Devices and methods for orthopedic surgery requiring fasteners of multiple lenghts
Disclosed are devices and methods used to customize the length of fasteners used during orthopedic surgeries, comprising creating a hole of the desired depth in a bone, measuring the depth of the hole using a depth measuring device, calculating, using the depth measuring device, the optimal length dimension of the fastener, transferring the calculated fastener optimal length dimension to a fastener cutting device, inserting a fastener having a length exceeding the optimal length dimension into the fastener cutting device, and cutting the fastener to the optimal length dimension using the fastener cutting device.
1. A method for customizing the length of a fastener to be fitted to a bone during a surgery, said method comprising the steps of:
creating a hole of a desired depth in said bone;
measuring the depth of said hole and an optimal length dimension of said fastener using a depth gauge;
adjusting a fastener cutting device to cut said fastener to said optimal length dimension by inserting said depth gauge into said fastener cutting device;
inserting a fastener having a length exceeding said optimal length dimension into said fastener cutting device; and
cutting said fastener to said optimal length dimension using said fastener cutting device.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said hole is drilled into said bone.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting step comprises the further steps of:
removing fastener material from a leading edge of said fastener;
de-burring said leading edge of said fastener after removal of said material; and
cutting a flute on said de-burred leading edge.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting step comprises the further steps of:
removing fastener material from a trailing edge of said fastener; and
forming a head on said fastener after removal of said material.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said fastener comprises a trailing part consisting of head and spike ends and a cannulated leading part consisting of threaded and unthreaded ends, said unthreaded end adapted to lockingly receive said spike end, and said cutting step comprises the further steps of:
removing fastener material from the spike end of said trailing part; and
removing fastener material from the unthreaded end of said leading part; and
assembling said trailing part and said leading part into a single fastener having the desired length.