Compressor-Distractor For Angularly Realigning Bone Portions
Patent No. US11596443 (titled "Compressor-Distractor For Angularly Realigning Bone Portions") was filed by Midcap Funding Iv Trust on Jul 11, 2019.
What is this patent about?
’443 is related to the field of surgical instruments, specifically devices and techniques for repositioning bones, particularly in the foot. The background of the invention lies in addressing bone deformities like hallux valgus (bunions), where bones are misaligned, causing pain and functional disability. Current surgical interventions often require instruments that can facilitate efficient and accurate bone realignment.
The underlying idea behind ’443 is to use a compressor-distractor with angled pin-receiving holes to simultaneously realign and either compress or distract bones during surgery. By inserting pins into two bone portions and then threading those pins through angled holes in the device, the bones are forced into a corrected alignment as the device is attached. An actuator then allows the surgeon to control the compression or distraction of the bones.
The claims of ’443 focus on a method of using a compressor-distractor. The method involves inserting a first pin into a first bone portion and a second pin into a second bone portion such that the pins are substantially parallel. Then, the compressor-distractor is attached by positioning the pins through pin-receiving holes in the device's engagement arms. The key is that these pin-receiving holes are angled relative to each other, causing the bone portions to move relative to each other as the device is attached.
In practice, the surgeon first inserts parallel pins into the bones to be realigned. The compressor-distractor is then slid onto these pins. Because the pin-receiving holes are angled, sliding the device onto the pins forces the bones to rotate or translate into a new, corrected position. The actuator, typically a threaded rod and knob, then allows the surgeon to precisely control the distance between the bones, either compressing them together for fixation or distracting them to allow for cleaning or further preparation of the bone surfaces.
This approach differs from prior solutions by combining realignment and compression/distraction into a single device. Traditional methods might require separate instruments for each step. The angled pin-receiving holes provide a built-in mechanism for realignment , simplifying the surgical procedure and potentially improving accuracy. The device allows for controlled movement in multiple planes, addressing complex deformities more effectively than simpler compression or distraction devices.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’443 was filed, surgical procedures at a time when bone realignment was typically implemented using external fixation devices or manual manipulation. When systems commonly relied on fluoroscopic imaging for guidance rather than advanced navigation systems. When hardware or software constraints made precise, controlled angular adjustments during bone realignment non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner allowed the claims because prior art references, such as Dayton and Triplett, teach inserting pins into bone portions and using a compressor-distractor. Hollawell teaches inserting pins into bone portions such that the pins are substantially parallel. However, none of these references, alone or in combination, teach a compressor-distractor where the pin-receiving holes are angled relative to each other, causing bone movement upon insertion of the device.
Claims
This patent contains 16 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a method of using a compressor-distractor to move bone portions relative to each other. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific aspects of the method, such as the use of a bone preparation guide, cleaning the space between bone portions, fixating bone portions, specific bone types, angling of pin-receiving holes, and actuator details.
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Description
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US11596443
- Application Number
- US16508817
- Filing Date
- Jul 11, 2019
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Aug 21, 2040
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents