Intramedullary nail aiming device and bone treatment system including the same

Abstract

The present invention proposes an intramedullary nail aiming device and a bone treatment system including the same, wherein the intramedullary nail aiming device is applicable to a variety of intramedullary nails and comprises a proximal aiming arm, a distal aiming arm and a connecting device connecting the two, wherein, for any intramedullary nail selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails, when the intramedullary nail and the connecting device are mounted to the proximal aiming arm, the rotation axis of the rotating assembly of the connecting device is fixed relative to the proximal aiming arm and points to the starting position of the anterior arch bending of the intramedullary nail. And after the distal aiming arm is fixed to the rotating assembly at the proximal connecting hole corresponding to the intramedullary nail in a non-rotatable manner, the distal aiming arm can translate relative to the intramedullary nail so that the distal aiming hole can align with the distal screw hole of the intramedullary nail.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a medical instrument for orthopedic surgery, in particular to an intramedullary nail aiming device which is suitable for implanting a variety of intramedullary nails into the bone marrow cavity of a patient and aiming at the screw holes of the intramedullary nails, and a bone treatment system comprising the same. Background Art

[0002] Intramedullary nail fixation is one of the surgical techniques for treating large long bone fractures. This technique has the advantages of being relatively minimally invasive, with less bleeding, fewer complications, and early mobilization. However, due to the irregular shape of the medullary cavity, a single-shaped intramedullary nail will be forced to be squeezed and deformed after being implanted into the medullary cavity, especially at the starting position of the anterior arch bend, which will cause the position of the distal screw hole to change. In addition, since the position of the distal screw hole cannot be located, the implantation of the distal locking screw is very difficult, resulting in prolonged operation time, increased use of radiation, and even the risk of surgical failure.

[0003] Existing distal screw hole targeting technologies include positioning platform positioning technology, intraoperative adjustment technology, and magnetic navigation technology.

[0004] The positioning platform technology uses mechanical means to install the external aiming frame and the implant together to achieve the purpose of finding the nail hole. However, this method requires cutting an opening in the patient's body tissue at the platform position. However, this opening is only used for instrument aiming, which increases the patient's bleeding and trauma. In addition, due to the deformation of the implant in the body, it may be impossible to accurately find the positioning platform, resulting in the inability to install the aiming frame and the implant together, and thus unable to aim.

[0005] Magnetic navigation technology uses the principle of magnetic field induction. A magnetic source is placed inside the implant, and the external induction device senses the position of the magnetic source, thereby achieving the purpose of aiming at the nail hole. However, this method requires implanting the distal screw first and then the proximal screw, which is not suitable for surgeries that must first fix the proximal end and then the distal end, such as the treatment of femoral neck fractures.

[0006] The intraoperative adjustment technique is to use C-arm imaging to continuously fine-tune the position of the guide sleeve during the operation so that the guide sleeve is aligned with the nail hole on the implant. There are two types of adjustment mechanisms, one is a sliding mechanism and the other is a rotating mechanism. The movement mode of the existing sliding mechanism is quite different from the actual deformation of the implant, and it is easy to produce a large axial deviation after the intramedullary nail is implanted. The position of the rotation center of the existing rotating mechanism will change due to the change in the length of the implant, so that even through rotation, the position of the aiming hole cannot be made the same as the position of the distal screw hole of the intramedullary nail that is tilted after implantation, that is, a large axial deviation will also be generated. However, the axial deviation will cause the screw to deviate from the center of the hole and be forcibly screwed in, causing scratches on the implant and the locking screw, resulting in a reduction in fatigue strength, or even implant failure, leading to surgical failure.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need in the art for an intramedullary nail aimer that can accurately locate the screw hole, especially the distal screw hole, of the intramedullary nail after implantation. Summary of the invention

[0008] In order to solve at least one of the defects in the above-mentioned prior art, according to one aspect of the present invention, an intramedullary nail aiming device is provided, wherein the intramedullary nail aiming device is applicable to a variety of intramedullary nails, wherein the intramedullary nail aiming device comprises:

[0009] a proximal aiming arm having an outer end and an inner end, wherein the inner end is adapted to engage any intramedullary nail selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails;

[0010] A connecting device, comprising a housing assembly and a rotating assembly rotatably disposed in the housing assembly, wherein the housing assembly is fixed to the outer end portion so that a rotation axis of the rotating assembly is fixed relative to the proximal aiming arm and points to a front arch bending start position thereof when the intramedullary nail is coupled to the inner end portion; and

[0011] A distal aiming arm having a distal aiming hole at its distal end and a plurality of proximal connecting holes at its proximal end corresponding to the plurality of intramedullary nails, wherein the distal aiming arm is fixed to the rotating assembly in a non-rotatable manner at the proximal connecting holes corresponding to the intramedullary nails, and is suitable for translating relative to the proximal aiming arm in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis so that the distal aiming hole is aligned with the distal screw hole of the intramedullary nail when the intramedullary nail is coupled to the inner end portion.

[0012] Optionally, the rotating assembly includes a rotating core rotatably disposed in the housing assembly and a rotating column non-rotatably fixed to the rotating core and protruding axially from the rotating core, wherein the rotating core includes a radial protrusion radially protruding therefrom, and the distal aiming arm is non-rotatably fixed to the rotating column at a proximal connecting hole corresponding to the intramedullary nail, and

[0013] The connecting device also includes an actuating assembly, which extends along a displacement axis perpendicular to the rotation axis and includes a spaced-apart threaded portion and a clamping portion, wherein the threads of the threaded portion engage with corresponding threads of the housing assembly, and the clamping portion is configured to clamp the free end of the radial protrusion in the direction of the displacement axis.

