초록 ▼

A fracture fixation implant formed from a single piece of material bent in loop form to provide juxtaposed first and second legs joined by a bend. The first leg is dimensional and configured to be implanted within a bone to extend across a fracture in the bone, the second leg extending backwardly fr

A fracture fixation implant formed from a single piece of material bent in loop form to provide juxtaposed first and second legs joined by a bend. The first leg is dimensional and configured to be implanted within a bone to extend across a fracture in the bone, the second leg extending backwardly from the bend and having a length to extend on an outer surface of the bone across the fracture. The implant exits from the bone at the bend, such that application of a pulling force on the second leg produces compression across the fracture. The second leg is flat and is provided with a plurality of holes in which bone screws can be installed to secure the second leg directly to the bone and maintain the compression across the fracture. The implant avoids the use of washers.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A fracture fixation implant comprising: a first portion constructed and arranged to be implanted within a bone across a fracture site in said bone, a second portion integrally formed with said first portion by a bend, said second portion being of a length to extend alon

The invention claimed is: 1. A fracture fixation implant comprising: a first portion constructed and arranged to be implanted within a bone across a fracture site in said bone, a second portion integrally formed with said first portion by a bend, said second portion being of a length to extend alongside but separated from said first portion across the fracture site outside the bone, said bend being of a size to extend outside the bone and space the second portion from the first portion by a distance so that the second portion can pass on a superficial surface of the bone, such that said first and second portions are juxtaposed with one another in offset planes with the first portion extending longitudinally in the bone and the second portion extending longitudinally on the outside of the bone, the arrangement being such that by applying a pulling force to said second portion, a tension force can be developed in said first and second portions, and a fixation element having means for being secured to said bone and for cooperating with said second portion to maintain said tension force developed in the first and second portions and produce compression of the bone across the fracture site, said first and second portions being integrally formed and joined together by said bend portion, said bend portion forming a transition between said first and second portions, said second portion transitioning to a surface adapted to conform with the superficial surface of the bone, said fixation element comprising a fastener which can pass through a hole in the second portion to secure the second portion directly to the bone at the superficial surface, said second portion comprising a flat body forming a plate in which said hole is provided to receive said fastener. 2. The implant of claim 1, wherein said second portion has a lower surface shaped to conform to the superficial surface of the bone. 3. The implant of claim 1, wherein the flat body of the second portion has a substantially uniform thickness. 4. The implant of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second portions has a non-uniform cross-sectional area. 5. The implant of claim 1, wherein said second portion has a cross-sectional area which is less than said first portion. 6. The implant of claim 5, wherein said flat body of said second portion has an end region wider than the rest of the implant. 7. The implant of claim 1, wherein said flat body of said second portion is provided with a plurality of said holes. 8. The implant of claim 1, wherein said first portion has a round cross section and a cross-wise area greater than that of said flat body of said second portion. 9. The implant of claim 8, wherein said first portion is substantially cylindrical. 10. The implant of claim 8, wherein said bend portion has a bend radius substantially greater than the distance between the juxtaposed first and second portions. 11. The implant of claim 7, wherein said holes are in the form of slots. 12. The implant of claim 1, wherein said second portion has a terminal end region which is curved outwards. 13. The implant of claim 1, wherein said first and second portions are formed from a single piece of material. 14. The implant of claim 1, wherein said second portion merges with said bend and has the smallest cross-sectional area of the implant beyond the bend to form a fracture zone. 15. The implant of claim 1, wherein said second portion is of sufficient length to extend across the fracture site. 16. The implant of claim 1, wherein said second portion includes a round portion connected at one end to said bend and at an opposite end merges with and changes cross-section with said flat body forming said plate. 17. The implant of claim 1, wherein said plate has a thickness less than that of the first portion. 18. The implant of claim 1, wherein the plate is substantially rectangular in cross-section. 19. The implant of claim 1, wherein said hole is drilled in said plate. 20. A fracture fixation implant comprising a single piece of material bent in loop form to provide juxtaposed first and second legs joined by a bend, said first leg being dimensioned and configured to be implanted within a bone to extend across a fracture in the bone, said second leg extending backwardly from said bend and having a length to extend on an outer surface of the bone across the fracture whereby the implant extends partly in the bone and partly out of the bone, the implant exiting from the bone at said bend, such that application of a pulling force on said second leg produces compression across the fracture in the bone, said second leg comprising a flat body forming a plat in which at least one hole is provided to receive a bone screw to directly secure the second leg to the bone and maintain the compression across the fracture. 21. The implant of claim 20, wherein said first leg has a round cross-section. 22. The implant of claim 20, wherein said bend has a round cross-section which is smaller in cross-wise area than said first leg. 23. The implant of claim 20, wherein said at least one hole is in the form of a slot. 24. The implant of claim 20, wherein said at least one hole is in a relatively flat part of the second leg and the bone screw directly secures the second leg to the bone without a washer. 25. The implant of claim 20, wherein said second leg includes a round leg connected at one end to said bend and at an opposite end merges with and changes cross-section with said flat body forming said plate. 26. The implant of claim 20, wherein said plate has a thickness less than that of the first portion. 27. The implant of claim 20, wherein the plate is substantially rectangular in cross-section. 28. The implant of claim 20, wherein said hole is drilled in said plate. 29. A fracture fixation implant comprising a single piece of material bent in loop form to provide juxtaposed first and second legs joined by a bend, said first leg being dimensional and configured to be implanted within a bone to extend across a fracture in the bone, said second leg extending backwardly from said bend and having a length to extend on an outer surface of the bone across the fracture whereby the implant extends partly in the bone and partly out of the bone, the implant exiting from the bone at said bend, such that application of a pulling force on said second leg produces compression across the fracture in the bone, said second leg being provided with at least one hole in which a bone screw can be installed to directly secure the second leg to the bone and maintain the compression across the fracture; wherein the method of forming said implant comprises the steps of providing bar stock of a size greater than the size of said first and second legs, removing material from the bar stock to form said second leg with a relatively flat portion, the first leg with a shape and dimension for implanting in the bone and a portion connecting the first and second legs destined to form the bend, and bending the latter said portion to form said bend. 30. The method of claim 29, comprising forming a plurality of said holes in said second leg. 31. A fracture fixation implant comprising: a first portion constructed and arranged to be implanted within a bone across a fracture site in said bone, a second portion integrally formed with said first portion by a bend, said second portion being of a length to extend alongside but separated from said first portion across the fracture site outside the bone, said bend being of a size to extend outside the bone and space the second portion from the first portion by a distance so that the second portion can pass on a superficial surface of the bone, such that said first and second portions are juxtaposed with one another in offset planes with the first portion extending longitudinally in the bone and the second portion extending longitudinally on the outside of the bone, the arrangement being such that by applying a pulling force to said second portion, a tension force can be developed in said first and second portions, and a fixation element having means for being secured to said bone and for cooperating with said second portion to maintain said tension force developed in the first and second portions and produce compression of the bone across the fracture site, said first and second portions being integrally formed and joined together by said bend portion, said bend portion forming a transition between said first and second portions, said second portion transitioning to a surface adapted to conform with the superficial surface of the bone, said fixation element comprising a fastener which can pass through a hole in the second portion to secure the second portion directly to the bone at the superficial surface; wherein the method of forming said implant comprises the steps of: providing a piece of bar stock of round cross-section having a diameter at least as large as a largest dimension of said legs and said bend, removing material from the bar stock to form an elongate body comprised of the first and second legs and a region to form the bend, and bending the elongated body at said region to cause said legs to be juxtaposed and joined by the bend. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of removing material includes forming said second leg first.