The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Other

Hayes Medical, Inc.

Anglefix Tech, LLC

Laurence E Dahners

Nicholas F Warner

Michael Guidera

A fastening apparatus includes a fastener and a fastener receiving member. The apparatus enables the fastener to be affixed to the fastener receiving member at a variable insertion angle selected by the user and further provides an anti-unscrewing feature. The fastener includes an elongate section and an adjoining head section having at least one slot therein. The fastener receiving member includes one or more apertures having a contact region through which one or more corresponding fasteners can be inserted. The contact region includes a matrix of protrusions having a density and strength sufficient to render contact region tappable by the thread of the head section of the fastener. The thread on the head section is driven into the contact region at the selected insertion angle. As a result, the protrusions project into the at least one slot to prevent the fastener from backing out of the fastener receiving member. A fastener driver is also disclosed.

Anti-unscrewing and multi-angular fastening apparatuses and methods for surgical bone screw/plate systems

Screw driver-holder apparatuses, systems and methods are provided and can include a screw and a screwdriver. The screw can include a threaded screw body and a screw head, and the screw head can include a socket and a screw head surface surrounding the socket. The screwdriver can include a hollow sleeve with a longitudinal bore and a first end defining a screw engagement surface and a driving shaft positioned within the longitudinal bore of the hollow sleeve and rotatable relative to the hollow sleeve. The driving shaft can further include a first end extending beyond the first end of the hollow sleeve, a second end opposite the first end, and a stop restricting axial movement of the sleeve towards the second end of the driving shaft. The first end can include a protruding tip adapted for engaging the socket of the screw head.

Screw holder-driver apparatuses, systems and methods

A plate puller device can include a head portion and extension rod portion. The device enables the fastener receiving member to be pulled against a bone surface before a head section of the fastener is advanced within the fastener receiving member into a locked position. The head portion can be positioned between the head section of the fastener and a surface of the fastener receiving member not adjacent to the bone surface. Also, a plate puller device can include a screwdriver, a grasper portion and a grasper sleeve. The grasper portion and grasper sleeve can be threadingly mated wherein rotation of the grasper sleeve forces a head portion of the grasper portion to grip the head section of the fastener to prevent the head section from advancing within the fastener receiving member.

Surgical plate puller devices and methods for use with surgical bone screw/plate systems

A fastening apparatus includes a fastener and a fastener receiving member. The apparatus enables the fastener to be affixed to the fastener receiving member at a variable insertion angle selected by the user. The fastener includes an elongate section and an adjoining head section. Both the elongate section and the head section are threaded. The fastener receiving member includes one or more apertures through which one or more corresponding fasteners can be inserted. Each aperture includes a contact region formed or disposed on an inside surface defining the aperture. The contact region includes a porous matrix of protrusions or fiber metal having a density and strength sufficient to render contact region tappable by the thread of the head section of the fastener. The thread on the head section is driven into the contact region at the selected insertion angle. As a result, the thread of the head section taps into the material of the contact region such that the fastener is affixed to the fastener receiving member and maintained at the insertion angle.

Multi-angular fastening apparatus and method for surgical bone screw/plate systems

An intrafocal plate and method of use for securing bone fractures comprising an elongated plate element having a flat plate surface at one end thereof defining a top surface and a bottom surface and a leading end and a trailing end. A longitudinally extending resilient body element depends from the trailing end of the flat plate surface so as to define a shoulder at the juncture of the body element and the flat plate surface and a pin at the other end of the body element. The intrafocal plate is formed so that a force applied at the pin end causes a force to be applied in the opposite direction at the flat plate surface. The intrafocal plate is particularly intended for use to secure metaphyseal bone fractures by having the body element of the intrafocal plate inserted into the tubular hollow of the bone through the fracture site so as to cause the shoulder of the intrafocal plate to seat in the fracture site and urge the flat plate surface of the plate element against the outside surface of the bone.

Percutaneous intrafocal plate system

A fracture reducing apparatus having a main rod comprising a handle section and a lever section and a pair of arms capable of riding on the lever section, each of which arms can be retained at a particular location in the lever section by the engagement of a thumb bolt disposed in the arm to frictionally engage the lever section. The apparatus is adapted to be autoclavable, and the use thereof reduces the incidence of radiation exposure from X-ray of the hands of the fracture reducing personnel. The device is used for the reduction of long bone fractures.

Long bone alignment tool

A distraction and reduction device includes a main support bar having a saddle at one end thereof for engagement with the patient's groin or axilla. A support arm is mounted on the support bar and supports a force applying unit. The force applying unit is connected to a means for engaging the body and applies a distally directed force to the patient's limb to distract the bone fragments. As distraction force is being applied to the fractured limb, the saddle presses into the patient's groin or axilla thereby providing resistance against the traction force. The invention also includes a fracture reducing unit which is used to selectively apply pressure to the limb at the location of the fracture to correct any misalignment of the bone fragments.

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Laurence E Dahners