[0014] Optionally, the free end of the radial protrusion is cylindrical, and the clamping portion includes a first radial flange and a second radial flange spaced apart and a radial annular groove defined therebetween, wherein the radial annular groove is configured to receive the free end, and the first radial flange and the second radial flange are configured to remain in contact with the free end.

[0015] Optionally, the rotating core has a central opening defined therein, wherein the rotating post is non-rotatably fixed to the central opening and is adapted to slide relative to the rotating core along an edge of the central opening in a first sliding direction, the first sliding direction being perpendicular to the rotation axis.

[0016] Optionally, the rotating column has a radial flange protruding radially therefrom, and a pair of grooves parallel to each other and extending along the first sliding direction are defined in the edge of the central opening, and two parallel edges of the radial flange are engaged in the pair of grooves.

[0017] Optionally, the proximal connecting hole is in the form of an elongated hole, and the rotating column is suitable for sliding in the proximal connecting hole along a second sliding direction, which is perpendicular to the rotation axis and forms a non-zero angle with the first sliding direction.

[0018] Optionally, the second sliding direction is perpendicular to the first sliding direction.

[0019] Optionally, the rotating column has a flat surface defined on its radial outer surface, and the proximal connecting hole has a relatively flat surface defined on its side wall and extending along the second sliding direction, wherein the flat surface is configured to contact the relatively flat surface.

[0020] Optionally, the housing assembly includes a threaded hole leading to the rotating assembly, and the connecting device further includes a set screw, wherein the set screw is configured to be threadedly connected to the threaded hole, so that the set screw can be rotated to press the rotating assembly to prevent the rotating assembly from rotating.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, a bone treatment system is provided, wherein the bone treatment system comprises the intramedullary nail aiming device as described above and a plurality of intramedullary nails applicable to the intramedullary nail aiming device, wherein:

[0022] An intramedullary nail selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails is coupled to the inner end portion of the proximal aiming arm so that the rotation axis of the rotation assembly of the connecting device is aligned with the anterior arch bending start position of the intramedullary nail, and

[0023] The distal aiming arm is fixed to the rotating assembly of the connecting device at the proximal connecting hole corresponding to the intramedullary nail in a non-rotatable manner, and is suitable for translating relative to the intramedullary nail in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis so that the distal aiming hole is aligned with the distal screw hole of the intramedullary nail.

[0024] The present invention can be embodied as the exemplary embodiments in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are only exemplary, and any changes conceived under the teachings of the present invention should be considered to be included in the scope of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention. These drawings should not be construed as necessarily limiting the scope of the present invention. The same numbers and / or similar reference numerals throughout may refer to the same and / or similar elements. In the various drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an intramedullary nail aiming device according to the present invention in an exploded state;

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an assembled state of a connecting device of an intramedullary nail aiming device according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of an exploded state of a connecting device of an intramedullary nail aiming device according to the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a rotating core of a connecting device of an intramedullary nail aiming device according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a fastening assembly of an intramedullary nail aiming device according to the present invention; and

[0031] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the tilted state of the intramedullary nail after implantation and the operation of the aiming mechanism of the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as necessarily being limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, these exemplary embodiments are merely provided to illustrate the present invention and to convey the concept of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0033] As used herein, with reference to the human body and the components described herein that are intended to be implanted in the human body, the terms "proximal end P" and "distal end D" are defined relative to the patient's torso during the implantation surgery, wherein the term "proximal end P" is the end closer to the torso, and the term "distal end D" is the end farther from the torso, on this basis, the term "proximal end P" and the term "distal end D" jointly define the proximal-distal direction DP; the term "medial end M" and the term "lateral end L" are defined relative to the patient's sagittal plane, wherein the term "medial end M" refers to the side closer to the sagittal plane, and the term "lateral end L" refers to the side farther from the sagittal plane, on this basis, the term "medial end M" and the term "lateral end L" jointly define the medial-lateral direction ML; the term "front end F" and the term "rear end B" are defined relative to the patient's orientation, wherein the term "front end F" refers to the direction facing the patient, and the term "rear end B" refers to the direction facing away from the patient, on this basis, the term "front end F" and the term "rear end B" jointly define the anterior-posterior direction FB. In the above definition, the "sagittal plane" is an imaginary vertical plane passing through the middle of the body or body structure, which divides the body or body structure into left and right halves. However, it is worth noting that the above definition of relative orientation is only given for the purpose of better illustrating the technical solution of the present invention through the accompanying drawings, and it should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention in any way. In addition, as used in this article, the term "non-rotatably fixed" means that the objects involved cannot rotate relative to each other, but can still slide and / or translate relative to each other.

[0034] refer to Figure 1-Figure 5 According to one aspect of the present invention, an intramedullary nail aiming device is provided, which generally includes a connecting device 100 and a distal aiming arm 200 and a proximal aiming arm 300 connected together by the connecting device 100. Next, each component is described in detail.

