Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Orthofix S.r.l.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children

John D Ross, Jr

Mikhail L Samchukov

Alexander M Cherkashin

Daniele Venturini

John G Birch

Karen D Standefer

Andrea Ottoboni

Gianluca Milano

Mario Donnici

Michael Lupatini

The present disclosure relates to external fixation struts and systems utilizing the external fixation struts. The struts include an elongated body comprising a first and a second hollow tubular shaft and include opposite connectors respectively coupled to an end portion of the first or the second shaft and each including a ball and socket joint. One shaft may have an internal diameter that is slightly larger than the external diameter than the other shaft to host internally the other shaft in a slidably and telescopic manner. A clamp element may provide a fast gripping action stopping the telescopic sliding of one shaft inside the other shaft. Each ball and socket joint connector may be structured to allow an angular movement of the corresponding connector with a spherical angle up to at least 90°.

External fixation strut

An improved orthopaedic external fixation system with removable rails or skates and may include: at least a distal foot fixation element; at least a pair of rails or skates removably connected to the foot fixation element; at least a load sensor associated to at least one of the rails or skates; an electronic apparatus coupled to the load sensor and receiving an electric signal from the load sensor; an electronic controller coupled to the apparatus and issuing at least a flag signal upon detection of a threshold pressure force on said at least one of said rails or skates. This electronic controller may be mounted on the orthopaedic system or may be a structurally independent host device including a controller that is in signal communication with the load sensors.

Orthopaedic external fixation system with removable rails or skates

An orthopedic bone transport system includes an external fixation frame and a cable pulling device. The external fixation frame is attachable to a fixed bone segment with the external fixation frame oriented in a first plane. The cable pulling device includes a main body configured to be secured to the external fixation frame, a reel, and a transmission. The reel is rotatable about said main body and configured to wind up a cable to be secured to a transport bone segment to move said transport bone segment towards said fixed bone segment. The main body is secured to the external fixation frame with an axis of rotation of the reel oriented substantially parallel to the first plane, the axis of rotation of the reel thereby substantially lying on a transverse plane with respect to the fixed bone segment. The transmission drives the reel in order to wind up the cable.

Orthopedic cable bone transport device and bone transport system comprising said device

A dynamization device includes a first module and a second module. The first and second modules are each rigidly affixed to and mated together by one or more deformable rings. Each of the first and second modules includes an inner column positioned within the one or more deformable rings. The mated first and second modules form a first displacement gap between the inner column of the first module and the inner column of the second module. The first displacement gap extends along the longitudinal axis between adjacent deformable rings of the one or more deformable rings.

Deformable dynamization device

A device, kit, and method for the treatment of anatomical joint dysfunctions, and more particularly, to a spring hinge comprising: a primary coil spring having a helical structure with a central cavity, wherein the primary coil spring forms a plurality of spirals layered against one another when the primary coil spring is in an unexpanded state; wherein the primary coil spring comprises surfaces that are configured to nest against each other to resist translational or shearing movement between adjoining spiral layers.

Orthopedic spring hinge system and methods thereof

An external fixation strut includes an elongated body including first and second tubular shafts. Opposite connectors are respectively coupled to one of the shafts and include a ball and socket joint. One shaft has an internal diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of the other to host the other shaft in a slidably and telescopic manner. The shafts of the strut are a synthetic radiolucent plastic material. A clamp element is in proximity of overlapping ends of the shafts for fast gripping action stopping the sliding of one shaft inside the other. A fixation element is manually operated and acts on the clamp element. A sleeve is provided around the central portion of the strut where the shafts overlap. The clamp element is a clamp band around the sleeve and includes opposite and facing gripping portions. The gripping portions are connected by a threaded connector of the fixation element.

A connecting rod for an external fixation device includes a first joint having a first rotatable member housing, a first rotatable member disposed within the first rotatable member housing, and a first connecting member. The first rotatable member has a first bore. The first connecting member includes a first connecting member insert having a stem partially disposed within the first bore of the first rotatable member. The first connecting member insert includes a second bore. The second bore is operable to receive a connecting element from a first external fixation ring.

External fixation connection rod with female attachment

A distraction apparatus for an external fixation device used to rigidly immobilize bone fragments during bone lengthening and angular deformity correction includes distractor mechanisms and pivotable spacers for connecting frame members of an external fixator, and wire and half pin fasteners. The interconnected distractor mechanisms, pivotable spacers and frame members form a rigid structure with rigidity which is maintained during adjustment of the distraction. For linear distraction, the distraction mechanism is a single screw assembly with a single-threaded rod and dual plastic nuts disposed either side of a metallic adjustment surface. After tightening down, the nuts may be synchronously co-rotated, advantageously using a tool such as a double wrench engaging on aligned faces of the nuts. This synchronous co-rotation causes linear displacement along the threaded rod, thereby enabling distraction. Further, the metal-to-plastic inter-face between the nuts and the adjustment surface facilitates this synchronous co-rotating without causing loosening of the nuts, thereby minimizing the introduction of play in the mechanism during distraction.

Plastic double nut mechanism enabling rigid orthopedic distraction

A fastener for wires or pins used with an external fixation device to rigidly immobilize bone fragments during linear or angular distraction thereof includes a fixation bolt with either a transverse asymmetrical shank bore, or a transversely slotted bolthead for providing multiple contact surfaces to secure the wires or pins, regardless of their diameters. Alternatively, the fastener can include a washer or a threaded washer-like member having nonparallel opposing planar surfaces with a transverse slot in one. The transverse slots in the bolthead, washer and/or threaded washer-like member preferably include multiple cavities so as to increase the number of surfaces for contacting the wires or pins.

Fastener for external fixation device wires and pins

The invention relates to a pneumatic wire tensioner device having a piston and a rod slidably mounted within a cylinder. The wire is attached to the rod and the cylinder is placed so as to abut a stationary structure to which the tensioned wire is to be affixed. A pressurized gas is introduced into the cylinder to move the piston away from the structure so as to tension the wire to a predetermined tension.

Growing community of inventors

Ovilla, TX, United States of America

John D Ross, Jr