The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 25, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 25, 1994
Alan R Spievack, Cambridge, MA (US);
General Orthopedics, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A cannulated screw is employed to fasten an intramedullary nail to a bone of a patient. A guide is disposed within the intramedullary nail and registered with a preformed securing hole in the nail. Preferably, the guide is fabricated from a bio-absorbable material such as polyglycolic acid and fixedly registered to the distal securing holes. A flexible drill shaft is directed to the selected securing hole by the guide. The drill is operated to drill through the bone cortex and soft tissue of the patient to exit the skin of the patient. A cannulated fixation screw is fitted over the exposed drill bit and is then driven into the patient, guided by the drill bit back to the selected securing hole. The drill bit is then extracted and the cannulated screw is driven through the intramedullary nail into the opposite cortex of the bone. After all of the fixation screws have been placed, the intramedullary nail is fastened to the bone.