[0035] Reference below Figure 1 The proximal aiming arm 300 of the intramedullary nail aiming device is described. Figure 1As shown, the proximal aiming arm 300 is generally U-shaped, and in the case shown in the figure, the opening of the U-shaped structure faces the distal direction D. The proximal aiming arm 300 includes an outer end portion 310 and an inner end portion 320 separated along the inner-outer direction ML, wherein the outer end portion 310 is used to engage the connecting device 100, and the inner end portion 320 is used to engage the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted. Optionally, the proximal aiming arm 300 has one or more proximal aiming holes defined therein, and when the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted is fixed to the inner end portion 320 (for example, by threaded connection, snap fit, friction fit, etc.), the proximal aiming hole is aligned with the proximal screw hole in the intramedullary nail 400, and the so-called "alignment" means that the proximal aiming hole is coaxial with the proximal screw hole, whereby, when the intramedullary nail 400 is implanted into the patient's body (for example, implanted into the patient's fractured femur), the guide sleeve can be inserted into the proximal aiming hole and extended toward the proximal screw hole, at which time the guide sleeve, the proximal aiming hole and the proximal screw hole are coaxial, whereby the proximal bone screw can advance toward the proximal screw hole in the guide sleeve and finally pass through the proximal screw hole and be screwed into the bone, thereby fixing the intramedullary nail in the patient's body at the proximal end.

[0036] Reference below Figure 1 The distal aiming arm 200 of the intramedullary nail aiming device is described. Figure 1As shown, the distal aiming arm 200 is generally in a cylindrical shape extending along the distal-proximal direction DP. The distal aiming arm 200 has a distal aiming hole 210 (four are shown in the figure) passing through it at its distal end, and has a plurality of proximal connection holes 220 passing through it at its proximal end, wherein the distal aiming hole 210 is used to align with the distal screw hole 410 in the bone screw 400, and the distal aiming arm 200 is connected to the connection device 100 at one of the plurality of proximal connection holes 220. In addition, the plurality of proximal connection holes 220 are provided so that the intramedullary nail aimer can be matched with a variety of intramedullary nails, that is, the plurality of proximal connection holes 220 correspond to intramedullary nails of a variety of different sizes (specifically, different sizes along the distal-proximal direction DP), wherein each proximal connection hole 220 corresponds to an intramedullary nail of one size. Further, after the doctor selects the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted for the patient according to the preoperative and / or intraoperative planning, the distal aiming arm 200 is connected to the connecting device 100 at the proximal connecting hole 220 corresponding to the selected intramedullary nail 400, so that the distal aiming hole 210 can be aligned with the distal screw hole 410, and then the distal bone screw is implanted in a manner similar to the implantation of the proximal bone screw described above, so that the distal bone screw passes through the distal screw hole 410 and is screwed into the bone, thereby fixing the intramedullary nail in the patient's body at its distal end. It is worth noting that although 9 proximal connecting holes 220 are shown in the figure, in other embodiments, the number of proximal connecting holes 220 can be changed according to the optional intramedullary nail type, for example, if there are 10 optional intramedullary nails, then 10 proximal connecting holes 220 can be provided. Therefore, embodiments in which any number of proximal connecting holes 220 are provided should be considered to be under the teachings of the present invention and are therefore included in the scope of the present invention.

[0037] Optionally, the number of the intramedullary nail corresponding to the proximal connecting hole 220 is provided at a position adjacent to each proximal connecting hole 220, such as the numbers "30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46" on the upper surface of the distal aiming arm 200 shown in the figure. Therefore, after the doctor selects the intramedullary nail to be implanted, the proximal connecting hole 220 corresponding thereto can be more conveniently found according to the number of the intramedullary nail, so as to perform subsequent surgery faster, thereby improving the efficiency of the surgery.

[0038] Optionally, a symbol representing whether the distal aiming arm 200 is used for left limb implantation surgery or right limb implantation surgery is provided on the surface of the distal aiming arm 200. Figure 1In the case of the left limb implantation surgery shown in the figure, a symbol "L" representing its application to the left limb implantation surgery is set on the surface of the distal aiming arm 200. Thus, when the doctor is preparing to perform the intramedullary nail implantation surgery on the left limb, the distal aiming arm 200 with the symbol "L" can be used; when the doctor is preparing to perform the intramedullary nail implantation surgery on the right limb, the distal aiming arm 200 with the symbol "R" can be used. Further optionally, when the intramedullary nail aimer is assembled, the above symbols face the doctor. Therefore, by setting the above symbols, it can be ensured that the doctor uses the correct distal aiming arm 200, and thus it can be ensured that the implantation surgery is carried out smoothly.

[0039] Reference below Figure 1-4 The connecting device 100 of the intramedullary nail aiming device is described. Figure 2 As shown, the connection device 100 generally includes a housing assembly 110 and a rotating assembly 120 rotatably disposed in the housing assembly 110. The housing assembly 110 is configured to be fixed to the outer end 310 of the proximal aiming arm 300 so that Figure 1 As shown, after the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted is mounted to the inner end portion 320 of the proximal aiming arm 300, the rotation axis XX' of the rotating assembly 120 is fixed relative to the proximal aiming arm 300 and points to or passes through the anterior arch bending starting position S of the intramedullary nail 400; and the rotating assembly 120 is configured to be connected to the distal aiming arm 200 at the proximal connecting hole 220 corresponding to the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted, so that the rotating assembly 120 can drive the distal aiming arm 200 to rotate around its rotation axis XX', and after the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted and the connecting device 100 are mounted to the proximal aiming arm 300, the distal aiming hole 210 can be aligned with the distal screw hole 410 of the intramedullary nail 400, that is, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As indicated by the axis YY' in the figure, the plurality of distal aiming holes 210 can be coaxial with the plurality of distal screw holes 410. Although the arrangement of the intramedullary nail aiming device is described above for one intramedullary nail selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails to which the intramedullary nail aiming device is applicable, it can be understood that the above arrangement is applicable to any intramedullary nail selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails. That is, for any intramedullary nail selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails, after the intramedullary nail and the connecting device 100 are mounted to the proximal aiming arm 300, the rotation axis XX' of the rotating assembly 120 of the connecting device 100 is fixed relative to the proximal aiming arm 300 and points to (or passes through) the front arch bending start position of the intramedullary nail; and further, after the distal aiming arm 200 is connected to the rotating assembly 120 at the proximal connecting hole corresponding to the intramedullary nail, the distal aiming hole 210 can be aligned with the distal screw hole of the intramedullary nail.

