Device for preventive support of the femur

Claim 1

A device for preventive support of a proximal extremity of a femoral bone consisting of a ball associated with a neck portion extending along a first axis disposed at an angle relative to a rectilinear second axis substantially coinciding with a femoral diaphysis to which the neck portion is attached, the device comprising: a tubular element having first and second ends fashioned from biocompatible material, and stably insertable into a blind socket created in the femoral bone parallel with and in a region of the first axis; first and second locking means fashioned from biocompatible material, the first locking means designed to effect a partial variation in an external shape of the tubular element and said second locking means connected to the tubular element for expanding to engage the femoral bone, the first and second locking means thereby securing the tubular element stably against a bone surface of the blind socket thereby establishing a load-bearing axis that bridges the first axis and the second axis, the second locking means further including a set of elongated prongs, each prong being integrally connected at one end to a ring inserted into the tubular element, the first locking means further including a rotatable tapered expansion pin, inserted coaxially into the tubular element to assume a position interposed between the first end of the tubular element and the second locking means, the second locking means being positioned internally within the tubular element its ring being connected to a screw which is positioned near the second end of the tubular element, the screw further having a cap which closes an opening in the second end of the tubular element and which secures the screw against axial movement through the tubular element, the tapered pin having a threaded bore for receiving the screw.

Claim 2

A device for preventive support of a proximal extremity of a femoral bone consisting of a ball associated with a neck portion extending along a first axis disposed at an angle relative to a rectilinear second axis substantially coinciding with a femoral diaphysis to which the neck portion is attached, the device comprising: a tubular element having first and second ends fashioned from biocompatible material, and stably insertable into a blind socket created in the femoral bone parallel with and in a region of the first axis; first and second locking means fashioned from biocompatible material, the first locking means designed to effect a partial variation in an external shape of the tubular element and said second locking means connected to the tubular element for expanding to engage the femoral bone, the first and second locking means thereby securing the tubular element stably against a bone surface of the blind socket thereby establishing a load-bearing axis that bridges the first axis and the second axis, the second locking means further including a set of elongated prongs, each prong being integrally connected at one end to a ring inserted into the tubular element, the first locking means further including a rotatable tapered expansion pin, inserted coaxially into the tubular element to assume a position interposed between the first end of the tubular element and the second locking means, the second locking means being positioned internally within the tubular element its ring being connected to a screw which is positioned near the second end of the tubular element, the screw further having a cap which closes an opening in the second end of the tubular element and which secures the screw against axial movement through the tubular element, the tapered pin having a threaded bore for receiving the screw.