Fixation pin for small-bone fragments

Claim 1

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3-mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank, said wire having an annular shoulder formation at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion; (b) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (c) applying the self-tapping distal end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation engages the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (d) unchucking the drill from the wire.

Claim 2

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3-mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank, said wire having an annular shoulder formation at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion; (b) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (c) applying the self-tapping distal end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation engages the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (d) unchucking the drill from the wire.

Claim 5

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3-mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank, said wire having an annular shoulder formation at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion; (b) selecting an annular washer having a bore of diameter less than said shank diameter and greater than the diameter of said threaded portion; said washer having an outer diameter which is greater than the shank diameter; and assembling the washer to the self-tapping distal end of the wire; (c) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (d) applying the self-tapping distal end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation compressionally urges the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (e) unchucking the drill from the wire.

Claim 6

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3-mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank, said wire having an annular shoulder formation at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion; (b) selecting an annular washer having a bore of diameter less than said shank diameter and greater than the diameter of said threaded portion; said washer having an outer diameter which is greater than the shank diameter; and assembling the washer to the self-tapping distal end of the wire; (c) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (d) applying the self-tapping distal end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation compressionally urges the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (e) unchucking the drill from the wire.

Claim 10

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) using an x-ray view of the fractured bone, taken at a viewing-axis orientation substantially normal to a prospective alignment axis of bone-screw orientation, to make a determination of threaded-section length to be implanted for purposes of holding the fragment to adjacent structure of the bone from which the fragment was fractured; (b) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3 mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank and of length which substantially accords with the determined screw-length, said wire having an annular shoulder at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion, (c) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (d) applying the self-tapping distal end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion on said alignment axis and through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation engages the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (e) unchucking the drill from the wire.

Claim 11

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) using an x-ray view of the fractured bone, taken at a viewing-axis orientation substantially normal to a prospective alignment axis of bone-screw orientation, to make a determination of threaded-section length to be implanted for purposes of holding the fragment to adjacent structure of the bone from which the fragment was fractured; (b) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3 mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank and of length which substantially accords with the determined screw-length, said wire having an annular shoulder at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion, (c) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (d) applying the self-tapping distal end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion on said alignment axis and through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation engages the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (e) unchucking the drill from the wire.

Claim 13

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3-mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank, said wire having an annular shoulder formation at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion, and said threaded portion having a cutting distal-tip end which is characterized by plural angularly spaced ground surfaces which converge distally from distal threads of said threaded portion; (b) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (c) applying the self-tapping distal-tip end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation engages the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (d) unchucking the drill from the wire.

Claim 14

The method of fixating a fractured bone fragment to adjacent remainder structure of the bone from which the fragment has been fractured, said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a compression wire having an elongate proximal shank of uniform diameter in the range 1-mm to 3-mm, and having a self-tapping distally extending threaded portion of lesser diameter than the shank, said wire having an annular shoulder formation at juncture of said shank to said threaded portion, and said threaded portion having a cutting distal-tip end which is characterized by plural angularly spaced ground surfaces which converge distally from distal threads of said threaded portion; (b) selecting a rotary drill and chucking the wire shank to the drill, thereby distally projecting the self-tapping threaded portion; (c) applying the self-tapping distal-tip end of the wire to exposed cortex of the fragment while positioning the fragment against said remainder structure of the bone, and operating the drill to tap and advance the threaded portion through the fragment and into implanted anchoring engagement with said remainder structure until the shoulder formation engages the fragment to retain the fragment against said remainder structure; and (d) unchucking the drill from the wire.