Compression brace

Abstract

A surgical device for pressing and retaining adjacent bones against one another comprising a compression brace and separate fasteners. The compression brace has at least two fastener retaining portions. Each fastener retaining portion has a fastener hole therethrough for receiving a fastener, such as a screw or pin. A pair of bridge members are positioned between the fastener retaining portions, and are spaced apart from one another to form a compression opening. The compression bracket can include a plurality of fastener retaining portions and a plurality of compression openings. In some embodiments, the fasteners are maintained in a substantially fixed relation with the fastener retaining portion. The brace is installed on adjacent bones such that a fastener engages each bone. The compression opening is spread apart to draw the fasteners toward one another, and thereby compress the adjacent bones together.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not applicable STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX [0003] Not applicable FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0004] The present invention relates generally to orthopedic surgery, and more particularly to devices and methods for reduction of fractures and osteotomies by drawing bones together. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,342 (Lang) discloses the use of a compressible fastener for joining boards together. The Lang fastener includes a central loop portion and claw members that extend from diametrically opposed sides of the central loop. The loop is preferably a parallelogram. Each claw member has two claws. Each claw has downwardly turned ends with inwardly turned portions which are configured to penetrate and engage boards. In operation, the claw members are set astraddle adjacent board members. The central loop is then expanded outward to d...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] It is an object of the invention to increase intra-operative choices by allowing a surgeon to select desired lengths and diameters of fasteners.

[0014] It is an object of the invention to reduce inventory by allowing a surgeon to mix and match between braces and fasteners.

Problems solved by technology

Staples having opposing spaced-apart bridges can be difficult and therefore expensive to manufacture.

Positioning holes in the bones such that they align with the legs of the staple can be challenging, and typically requires specialized instrumentation.

Additionally, staple legs tend to splay outward during use in vivo, which may reduce the compressive force of the staple.

The configuration of staples also reduces intra-operative choices.

A staple conventionally has legs of the same length and diameter / cross-section, which may make the staple unsuitable for situations in which it is desirable to have a longer or larger leg on one side of the staple.

Thus, even with a large inventory of staple sizes, intra-operative choices may be limited.

However, the '999 patent does not teach elimination of the downwardly depending leg portions of the staple.

However, as far as the applicant is aware, no attempt has been made to provide a brace and screw combination that has the ability to pull bone fragments together in the efficient and highly effective manner described herein.

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