IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,582,452
Granted Patent B2
US 12,582,452 · App. 18/368,526 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Dual compression bone implants, systems, and methods

Inventors: Brock Johnson (McMinnville, TN); Daniel J. Triplett (Smithfield, UT); Kyle Atwood (Richmond, UT)
Assignee: Vilex LLC
A61B17/7291
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,582,452
App. No.
18/368,526
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for providing dual compression to a bone joint may include an elongate device having a distal portion receivable within a distal bone tunnel formed in a distal bone of the bone joint, an intermediate portion receivable within an intermediate bone tunnel formed in an intermediate bone of the bone joint, and a proximal portion receivable within a proximal bone tunnel formed in a proximal bone of the bone joint. An intermediate carriage within the intermediate portion may couple with the intermediate bone and translate distally to provide a first compression force between the intermediate bone and the distal bone, and a proximal carriage within the proximal portion may couple with the proximal bone and translate distally to provide a second compression force between the proximal bone and the intermediate bone.

Claims (86)

1 . A system for providing dual compression to an ankle joint comprising:

an intramedullary nail comprising:

a distal portion configured to be at least partially received within an intramedullary canal of a tibial bone of the ankle joint;

an intermediate portion receivable within a first bone tunnel formed through a talar bone of the ankle joint; and

a proximal portion receivable within a second bone tunnel formed through a calcaneal bone of the ankle joint;

a talar compression carriage receivable within the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail; and

a calcaneal compression carriage receivable within the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail,

wherein:

the talar compression carriage is configured so that, with the talar compression carriage received in the intermediate portion and the calcaneal compression carriage received in the proximal portion, the talar compression carriage is independently moveable along a longitudinal axis of the intermediate portion relative to the calcaneal compression carriage;

the talar compression carriage is configured to couple with the talar bone and translate distally within the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail to provide a first compression force between the talar bone and the tibial bone of the ankle joint; and

the calcaneal compression carriage is configured to couple with the calcaneal bone and translate distally within the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail to provide a second compression force between the calcaneal bone and the talar bone of the ankle joint.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first bone fixation device configured to couple the talar bone to the talar compression carriage; and

a second bone fixation device configured to couple the calcaneal bone to the calcaneal compression carriage.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail comprises a first elongated window formed through the intermediate portion and configured to receive the first bone fixation device therethrough; and

the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail comprises a second elongated window formed through the proximal portion and configured to receive the second bone fixation device therethrough.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the talar compression carriage comprises a first hole configured to receive the first bone fixation device therein to couple the talar bone to the talar compression carriage; and

the calcaneal compression carriage comprises a second hole configured to receive the second bone fixation device therein to couple the calcaneal bone to the calcaneal compression carriage.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail comprises an intermediate chamber configured to translatably receive the talar compression carriage therein; and

the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail comprises a proximal chamber configured to translatably receive the calcaneal compression carriage therein.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein:

the talar compression carriage comprises a first anti-rotation tab configured to be received within a first anti-rotation slot formed in the intermediate chamber to prevent the talar compression carriage from rotating as the talar compression carriage translates within the intermediate chamber; and

the calcaneal compression carriage comprises a second anti-rotation tab configured to be received within a second anti-rotation slot formed in the proximal chamber to prevent the calcaneal compression carriage from rotating as the calcaneal compression carriage translates within the proximal chamber.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein:

the intermediate chamber comprises a first internal thread configured to threadingly engage a first set screw that is configured to urge the talar compression carriage distally to provide the first compression force between the talar bone and the tibial bone of the ankle joint; and

the proximal chamber comprises a second internal thread configured to threadingly engage a second set screw that is configured to urge the calcaneal compression carriage distally to provide the second compression force between the calcaneal bone and the talar bone of the ankle joint.

8 . A system for providing dual compression to a bone joint comprising:

an elongate device comprising:

a distal portion receivable within a distal bone tunnel formed in a distal bone of the bone joint;

an intermediate portion receivable within an intermediate bone tunnel formed in an intermediate bone of the bone joint; and

a proximal portion receivable within a proximal bone tunnel formed in a proximal bone of the bone joint;

an intermediate carriage receivable within the intermediate portion of the elongate device; and

a proximal carriage receivable within the proximal portion of the elongate device,

wherein:

the intermediate carriage is configured so that, with the intermediate carriage received in the intermediate portion, the intermediate carriage is coaxial with the intermediate portion;

the proximal carriage is configured so that, with the proximal carriage received in the proximal portion, the proximal carriage is coaxial with the proximal portion;

the intermediate carriage is configured to couple with the intermediate bone and translate distally within the intermediate portion of the elongate device to provide a first compression force between the intermediate bone and the distal bone of the bone joint; and

the proximal carriage is configured to couple with the proximal bone and translate distally within the proximal portion of the elongate device to provide a second compression force between the proximal bone and the intermediate bone of the bone joint.