[0040] Through the above technical solution, after the doctor selects an intramedullary nail 400 for a patient suffering from a fracture, bone crack, etc. through preoperative and / or intraoperative planning, the intramedullary nail aimer can be assembled according to the intramedullary nail 400, and the intramedullary nail 400 can be installed on the intramedullary nail aimer. Optionally, the intramedullary nail 400 can also be installed before the intramedullary nail aimer is assembled. At this time, according to the above technical solution, the rotation axis of the distal aiming arm 200 (i.e., the rotation axis XX' of the rotating assembly 120) points to or passes through the front arch bend starting position S of the intramedullary nail 400, and the distal aiming hole 210 of the distal aiming arm 200 is aligned with the distal screw hole 410 of the intramedullary nail 400. However, as can be seen from the foregoing, with reference to Figure 6 In the dotted line portion, after the intramedullary nail 400 is implanted in the patient's body (e.g., in the medullary cavity of the femur), due to the natural curvature of the medullary cavity, the intramedullary nail 400 will tilt at the anterior arch bending starting position S, thereby causing the positions of the plurality of distal nail holes 410 to change. When the intramedullary nail 400 is implanted in the patient's medullary cavity, the patient's position can be adjusted so that the intramedullary nail 400 tilts around the rotation axis XX' of the rotation assembly 120 at the anterior arch bending starting position S after being implanted in the patient's body. In this case, since the distal aiming hole 210 of the distal aiming arm 200 has been aligned with the plurality of distal screw holes 410 when the intramedullary nail 400 is not implanted, and the distal aiming arm 200 can be rotated around the rotation axis XX' pointing to or passing through the starting position S of the anterior arch bending by means of the rotating assembly 120, the distal aiming hole 210 can still be aligned with the distal screw hole 410 after the aiming arm 200 is rotated by an appropriate angle, and there will be no deviation between the axial position of the aiming hole and the axial position of the distal nail hole after the rotation, as in the aiming device in the prior art shown by the double-dotted line, and the axial deviation will cause difficulty in implanting the bone screw, or even implantation failure, or the doctor will forcibly implant the bone screw, thereby causing scratches on the surface of the intramedullary nail and thus affecting its service life. In general, by using the intramedullary nail aiming device of the present invention, after the intramedullary nail is implanted in the patient's body, the position of the distal screw hole of the intramedullary nail can still be found, so that the implantation of the bone screw (especially the distal bone screw) can be carried out smoothly, and the intramedullary nail is protected from being damaged by the bone screw, thereby extending its service life.

[0041] Reference below Figure 2-Figure 4The connection device 100 is described in detail. As shown in the figure, the rotation assembly 120 includes a rotation core 122 rotatably disposed in the housing assembly 110 and a rotation column 121 fixed to the rotation core 122 in a non-rotatable manner and protruding from the rotation core 122 in a direction parallel to the rotation axis XX', wherein the rotation column 121 is configured to be connected to the distal aiming arm 200 at the proximal connection hole 220 corresponding to the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted, so that the distal aiming hole 210 can be aligned with the distal screw hole 410 and the rotation assembly 120 can drive the distal aiming arm 200 to rotate. Optionally, as Figure 3-Figure 4As shown, the rotating core 122 has a rotating core body 122a and a radial protrusion 122b protruding radially (perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis XX') from the rotating core body 122a, wherein the rotating core body 122a has a radial outer surface 122a1 in the form of a cylindrical surface, and the radial outer surface 122a1 contacts the radial inner surface 115 of the housing assembly 110 which is also in the form of a cylindrical surface, so that the rotating core body 122a is radially retained by the radial inner surface 115 and can rotate around the rotation axis XX' in the housing assembly 110. Optionally, the rotating core 122 also has a central opening 122c defined in the rotating core body 122a, and the rotating column 121 is fixed to the central opening 122c in a non-rotatable manner. Further, the central opening 122c has two relative grooves 122c2, 122c2' parallel to each other defined in its two relative edges 122c1, 122c1', the two relative grooves 122c2, 122c2' extend along a first sliding direction perpendicular to the rotation axis XX', and the rotating column 121 has a rotating column body 121a and a radial flange 121b protruding radially therefrom, the two parallel edges 121b1, 121b1' of the radial flange 121b are engaged in the two relative grooves 122c2, 122c2', so that the rotating column 121 can slide along the first sliding direction but cannot rotate relative to the rotating core 122. Although the figure shows that the sliding in the first sliding direction is achieved by providing a groove in the edge of the central opening 122c and making the edge of the radial flange 121b be engaged in the groove, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the sliding in the first sliding direction can also be achieved by providing a groove in the edge of the radial flange 121b and making the edge of the central opening 122c be engaged in the groove. As shown in the figure, the central opening 122c leads to the outside of the rotating core 122 in the radial direction, so that the rotating column 121 can be removably received in the central opening 122c. Optionally, the rotating column body 121a has a threaded hole 121a1 defined in its axial end (parallel to the direction of the rotation axis XX'), wherein the fastener 510 (e.g., a bolt) can be screwed into the threaded hole 121a1 through the proximal connection hole 220 to fix the rotating column 121 to the distal aiming arm 200. Optionally, the rotating column body 121a has a flat surface 121a2 defined on its radial outer surface, and the flat surface 121a2 is configured to contact and / or fit the opposite flat surface 221 of the proximal connection hole 220, so as to fix the distal aiming arm 200 to the rotating column 121 in a non-rotatable manner. Further optionally, as shown in the figure, the rotating column body 121a may have two mutually parallel flat surfaces 121a2 defined on its radial outer surface, and the two flat surfaces 121a2 are configured to contact and / or fit the two mutually parallel opposite flat surfaces 221 of the proximal connection hole 220.Optionally, the rotating core 122 further has an axial protrusion 122d axially protruding from the axial outer surface of the rotating core body 122a thereof (two axial protrusions 122d distributed on both sides of the central opening 122c are shown in the figure), and the axial protrusion 122d is configured to contact the distal aiming arm 200 when the rotating assembly 120 is connected to the distal aiming arm 200, so as to increase the contact area between the rotating assembly 120 and the distal aiming arm 200, so that the rotating assembly 120 can effectively and reliably drive the distal aiming arm 200 to rotate. Optionally, the axial protrusion 122d has a plurality of rows of ridges on its axial outer surface, so as to further increase the friction between the rotating assembly 120 and the distal aiming arm 200, so that the rotating assembly 120 can more effectively and reliably drive the distal aiming arm 200 to rotate.

