb elements in a direction of the shaft axis are varied.

6. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of a shaft section containing discrete spaced-apart barb elements is made from a shape memory alloy.

7. A bone anchoring element according to claim 6 , wherein discrete spaced-apart barb elements are made from nitinol.

8. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of a shaft section containing discrete spaced-apart barb elements is made from a body-compatible plastic material.

9. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein the head is rigidly connected to the shaft and is configured to receive a rod.

10. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein the bone anchoring element is a monoaxial bone screw.

11. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein the bone anchoring element is a polyaxial bone screw.

12. A bone anchoring element according to claim 1 , wherein said shaft and the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are made of a body compatible material.

13. A bone anchoring element according to claim 12 , wherein said body compatible material comprises any one of stainless steel, titanium alloys, nickel-titanium alloys, nitinol, chrome alloy, cobalt chrome alloys, shape memory alloys, materials with super elastic properties, carbon reinforced composites, silicone, polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyalkene, polyethylene, polyamide, poly(vinyl) fluoride, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE).

14. A bone anchoring element according to claim 12 , wherein said body compatible material comprises a bioabsorbable material.

15. A bone anchoring element according to claim 14 , wherein said bioabsorbable material comprises a polylactide, or polyanhydrides a polyanhydride.

16. A bone anchoring element according to claim 12 wherein said body compatible material is coated with a bioactive material.

17. A bone anchoring element according to claim 16 , wherein said bioactive material is growth factor.

18. A bone anchoring element according to claim 12 , wherein said body compatible material has a microtexture.

19. A bone anchoring element according to claim 12 , wherein said shaft and the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are made of different body compatible materials.

20. A bone anchoring element comprising:

a shaft for anchoring in a bone wherein said shaft comprises a section having a plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements that are arranged along at least one helical line around a shaft axis to provide for threading into or out from a bone by means of a screwing motion;

wherein the discrete spaced-apart barb elements are elastically deformable, and

wherein the discrete spaced-apart barb elements are formed in a plurality of plates, each plate having a plurality of the discrete spaced-apart barb elements, wherein said shaft has grooves extending along a direction of a central longitudinal axis of the shaft and wherein said plates are slidable into said grooves.

21. A bone anchoring element according to claim 20 , wherein the discrete spaced-apart barb elements are formed by cuts in the plates which project outwardly at an angle from a surface facing away from a shaft body.

22. A bone anchoring element according to claim 20 , wherein a securing device is provided for securing the plates in the grooves.

23. A bone anchoring element according to claim 20 , wherein the plates with discrete spaced-apart barb elements are made from a shape memory alloy.

24. A method of inserting a bone anchoring element into a bone, the bone anchoring element comprising a shaft for anchoring in a bone wherein said shaft comprises a shaft axis, a plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements, a tip at one end of the shaft that is configured for insertion into a bone, and a head at the other end of the shaft that is configured for attachment to a connection element, wherein each barb element of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements has a base and a free end with the free end of each barb element closer to the head of the shaft than the base of each barb element, and the free ends of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are arranged along at least one helical line around the shaft axis for at least one full turn and are configured to provide for threading into or out from a bone by means of a screwing motion, wherein the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are elastically deformable such that the free ends are movable between a collapsed position closer to the shaft axis and a deployed position further from the shaft axis, the method comprising:

a. preparing a core hole into a bone;

b. inserting the shaft into the core hole without threading the shaft into the core hole, whereby during insertion the discrete spaced-apart barb elements are pre-tensioned and press outwards against the core hole to prevent the shaft from being pulled out of the core hole; and

c. threading said bone anchoring element deeper into said core hole or threading said bone anchoring element back in a direction out of the said core hole.

25. A method according to claim 24 , wherein the discrete spaced-apart barb elements are made from a shape memory alloy.

26. A method according to claim 24 , wherein the discrete spaced-apart barb elements are made from nitinol.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein said bone anchoring element is removed from the core hole by threading said bone anchoring element back out of said core hole.

28. A method of manufacturing a bone anchoring element with a cylindrical body having a shaft axis and a first end and a second end, the method comprising the following steps:

a. forming a spherically shaped segment on said second end of the cylindrical body;

b. forming a conically shaped tip on the first end of the cylindrical body;

c. forming plurality of grooves having a first cross section which extend parallel to the shaft axis;

d. inserting plates into the grooves, each plate comprising a plurality of discrete barb elements and having a second cross section being complementary to the first cross section;

e. inserting a ring shaped securing element on said tip to hold the plates in the grooves.

29. A method for stabilizing a bone with a bone anchoring element comprising a shaft for anchoring in a bone wherein said shaft comprises a shaft axis, a free end at one end of the shaft, a head at the other end of the shaft that is configured for attachment to a connection element, and a plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements, wherein each barb element of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements has a base and a free end with the free end of each barb element closer to the head of the shaft than the base of each barb element, and the free ends of the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are arranged along at least one helical line around the shaft axis for at least one full turn and are configured to provide for threading into or out from a bone by means of a screwing motion, wherein the plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements are elastically deformable such that the free ends are movable between a collapsed position closer to the shaft axis and a deployed position further from the shaft axis, the method comprising:

a. drilling a core hole in the bone;

b. inserting the free end and the discrete spaced-apart barb elements of the bone anchoring element into said core hole, wherein the discrete spaced-apart barb elements are deformed to bias against the core hole;

c. threading the bone anchoring element in the core hole to cause the discrete spaced apart barb elements to embed deeper in the core hole for fixing the bone anchoring element in said bone.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein said bone anchoring element is a monoaxial screw.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein said bone anchoring element is a polyaxial screw.

32. A bone anchoring element having a shaft for anchoring in a bone, wherein said shaft comprises a shaft axis, a plurality of discrete elastically deformable elements, a tip at one end of the shaft that is configured for insertion into a bone, and a head at the other end of the shaft that is configured for attachment to a connection element, each discrete elastically deformable element having a base, opposing side walls extending from the base, and a free end cutting edge opposite to the base and extending from one of the side walls to the other side wall with the free end cutting edge of each elastically deformable element closer to the head of the shaft than the base of each elastically deformable element, said discrete elastically deformable elements being arranged such that the free end cutting edges of the elastically deformable elements define at least one full turn of at least one helical line around the shaft axis, said plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements being elastically deformable such that the free ends are movable between a collapsed position closer to the shaft axis and a deployed position further from the shaft axis.

33. A bone anchoring element of claim 32 , wherein said discrete elastically deformable element is made from a shape memory alloy.

34. A bone anchoring element having a shaft for anchoring in a bone, wherein said shaft comprises a shaft axis, a plurality of discrete elastically deformable elements, a tip at one end of the shaft that is configured for insertion into a bone, and a head at the other end of the shaft that is configured for attachment to a connection element, each discrete elastically deformable element having a base, opposing side walls extending from the base, and a free end cutting edge opposite to the base and extending from one of the side walls to the other side wall with the free end cutting edge of each elastically defollnable element closer to the head of the shaft than the base of each elastically deformable element, said discrete elastically deformable elements being arranged such that when the discrete elastically deformable element is in use, the free end cutting edges of the elastically deformable elements form at least one full turn of a crest of a section of a thread around the shaft axis, said plurality of discrete spaced-apart barb elements being elastically deformable such that the free ends are movable between a collapsed position closer to the shaft axis and a deployed position further from the shaft axis.

35. A bone anchoring element of claim 34 , wherein said discrete elastically deformable element is made from a shape memory alloy.