9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a first bone fixation device configured to couple the intermediate bone to the intermediate carriage; and

a second bone fixation device configured to couple the proximal bone to the proximal carriage.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the intermediate portion of the elongate device comprises a first window configured to receive the first bone fixation device therethrough; and

the proximal portion of the elongate device comprises a second window configured to receive the second bone fixation device therethrough.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the intermediate carriage comprises a first passageway configured to receive the first bone fixation device therethrough to couple the intermediate bone to the intermediate carriage; and

the proximal carriage comprises a second passageway configured to receive the second bone fixation device therethrough to couple the proximal bone to the proximal carriage.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the intermediate portion of the elongate device comprises an intermediate chamber configured to translatably receive the intermediate carriage therein; and

the proximal portion of the elongate device comprises a proximal chamber configured to translatably receive the proximal carriage therein.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the intermediate carriage comprises a first anti-rotation tab configured to be received within a first anti-rotation slot formed in the intermediate chamber to prevent the intermediate carriage from rotating as the intermediate carriage translates within the intermediate chamber; and

the proximal carriage comprises a second anti-rotation tab configured to be received within a second anti-rotation slot formed in the proximal chamber to prevent the proximal carriage from rotating as the proximal carriage translates within the proximal chamber.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the intermediate chamber comprises a first internal thread configured to threadingly engage a first set screw that is configured to urge the intermediate carriage distally to provide the first compression force between the intermediate bone and the distal bone of the bone joint; and

the proximal chamber comprises a second internal thread configured to threadingly engage a second set screw that is configured to urge the proximal carriage distally to provide the second compression force between the proximal bone and the intermediate bone of the bone joint.

15 . A system for providing dual compression to an ankle joint comprising:

an intramedullary nail comprising:

a distal portion configured to be at least partially received within an intramedullary canal of a tibial bone of the ankle joint;

an intermediate portion receivable within a first bone tunnel formed through a talar bone of the ankle joint; and

a proximal portion receivable within a second bone tunnel formed through a calcaneal bone of the ankle joint;

a talar compression carriage receivable within the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail; and

a calcaneal compression carriage receivable within the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail,

wherein:

the talar compression carriage is configured to be received in an intermediate set screw through an intermediate circumferential spacer;

the calcaneal compression carriage is configured to be received in a proximal set screw through a proximal circumferential spacer;

the talar compression carriage is configured to couple with the talar bone and translate distally within the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail to provide a first compression force between the talar bone and the tibial bone of the ankle joint; and

the calcaneal compression carriage is configured to couple with the calcaneal bone and translate distally within the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail to provide a second compression force between the calcaneal bone and the talar bone of the ankle joint.

16 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a first bone fixation device configured to couple the talar bone to the talar compression carriage; and

a second bone fixation device configured to couple the calcaneal bone to the calcaneal compression carriage.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail comprises a first elongated window formed through the intermediate portion and configured to receive the first bone fixation device therethrough; and

the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail comprises a second elongated window formed through the proximal portion and configured to receive the second bone fixation device therethrough.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the intermediate portion of the intramedullary nail comprises an intermediate chamber configured to translatably receive the talar compression carriage therein; and

the proximal portion of the intramedullary nail comprises a proximal chamber configured to translatably receive the calcaneal compression carriage therein.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the talar compression carriage comprises a first anti-rotation tab configured to be received within a first anti-rotation slot formed in the intermediate chamber to prevent the talar compression carriage from rotating as the talar compression carriage translates within the intermediate chamber; and

the calcaneal compression carriage comprises a second anti-rotation tab configured to be received within a second anti-rotation slot formed in the proximal chamber to prevent the calcaneal compression carriage from rotating as the calcaneal compression carriage translates within the proximal chamber.

20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the intermediate chamber comprises a first internal thread configured to threadingly engage the intermediate set screw that is configured to urge the talar compression carriage distally to provide the first compression force between the talar bone and the tibial bone of the ankle joint; and

the proximal chamber comprises a second internal thread configured to threadingly engage the proximal set screw that is configured to urge the calcaneal compression carriage distally to provide the second compression force between the calcaneal bone and the talar bone of the ankle joint.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2025
From: VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
To: VILEX LLC
Reel/Frame 070373/0919 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2023
From: JOHNSON, BROCK; TRIPLETT, DANIEL J.; ATWOOD, KYLE
To: VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 065432/0944 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250090205A1 · Mar 20, 2025
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