BONE STRUCTURAL DEVICE
A bone structural device including a plurality of bone structural segments, wherein adjacent bone structural segments are pivotally connected to one another about a pivot axis, and the bone structural segments are expandable in height, which is in a direction generally parallel to the pivot axis.
1 . A bone structural device comprising:
a plurality of bone structural segments, wherein adjacent bone structural segments are pivotally connected to one another about a pivot axis, and said bone structural segments are expandable in height, which is in a direction generally parallel to said pivot axis.
2 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of said bone structural segments are expandable independently from one another.
3 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of said bone structural segments are expandable to different heights.
4 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments are made of a resorbable, tissue-compatible material.
5 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of said bone structural segments are pivotally interconnected by resilient links.
6 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments are linked to each other by one or more unidirectional hinges.
7 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments are linked to each other by one or more multidirectional hinges.
8 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments are lockable in place by a locking mechanism.
9 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments are movable after installation in a body.
10 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments form a closed ring-shaped structure.
11 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of said bone structural segments are fillable with a material.
12 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of said bone structural segments are linked by a plastically or elastically deformable component without hinges.
13 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments comprise a pair of parallel support plates, which are expandable by a jacking mechanism.
14 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments expandable by a telescoping mechanism.
15 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments expandable by a wedge mechanism.
16 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments expandable by a hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism.
17 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said bone structural segments are expandable additionally in another direction different than said height.
18 . The bone structural device according to claim 1 , wherein said parallel support plates comprise an extension which is not parallel to said parallel plates.