Depuy Synthes Products, Inc.

Synthes Usa, LLC

Synthes Gmbh

Simone Volzer

Robert Frigg

Tom Overes

Silas Zurschmiede

Markus Buettler

Andreas Baeriswyl

A system for inserting an intramedullary nail into a bone includes (a) a handle extending from a proximal end to a distal end configured to couple to an intramedullary nail only in a desired orientation and (b) an aiming device extending from a proximal end to a distal end configured for attachment to the proximal end of the handle. The aiming device includes a guide opening extending therethrough sized and shaped to accommodate a protective sleeve therein. The guide opening is located and oriented so that, when the aiming device and the handle are coupled to one another, a bone fixation receiving hole in an intramedullary nail coupled to the handle is aligned with the guide opening. The aiming device further includes a locking pin fixedly mounted thereto. The locking pin extends into the guide opening to engage a protective sleeve inserted therein.

Protection sleeve holding mechanism

An apparatus for treating a bone comprises an implant to be received within the bone, including a plurality of bores extending therethrough and a cavity formed therewithin, each of the bores being dimensioned to receive a bone fixation element and a plurality of inserts receivable in the cavity. Each insert includes an opening extending therethrough and configured to align with a corresponding bore. Each insert is movable between a resting configuration in which an opening width is smaller than a width of a bone fixation element inserted therethrough and a stressed configuration in which the opening width is expanded to a width greater than that of the bone fixation element in combination with a compression member movable into the cavity to apply a force moving the inserts from the resting configuration to the stressed configuration, withdrawal thereof reducing the force and permitting a return to the resting configuration.

Intramedullary nail and protruding screw locking mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Solothurn, Switzerland

Simone Volzer