[0042] Back to Figure 1As mentioned above, the proximal connection hole 220 has a relatively flat surface 221 defined on its side wall, and the relatively flat surface 221 is used to contact the flat surface 121a2 of the rotating column body 121a, so as to fix the distal aiming arm 200 to the rotating column 121 in a non-rotatable manner, so that the rotating column 121 can drive the distal aiming arm 200 to rotate. Optionally, the proximal connection hole 220 is in the form of an elongated hole and the relatively flat surface 221 extends along a second sliding direction, so that the rotating column 121 can slide in the proximal connection hole 220 along the second sliding direction, wherein the second sliding direction is also perpendicular to the rotation axis XX' and forms a non-zero angle with the first sliding direction, in particular perpendicular to the first sliding direction. According to the above technical solution, after the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted and the connecting device 100 are combined with the proximal aiming arm 300 and the rotating column 121 of the rotating assembly 120 is inserted into the proximal connecting hole 220 corresponding to the intramedullary nail 400, since the rotating column 121 can slide along the first sliding direction and can slide along the second sliding direction in the proximal connecting hole 220, the distal aiming arm 200 can move relative to the intramedullary nail 400 in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis XX', thereby, the distal aiming arm 200 can be moved to align its distal aiming hole 210 with the distal screw hole 410 of the intramedullary nail 400. Further, after the two are aligned, the fastener 510 (e.g., a bolt) can be passed through the proximal connection hole 220 and screwed into the threaded hole 121a1 of the rotating column 121 and tightened. Due to the axial tension applied by the fastener 510, the rotating column 121 is locked relative to the rotating core 122, and the distal aiming arm 200 is locked relative to the rotating column 121. At this time, the distal aiming arm 200 can only rotate relative to the intramedullary nail 400, but cannot translate relative to it. Then, as described above, after the intramedullary nail 400 is implanted in the patient's body and tilted around the rotation axis XX' at the anterior arch bending starting position S, the distal aiming arm 200 can be rotated by the rotating assembly 120 so that the distal aiming hole 210 of the distal aiming arm 200 is aligned with the distal screw hole 410 of the intramedullary nail 400 again. Through the above technical solution, after the rotating assembly 120 is connected to the proximal connecting hole 220, the distal aiming arm 200 can still translate in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis XX' so that the distal aiming hole 210 is aligned with the distal screw hole 410. Therefore, the proximal connecting hole 220 does not need to be processed. When the rotating assembly 120 is connected to the proximal connecting hole 220, it can be ensured that the distal aiming hole 210 is aligned with the distal screw hole 410, which greatly reduces the requirements for the processing accuracy of the proximal connecting hole 220, thereby reducing production costs and improving productivity.Although the above discussion discusses achieving translation of the distal aiming arm 200 relative to the proximal aiming arm 300 (and therefore, relative to the intramedullary nail 400 coupled to the proximal aiming arm 300) in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis XX' in the manner of "sliding in a first sliding direction" and "sliding in a second sliding direction", those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific manner of achieving translation. In other words, any manner of achieving the above-mentioned translation should be deemed to be included within the scope of the present invention.

[0043] refer to Figure 2-Figure 3 The connecting device 100 also includes an actuating assembly 130, which is in the form of a columnar member extending along a displacement axis ZZ' perpendicular to the rotation axis XX', and includes a threaded portion 131 and a clamping portion 132 spaced axially (parallel to the direction of the displacement axis ZZ'), wherein the threads of the threaded portion 131 engage with the corresponding threads of the threaded hole 114 of the housing assembly 110, so that rotating the actuating assembly 130 around the displacement axis ZZ' causes the actuating assembly 130 to be displaced along the displacement axis ZZ'; the clamping portion 132 is configured to axially clamp the free end 122b1 of the radial protrusion 122b, so that displacement of the actuating assembly 130 along the displacement axis ZZ' causes the radial protrusion 122b and thus the entire rotating assembly 120 to rotate around the rotation axis XX'. Optionally, the actuation assembly 130 further includes an actuation tip 133 configured to engage with a doctor's hand or a tool so that the doctor's hand or the tool can drive the actuation assembly 130 to rotate.

