Synthes USA, LLC

Andrè Schlienger

Peter Senn

Markus Buettler

Described is a reference pin for use during a bone fracture treatment. The pin may include a longitudinal shaft and a spreading member. The longitudinal shaft with a longitudinal axis, a front end, a rear end and a through hole penetrating the shaft from the front end to the rear end. The shaft includes a rear portion adjoining the rear end and an expandable front portion adjoining the front end. The expandable front portion is insertable in a distal locking hole of an intramedullary nail and reversibly expandable transversely to the longitudinal axis. The spreading member is moveably located in the through hole and apt for reversibly expanding the expandable front end portion. The expandable front portion is reversibly expandable within a range between 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm.

Reference pin

An intramedullary nail comprising a central axis and a transverse borehole, provided with an insert which can be introduced into the transverse borehole, said insert also containing a longitudinal slit.

Surgical nail

A surgical nail (), in particular, an intramedullary nail, has a central axis () and is formed of a material (M) having a modulus of elasticity (E). A plurality of transversal openings () run transversally to the central axis () and have a cross-sectional profile (F) and a transversal axis (), the cross-sectional profile (F) having a maximum length (a) that runs in the direction of the central axis and a maximum width (b) that runs perpendicular to the length. A longitudinal bore () runs coaxially with the central axis () and defines a wall (). A longitudinal insert () can be introduced into the region of the transversal opening () via the longitudinal bore (). Said insert has a longitudinal axis () and consists of a material (m). The insert () comprises at least one longitudinal slot () so that said insert can be elastically compressed in a radial manner and includes a plurality of radial elevations () fitting inside the transversal openings ().

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Münchenstein, Switzerland

Andrè Schlienger