Orthopaedic fixation plate

Abstract

A plate for use in fixating the position of a first bone segment relative to a second bone segment, the plate comprising a body portion having a plurality of attachment mechanisms located therein, wherein the attachment mechanisms include: a first group of three attachment mechanisms substantially positioned within 90°-150° of one another about a circle, and preferably within substantially 120° of one another, whereby the first group of attachment mechanisms is designed to facilitate attachment of a plurality of adjustable length struts to the plate; and a second group of attachment mechanisms substantially positioned about the circle that are designed to facilitate attachment of accessories to the plate, wherein the total number of the attachment mechanisms is a multiple of three.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a plate for use as part of an external fixation device, and more particularly to a unique hole pattern within the plate.[0003]2. General Background and Description of the Prior Art[0004]Traditional circular ring external fixation devices consist of Ilizarov-type devices that are based on a circumferential external fixator system disclosed by G. A. Ilizarov during the early 1950's. The Ilizarov system includes at least two rings or “halos” that encircle a patient's body member (e.g., a patient's leg), connecting rods extending between the two rings, transfixion pins that extend through the patient's boney structure, and connectors for connecting the transfixion pins to the rings. Use of the Ilizarov system to deal with angulation, translation and rotation is disclosed in “Basic Ilizarov Techniques,” Techniques in Orthopaedics®, Vol. 5, Nov. 4, December 1990, pages 55-59.[0005]The Ilizarov...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel external fixation plate that can be used as part of the Taylor Spatial FRAME™ fixator, and facilitates the unique method of using the Taylor Spatial Frame™ fixator.

[0010]It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel external fixation plate that easy to manufacture, and simplifies the fixator construction process.

[0011]It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel external fixation plate that offers various clinical advantages over prior art designs by providing a convenient frame of reference to aid a surgeon in preoperative planning and surgical application of the device.

[0013]It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hole scheme for an external fixation plate that provides a clear geometric relationship between the holes on such plate relative to other holes on the same plate or holes on attached plates.

Problems solved by technology

The Ilizarov system provides an external fixation frame that allows for gradual correction along and about six axes; however such frames require many parts and are relatively complicated to build and use in a clinical situation.

Alternatively, such modifications may allow conversion from an initial adjustment type of frame to a weight bearing type frame, since some of the correctional configurations are not stable enough for weight bearing.

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