[0044] According to the above technical solution, after the intramedullary nail 400 is implanted in the patient's body, the doctor can rotate the actuating assembly 130 relative to the housing assembly 110. Since the thread of the threaded portion 131 is engaged with the corresponding thread of the housing assembly 110, the actuating assembly 130 will be displaced along the displacement axis ZZ' while rotating. At this time, the clamping portion 132 will also be displaced along the displacement axis ZZ'. Furthermore, since the free end 122b1 of the radial protrusion 122b is axially clamped in the clamping portion 132, the radial protrusion 122b will rotate around the rotation axis XX' driven by the clamping portion 132. Further, the radial protrusion 122b will drive the rotating core 122 to rotate around the rotation axis XX', the rotating core 122 will in turn drive the rotating column 121 to rotate around the rotation axis XX', and the rotating column 121 will in turn drive the distal aiming arm 200 to rotate around the rotation axis XX', so that the multiple distal aiming holes 210 can be aligned with the multiple distal screw holes 410 that are tilted after implantation. In summary, the connection device 100 can convert the relative rotation between the threads into the rotation of the distal aiming arm, so that the doctor can finely and accurately adjust the rotation angle of the distal aiming arm 200 by rotating the actuating assembly 130. Further, since the free end 122b1 of the radial protrusion 122b is clamped in the clamping portion 132 axially, that is, in the direction of the displacement axis ZZ', the radial protrusion 122b can only apply a force to the clamping portion 132 in the direction of the displacement axis ZZ', however, the force in the direction of the displacement axis ZZ' cannot cause the threaded portion 131 to rotate around the displacement axis ZZ'. In other words, the distal aiming arm 200 can be rotated only by rotating the actuating assembly 130, but not by rotating the distal aiming arm 200. This means that after the doctor rotates the distal aiming arm 200 to a desired position (for example, a position where the plurality of distal aiming holes 210 are aligned with the plurality of distal screw holes 410) by rotating the actuating assembly 130, the distal aiming arm 200 will be automatically locked in the current position, and will not rotate away from the desired position due to gravity or the doctor accidentally touching the distal aiming arm 200. This greatly reduces the doctor's burden during the operation and further ensures the smooth progress of the operation.

[0045] Alternatively, if Figure 2-Figure 4As shown, the free end 122b1 of the radial protrusion 122b is cylindrical, and the clamping portion 132 includes a first radial flange 132a and a second radial flange 132b that are axially spaced apart and a radial annular groove 132c defined therebetween, wherein the radial annular groove 132c is configured to receive the free end 122b1, and the first radial flange 132a and the second radial flange 132b are configured such that the axial end surfaces 132a1 and 132b1 of the first radial flange 132a and the second radial flange 132b are kept in contact with the side surface of the free end 122b1. Thus, when the clamping portion 132 drives the free end 122b1 and finally drives the distal aiming arm 200 to move, the transmission of the movement is continuous, which makes it easier to adjust the distal aiming arm 200 to a desired angle using the connecting device 100, thereby ensuring smooth operation.

[0046] Optionally, the radial dimensions of the first radial flange 132a and the second radial flange 132b are greater than the radial dimensions of the threaded portion 131, so that the threads of the threaded portion 131 remain engaged with the corresponding threads of the housing assembly 110. Thus, the inner sidewalls of the housing assembly 110 on both sides of the clamping portion 132 can block the first radial flange 132a and the second radial flange 132b, which limits the displacement stroke of the actuating assembly 130 along the displacement axis ZZ', and thus prevents the threads of the threaded portion 131 from being disengaged from the corresponding threads of the housing assembly 110, that is, the threads of the threaded portion 131 remain engaged with the corresponding threads of the housing assembly 110, thereby preventing the actuating assembly 130 from being excessively rotated, thereby causing it to be dislocated or even fall out of the housing assembly 110.

[0047] Alternatively, if Figure 3 As shown, the housing assembly 110 also has a blocking member 116 disposed on its inner side wall, and the blocking member 116 is configured to block the further rotation of the rotating core 122 after the rotating core 122 rotates beyond a threshold angle. Thus, the doctor can be prevented from rotating the distal aiming arm 200 to an unreasonable angle, thereby ensuring that the operation is carried out safely and smoothly.

[0048] As described above, the rotating assembly 120 is limited to rotate within a specific angle range. Therefore, the displacement of the free end portion 122b1 along the displacement axis ZZ' (i.e., the displacement of the actuating assembly 130 along the displacement axis ZZ') is approximately linearly related to the rotation angle of the rotating assembly 120 (i.e., the rotation angle of the distal aiming arm 200). Further, since the thread pitch of the threaded portion 131 is constant, the number of revolutions of the actuating assembly 130 is linearly related to its displacement along the displacement axis ZZ'. Therefore, the number of revolutions of the actuating assembly 130 is approximately linearly related to the rotation angle of the distal aiming arm 200. The so-called "approximately linear" means that the difference between the ratio of the number of revolutions of the actuating assembly 130 and the ratio of the angle change of the distal aiming arm 200 caused by it is less than 10%. Similarly, the rotation angle of the distal aiming arm 200 and the change in its distal height are also approximately linearly related. Thus, the doctor can linearly and uniformly change the rotation angle of the distal aiming arm 200 by rotating the actuating assembly 130, and thus linearly and uniformly change the height of the distal aiming hole 210. In particular, since the relationship between the number of revolutions of the actuating assembly 130 and the rotation angle of the distal aiming arm 200 is determined, after selecting the intramedullary nail (the distance between the distal screw hole in the intramedullary nail and the starting position of the anterior arch bending is approximately equal to the distance between the distal aiming hole in the distal aiming arm and the rotation axis XX'), the relationship between the number of revolutions of the actuating assembly 130 and the height change of the distal aiming hole 210 can be directly obtained. Thus, the doctor can know how many revolutions the actuating assembly 130 needs to be rotated if the height of the distal aiming hole 210 is desired to change to a certain extent, which greatly simplifies the surgical process and reduces the burden on the doctor, so that the surgery can be completed more smoothly and quickly.

