Orthopedic system having detachable bone anchors
The present invention provides an improved orthopedic system in which the part of a device that attaches to the bone is detachable from the rest of the device. The system includes a proximal bone anchor, associated proximal fastener, a distal bone anchor, and associated distal fastener. The bone anchors are affixed to the bone on opposing sides of the bone repair site, which may be an osteotomy. The fasteners serve to releasably mechanically couple the orthopedic device, which may be a distractor, to the bone anchors. In a preferred embodiment, the bone anchors are made from a resorbable material.
1 . An orthopedic system for use in an orthopedic procedure comprising:
at least two bone anchors for anchoring the system to a patient's bone, each anchor having a bone-contacting surface and provided with a fastener-connecting portion; and
an orthopedic device including a plurality of fasteners, each fastener having an anchor-connecting portion, the anchor-connecting portion of each fastener and the fastener-connecting portion of the associated bone anchor providing a mechanical coupling of the device to the bone anchor;
whereby the mechanical coupling of the orthopedic device to the bone anchors can be released allowing the orthopedic device to be removed from the patient without removal of the bone anchors.
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