Osteosynthesis implant

Details Osteosynthesis implant Osteosynthesis implant

1999-11-08

2001-02-13

Philogene, Pedro (Department: 3732)

Surgery

Instruments

Orthopedic instrumentation

C606S232000, C606S075000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06187009

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns an implant for osteosynthesis for joining bone fragments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such implants for osteosynthesis are already known from the state of the art, in particular those made of memory alloys and those from ordinary metal alloys but with an elastic prestress. The disadvantages of these known implants include the fact that neither type (memory alloys and non-memory alloys) is bioabsorbable and therefore a second surgery is potentially necessary to remove the metal. In addition, the biocompatibility of memory alloys is disputed due to their high nickel content. Because of the fact that the metal implant must be removed subsequently, their extensions cannot be provided with a retaining structure either. Finally, another disadvantage of the known implants is that they have only two extensions.
International Patent WO-A 9526164 discloses an implant for osteosynthesis for joining bone fragments. However, a disadvantage of this known implant is the considerable and constant thickness of the plate-shaped base body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of this invention is to create an implant for osteosynthesis, in particular for the maxillofacial area, to which the bone parts to be secured can be joined easily and reliably and which need not be explanted after successful osteosynthesis.
The osteosynthesis implant according to the present invention includes a body having an upper side and a lower side for contact with bone and first and second extensions attached to the lower side of the body for implantation in bone. Each of the first and second extensions has an outer surface with a plurality of retaining members for securement in bone. The implant is made of a bioabsorbable material and the body has a thickness that decreases from the center to the periphery.
This invention yields the advantage that in the case of a single implant having multiple extensions, a multi-fragment fracture (e.g., in the skull area) can be treated with just one component. In the case of a simple fracture (with only one fracture line), the stability of the fracture repair can be increased significantly by a single implant. Finally, another advantage is that the operation time is greatly shortened in comparison with known implants.
In one embodiment the extensions of the implant are not perpendicular to the base body but instead converge toward one another, thus resulting in a prestress on these extensions. The prestress thus created then causes a minimal compression on the fracture and thus shortens the bone regeneration time. The maximum angle is preferably 20°.
To be able to use the implant according to this invention optimally, it is important for the bone fragments to be repositioned without any gaps. In order to ensure this, the holes for the extensions of the implant to be inserted into the bone are predrilled by means of a multiple drilling head which is placed over the fracture line so that all the required holes can be created in a single operation. Then the implant is held by means of a suitable instrument which neutralizes any convergence of the extensions (i.e., the extensions are aligned in parallel by means of the instrument), so that the implant can then be pressed into the parallel aligned “multiple holes” and secured there. Then any retention aid attached there can be removed.
The prestress produced by the convergent extensions causes a minimal compression on the fracture and can thus promote regeneration of the bone. In addition, the prestress together with the retaining structure of the extensions ensures a better hold of the implant of the bone.
In another preferred embodiment, the extensions of the implant are designed as hollow bodies with a central channel into which a spreading body can be inserted to achieve even better fixation.
In addition to the main use of the implant according to this invention for bridging fracture gaps, it can also be used as a fixation component for absorbable films, membranes or absorbable osteosynthesis plates.
The films or membranes are used mainly to
bridge bone defects,
reconstruct the eye socket, and
achieve controlled osteogenesis in the dental area.


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patent: 5779707 (1998-07-01), Bertholet et al.
patent: 5785713 (1998-07-01), Jobe
patent: 5968078 (1999-10-01), Grotz
patent: 6013077 (2000-01-01), Harvin

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