[0049] Alternatively, if Figure 2-Figure 3 As shown, the housing assembly 110 includes a housing body 111 and a fixing protrusion 112 extending from the housing body 111, wherein the housing body 111 is configured to accommodate the rotation assembly 120, and the fixing protrusion 112 is configured to be fixed to the outer end portion 310 of the proximal aiming arm 300. For example, the fixing protrusion 112 has a through hole 112a defined therein, wherein the fastening assembly 520 can be inserted into the outer end portion 310 through the through hole 112a, so as to reliably fix the fixing protrusion 112 and thus the housing assembly 110 to the proximal aiming arm 300.

[0050] Alternatively, if Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, the housing assembly 110 further includes a fixed end cap 113 attached to the housing body 111 (e.g., by snap fit, friction fit, welding, gluing, etc.), wherein the fixed end cap 113 has a through hole 113a defined therein, and the rotating column 121 can pass through the through hole 113a to be connected to the distal aiming arm 200. In this way, the fixed end cap 113 can position and support the rotating assembly 120 in the axial direction.

[0051] Alternatively, if Figure 3 As shown, the housing assembly 110 further includes a threaded hole 117 leading to the rotating assembly 120 (particularly, the rotating core 122), and the connecting device 100 further includes a set screw 140, wherein the set screw 140 is configured to be threadedly connected with the threaded hole 117, so that the set screw 140 can press the rotating assembly 120 by rotating to prevent the rotating assembly 120 from rotating. Therefore, after the doctor rotates the distal aiming arm 200 to a desired position, the set screw 140 can be used to press the rotating assembly 120 to prevent the distal aiming arm 200 from rotating out of the desired position. This makes it possible to prevent the doctor from accidentally rotating the actuating assembly 130, thereby causing the distal aiming arm 200 to rotate out of the desired position. Optionally, the set screw 140 includes a threaded rod 141 and a set seat 142 fixed to the end of the threaded rod 141, wherein the threaded rod 141 is threadedly connected to the threaded hole 117, and the set seat 142 radially protrudes relative to the threaded rod 141 and is arranged inside the housing assembly 110, so that the set seat 142 can be pushed toward the rotating assembly 120 by the threaded rod 141 and pressed. Since the radial dimension of the set seat 142 is large, the contact area between the set seat 142 and the rotating assembly 120 is large, which enables the set seat 142 to more reliably press the rotating assembly 120; in addition, the set seat 142 can also prevent the threaded rod 141 from being accidentally screwed out of the threaded hole 117, thereby further ensuring that the operation can be carried out smoothly.

[0052] Alternatively, if Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the intramedullary nail aiming device further includes a fastening assembly 520 for fixing the housing assembly 110 of the connecting device 100 to the outer end portion 310 of the proximal aiming arm 300, the fastening assembly 520 includes a base 521 and a first pin 522 and a second pin 523 protruding from the base 521, wherein the base 521 is configured to be inserted into the housing assembly 110 (specifically, the through hole 112a of the fixing protrusion 112), and the first pin 522 and the second pin 523 are configured to be inserted into the outer end portion 310. Optionally, one of the first pin 522 and the second pin 523 is a cylindrical pin, and the other is a prismatic pin. Optionally, the first pin 522 is a hollow expandable pin, and the fastening assembly 520 further includes a top screw 524, wherein the top screw 524 is configured to pass through the base 521 and be inserted into the first pin 522 so that the first pin 522 is expanded in the outer end portion 310, thereby fixing the shell assembly 110 to the outer end portion 310.

[0053] Alternatively, if Figure 1-Figure 3As shown, the connection device 100 is symmetrical about a plane passing through the middle thereof and perpendicular to the rotation axis XX'. This allows the connection device 100 to be used not only for left limb implantation surgery as shown in the figure, but also for right limb implantation surgery.

[0054] According to another aspect of the present invention, a bone treatment system is provided, which includes the intramedullary nail aiming device as described above and a plurality of intramedullary nails applicable to the intramedullary nail aiming device, wherein a doctor can select any intramedullary nail from the plurality of intramedullary nails as an intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted according to preoperative and / or intraoperative planning, the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted is coupled to the inner end portion 320 of the proximal aiming arm 300, and the housing assembly 110 of the connecting device 100 is fixed to the outer end portion 310 of the proximal aiming arm 300 so that the rotation of the connecting device 100 The rotation axis XX' of the component 120 is fixed relative to the proximal aiming arm 300 and aligned with the anterior arch bending starting position S of the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted, and the distal aiming arm 200 is fixed to the rotation component 120 of the connecting device 100 at the proximal connecting hole 220 corresponding to the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted in a non-rotatable manner, and can be translated relative to the intramedullary nail 400 in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis XX', so that the distal aiming hole 210 of the distal aiming arm 200 is aligned with the distal screw hole 410 of the intramedullary nail 400 to be implanted.

[0055] The above describes in detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the intramedullary nail aimer according to the present invention and a bone treatment system including the same. For those of ordinary skill in the art, modifications and additions to the technology and structure should obviously be considered to be included in the scope of the present invention without departing from the scope and essence of the present disclosure as set forth in the following claims. Therefore, these modifications and additions that can be conceived under the teachings of the present invention should be considered as part of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims attached hereto, and includes equivalent technologies known at the filing date of the present disclosure and equivalent technologies that have not yet been foreseen.

