Patent US4969888A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4969888A
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Surgical protocol for fixation of osteoporotic bone using inflatable device
Assignee: Medtronic Europe SARL
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Filing: 1989-02-09
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Granted: 1990-11-13
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Expires: 2009-02-09
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for the fixation of osteoporotic bones and especially vertebral body compression fractures, Colles' fractures and fractures of the proximal humerus. The method of the present invention includes a series of steps including penetrating the bone having the fracture with a guide pin, drilling the osteoporotic bone marrow of the bone to enlarge the cavity to be treated, following which a bone specific inflatable device is inserted in the cavity and inflated. The expansion of the device causes a compacting of the osteoporotic bone marrow against the inner surface of the outer wall of the bone to be treated to further enlarge the cavity. When this occurs, a flowable synthetic bone material or methyl methacrylate cement is directed into the cavity and allowed to set to a hardened condition. Following this, the instruments are removed. In the fixation of vertebral body fractures, an elliptical inflatable device is first used to initiate the compacting of the osteoporotic bone marrow, following which a checker-shaped inflatable device is inserted into the cavity to further compact the osteoporotic bone marrow in all directions. In the fixation of Colles' fractures and proximal humerus fractures, a gourd-shaped inflatable device is used to compact the osteoporotic bone marrow.
Inventors
- 👤 Arie Scholten
- 👤 Mark A. Reiley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:51
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/88; A61B17/885; A61B17/8852; A61B17/8855; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/42; A61F2/4261; A61F2/44; A61F2/441; A61F2/46; A61F2/4601; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B10/025; A61B2010/0258; A61B2017/00535; A61B2017/00539; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61F2/28; A61F2/40; A61F2/4003; A61F2/4606; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30003; A61F2002/3006; A61F2002/3008; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30581; A61F2002/30583; A61F2002/4635; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0085; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/0096; A61F2250/0098
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of fixation of a fracture or impending fracture of an osteoporotic bone having osteoporotic bone marrow therein comprising: forming a passage in the bone marrow; compacting the bone marrow to increase the volume of said passage and filling the passage with a flowable material capable of setting to a hardened condition.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of fixation of a fracture or impending fracture of an osteoporotic bone having osteoporotic bone marrow therein comprising: forming a passage in the bone marrow; compacting the bone marrow to increase the volume of said passage and filling the passage with a flowable material capable of setting to a hardened condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said compacting step includes forcing the osteoporotic bone marrow outwardly and against the site of the fracture or impending fracture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said compacting step includes forcing the osteoporotic bone marrow outwardly of the central portion of the bone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said forcing step includes direction the osteoporotic bone marrow against an inner surface of the bone within the fracture or impending fracture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said compacting step includes inflating an inflatable device in said passage to urge the osteoporotic bone marrow therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein is included the step of inserting the device in the passage before the inflating step.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said forming step includes drilling said osteoporotic bone marrow to form said passage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said drilling step includes guiding a drill through into the proximate corticol bone marrow.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said forming step includes drilling the osteoporotic bone marrow to a predetermined depth.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said depth is in the range of approximately 60 to 80% of the maximum oblique dimension of the bone containing the osteoporotic bone marrow.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fracture is a fracture of a vertebral body of the human spine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fracture is a Colles' fracture of the distal radius.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fracture is a fracture of the proximal humerus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flowable material is selected from the group consisting of liquid synthetic bone and methyl methacrylate cement.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of fixation of an osteoporotic fracture of a bone containing osteoporotic bone marrow therein comprising: drilling said bone to form a passage therein; inserting an inflatable device in said recess; inflating the device in the passage to increase the volume thereof and to force the osteoporotic bone marrow outwardly of the passage and against the bone to form a void in the bone; and filling the void in the bone with a flowable material capable of setting to a hardened condition.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of fixation of an osteoporotic fracture of a bone containing osteoporotic bone marrow therein comprising: drilling said bone to form a passage therein; inserting an inflatable device in said recess; inflating the device in the passage to increase the volume thereof and to force the osteoporotic bone marrow outwardly of the passage and against the bone to form a void in the bone; and filling the void in the bone with a flowable material capable of setting to a hardened condition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said inflating step includes inflating a chambered bladder device having an elliptical configuration.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said inflating step includes inflating a chambered bladder device having generally cylindrical configuration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein is included the step of guiding a drill into the bone.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said inflating step includes inflating the device with a radio-opaque material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said inflating step includes compacting the osteoporotic bone marrow against the bone at the fracture site thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said inflating step includes forcing the osteoporotic bone marrow outwardly of the central portion of the bone.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said inflating step includes compacting the osteoporotic bone marrow against an inner surface of the bone.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said drilling step includes guiding a drill into the bone, and rotating the drill about its longitudinal axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said drilling step includes drilling the osteoporotic bone marrow to a predetermined depth.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said depth is in the range of approximately 60 to 80% of the maximum oblique dimension of the bone.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the fracture is a fracture of a vertebral body of the human spine.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said fracture is a Colles' fracture of the distal radius.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said fracture is a fracture of the proximal humerus.
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