Acumed, Inc.

David William VanVleet

Joshua P Federspiel

Ann Nicole Santich

Gretchen Hinton

Mark B Sommers

Alastair Younger

Steven Morgan

Tristan Sommers

Selene Parekh

William A Beutler, Jr

A button inserter and system are disclosed that enable easily and effectively deploying a near bone suture button from the button inserter when implementing the suture button technique. To deploy the near bone button, with a far bone button deployed from the button inserter and against the far bone, the button inserter's handle may be translated away from the deployed far bone button. Translating the handle changes a position of a carriage body within a channel of the handle thereby compressing a spring. Protrusions on the carriage body may be forced through notches in the handle, which thereby alters an orientation of the carriage and releases the compressed spring, which applies force to the carriage body. The combination of force induces the carriage to rotate, which thereby releases the near bone button from the carriage. A free end of suture also releases from the carriage.

Automatic release of a near bone suture button from a button inserter

Suture buttons are disclosed for fixing two bones together. The suture buttons may enable surgeons to more easily and effectively implement the suture button technique, such as to repair syndesmosis injuries in ankles. A first suture button includes a pulley peg extending from a button head. The pulley peg may be positioned with a bone hole upon installation of the first suture button, which may help protect suture and help reduce potential patient discomfort. The second suture button helps facilitate the second suture button flipping into place upon deployment from a button inserter. Each of the first and second provided suture buttons may help reduce friction between the respective buttons and suture during an installation procedure. The first and second provided suture buttons may be used together in a surgical procedure or individually with other suitable buttons or anchors.

Far bone suture button

Apparatus and methods for distracting and/or compressing bone. An exemplary apparatus may comprise a rod having a thread. The apparatus also may comprise a first assembly and a second assembly each coupled, or configured to be coupled, to the rod and each configured to be attached to a respective pin extending into bone. The apparatus further may comprise a nut engaged, or configured to be engaged, with the thread and configured to be turned to drive the second assembly along the rod. In some embodiments, at least one of the assemblies may have at least two degrees of rotational freedom that can be eliminated by manipulating a single graspable member. In some embodiments, the rod and the second assembly may have anti-rotation features configured to interact with one another to permit travel of the second assembly along the rod while preventing rotation of the second assembly about the rod.

Distraction/compression apparatus and method for bone

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Hillsboro, OR, United States of America

David William VanVleet