Claims

1. An intramedullary nail aimer, which is suitable for a variety of intramedullary nails, wherein: The intramedullary nail aiming device comprises: a proximal aiming arm (300) which is generally U-shaped and has an outer end portion (310) and an inner end portion (320), wherein the inner end portion (320) is adapted to engage any intramedullary nail (400) selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails; A connecting device (100) comprising a housing assembly (110) and a rotating assembly (120) rotatably disposed in the housing assembly (110), wherein the housing assembly (110) is fixed to the outer end portion (310) so that a rotation axis (XX') of the rotating assembly (120) is fixed relative to the proximal aiming arm (300) and points to a front arch bending start position (S) of the intramedullary nail (400) when the intramedullary nail (400) is engaged with the inner end portion (320); and A distal aiming arm (200) having a distal aiming hole (210) at its distal end and a plurality of proximal connection holes (220) at its proximal end corresponding to the plurality of intramedullary nails, wherein the plurality of proximal connection holes (220) correspond to intramedullary nails of a plurality of different sizes, and each proximal connection hole (220) corresponds to an intramedullary nail of a certain size, wherein the distal aiming arm (200) is fixed to the rotating assembly (120) at the proximal connection hole (220) corresponding to the intramedullary nail (400) in a non-rotatable manner, and is adapted to be translated relative to the proximal aiming arm (300) in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX') so that the distal aiming hole (210) is aligned with the distal screw hole (410) of the intramedullary nail (400) when the intramedullary nail (400) is engaged with the inner end portion (320). The rotating assembly (120) comprises a rotating core (122) rotatably disposed in a housing assembly (110) and a rotating column (121) fixed to the rotating core (122) in a non-rotatable manner and protruding axially from the rotating core (122), wherein the rotating core (122) comprises a radial protrusion (122b) protruding radially therefrom, and the distal aiming arm (200) is fixed to the rotating column (121) in a non-rotatable manner at a proximal connecting hole (220) corresponding to the intramedullary nail (400), The connection device (100) further comprises an actuating assembly (130), the actuating assembly (130) extending along a displacement axis (ZZ') perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX'), and comprising a spaced-apart threaded portion (131) and a clamping portion (132), wherein the thread of the threaded portion (131) is engaged with a corresponding thread of the housing assembly (110), and the clamping portion (132) is configured to clamp a free end portion (122b1) of the radial protrusion (122b) in the direction of the displacement axis (ZZ'), and The housing assembly (110) includes a threaded hole (117) leading to the rotating assembly (120), and the connecting device (100) further includes a set screw (140), wherein the set screw (140) is configured to be threadedly connected to the threaded hole (117) so that the set screw (140) can be rotated to press the rotating assembly (120) to prevent the rotating assembly (120) from rotating.

2. The intramedullary nail aiming device according to claim 1, wherein: The free end portion (122b1) of the radial protrusion (122b) is cylindrical, and the clamping portion (132) includes a first radial flange (132a) and a second radial flange (132b) spaced apart and a radial annular groove (132c) defined therebetween, wherein the radial annular groove (132c) is configured to receive the free end portion (122b1), and the first radial flange (132a) and the second radial flange (132b) are configured to remain in contact with the free end portion (122b1).

3. The intramedullary nail aiming device according to claim 1, wherein: The rotating core (122) has a central opening (122c) defined therein, wherein the rotating column (121) is fixed to the central opening (122c) in a non-rotatable manner and is suitable for sliding relative to the rotating core (122) along the edge of the central opening (122c) in a first sliding direction, wherein the first sliding direction is perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX').

4. The intramedullary nail aiming device according to claim 3, wherein: The rotating column (121) has a radial flange (121b) protruding radially therefrom, and a pair of grooves (122c2, 122c2') parallel to each other and extending along the first sliding direction are defined in the edge of the central opening (122c), and two parallel edges (121b1, 121b1') of the radial flange (121b) are engaged in the pair of grooves (122c2, 122c2').

5. The intramedullary nail aiming device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The proximal connection hole (220) is in the form of an elongated hole, and the rotating column (121) is suitable for sliding in the proximal connection hole (220) along a second sliding direction, which is perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX') and forms a non-zero angle with the first sliding direction.

6. The intramedullary nail aiming device according to claim 5, wherein: The second sliding direction is perpendicular to the first sliding direction.

7. The intramedullary nail aiming device according to claim 5, wherein: The rotating column (121) has a flat surface (121a2) defined on its radial outer surface, and the proximal connecting hole (220) has a relative flat surface (221) defined on its side wall and extending along the second sliding direction, wherein the flat surface (121a2) is configured to contact the relative flat surface (221).

8. A bone treatment system, wherein: The bone treatment system comprises the intramedullary nail aiming device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and a plurality of intramedullary nails applicable to the intramedullary nail aiming device, wherein: An intramedullary nail (400) selected from the plurality of intramedullary nails is coupled to the inner end portion (320) of the proximal aiming arm (300) so that the rotation axis (XX') of the rotation assembly (120) of the connecting device (100) is aligned with the anterior arch bending starting position (S) of the intramedullary nail (400), and The distal aiming arm (200) is fixed to the rotating assembly (120) of the connecting device (100) at a proximal connecting hole (220) corresponding to the intramedullary nail (400) in a non-rotatable manner, and is suitable for translating relative to the intramedullary nail (400) in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX') so that the distal aiming hole (210) is aligned with the distal screw hole (410) of the intramedullary nail (400).

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