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:
Oct. 30, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1999
Daniel Alexander, Novi, MI (US);
Terrence R. Burns, Snyder, NY (US);
John Rooney, Williamsville, NY (US);
Other;
Abstract
An intramedullary device facilitates fixation after installing in a bone cavity by drilling a pilot opening from the interior of the device through the bone cortical to the exterior. The intramedullary device is equipped with an internal baffle system which is a stationary and can remain a permanent fixed element of the rod for unimpeded steering of a cutting tool from the interior of the device through the bone cortical to the bone exterior. The interior baffle may consist of a laterally inclined chute allowing a bone boring tool on an elongated power transmission cable to be guidedly advanced downwardly to the interior of the device to a pin opening for cutting the bone cortical from the inside and forming the all important initial pilot opening in the bone. The pilot opening can then be utilized to form a continuous channel by introducing a drill bit from the outside of the bone through the two predrilled openings in the device and then cutting through the opposite bone cortical. A pin is inserted to complete the fixation of the intramedullary device to the bone. Additional fixation pins may thereafter be installed as required. The improved system facilitates the otherwise difficult process of fixation of an intramedullary device, thereby shortening operating and anesthesia times, and decreasing the need for intraoperative x-rays.