Surgery – Instruments – Orthopedic instrumentation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-28
2001-08-28
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3732)
Surgery
Instruments
Orthopedic instrumentation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280446
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a tubular splint and more particularly to a splint for large bones of the human body. The splint clamps to and encircles outer surfaces of bones and transmits force in a direction parallel to the axis of a bone.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Large bones of the human body such as, for example, the femur, humerus, ulna and tibia are occasionally broken as a result of accidents or violent actions. A simple break can be straightened, encased in an external cast and then allowed to grow back together.
A more traumatic break which separates a large bone into three or more pieces may require surgery and the insertion of plates and multiple screws to secure each piece of the bone and hold the pieces in alignment with each other while they grow back together. The plate and screws may remain in place or they may be removed at a later date. Another splint that is used for bones broken in two or more pieces has pins that pass through the skin and engage the bone pieces. These pins are then secured to an outside holder that holds the bone pieces in fixed positions relative to each other while they grow back together.
Extremely traumatic breaks in large bones may result in substantial portions of bone being lost. Such traumatic breaks can be caused, for example, by a bullet that carries bone fragments through an exit wound while causing relatively minor soft tissue damage. When substantial bone material is lost, an orthopedic surgeon has limited options. He may be able to shorten the bone somewhat, a section of bone from a donor may be added if a suitable donor bone is available, or the extremity may be amputated.
Large bones may also be damaged when an artificial joint fails and must be removed. Quite often an extremity is shortened each time a new artificial joint is implanted. Surgeons often have no alternative to shortening an arm or leg when an artificial joint fails.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The splint is a tubular member with a slot extending its full length. A clamp bracket is secured to the tubular member on each side of the slot. Two screws pass through screw bores in each end of one of the clamp brackets and screw into threaded bores in the other clamp bracket. Each of the screws has a threaded shank portion, a worm wheel and a head. The head has a shoulder and a tool engaging structure. The tool engaging structure can be a slot for a screwdriver, a bore for a tool such as an Allan wrench, or a radially outer surface engagable by an appropriate tool.
A long worm is journaled in a worm bore that is perpendicular to the screw bores through one of the clamp brackets and engages the worm wheels on all of the screws. A head on the long worm is axially positioned in the worm bore between a bearing surface and a snap ring. Rotation of the long worm by an appropriate tool rotates all of the screws together. By rotating all of the screws together, equal reduction in bone diameter is attained on both ends of the tubular splint. The equal reduction in bore diameter provides holding force between the splint and bone that is nearly the same at both ends of the splint.
Apertures are provided in the walls of the tubular splint for the introduction of a bone adhesive or a bone building material. These materials are pumped through the apertures under pressure. Substantially all of the voids within the splint are filled with adhesive or the bone building material. These materials are, however, able to escape through the slot in the splint thereby insuring that the pressure exerted by materials injected into the splint is not too high.
The body of the tubular splint is a relatively thin material that can conform to the shape of the outer surface of a bone when the splint is used on a bone that is not cylindrical.
The circumference of some bones increases near their ends and joints. This change in circumference is accommodated by placing a ring on the bone that is received in the splint. The ring has a conical surface that engages the bone and a cylindrical surface that engages the splint.
The tubular splint is a strong structural member that increases the strength of a bone as well as holding bone parts in alignment. Even after a broken bone has grown back together and healed, the splint adds strength to the bone.
Artificial joints such as hip joints are attached on the inside of the bones. The tubular splint strengthens the connection between an artificial joint and a bone. In many cases the splint makes it possible to replace an artificial joint without shortening the length of a bone.
A person who receives the tubular splint can start using the extremity with the tubular splint within a few hours to a few days of the splint's insertion. The splint can transfer force as soon as it is tightened on the bone. Use of the bone with a splint is therefore limited only by healing of the incision and surrounding soft tissues.
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Mancene Gene
Reising Ethington, Barnes, Kisselle, Learman & McCulloch, P.C.
Robert Eduardo C.
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