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:
Jun. 03, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 25, 2000
Charles Fredrick Birchall, Jr., Mentor, OH (US);
James Michael Kuras, Macedonia, OH (US);
Medtronic PS Medical, Inc., Goleta, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for attaching a cranial flap ( ) to a skull ( ). The cranial flap ( ) and the skull ( ) are spaced apart by a kerf ( ) defined by a first kerf edge ( ) on the cranial flap and a second kerf edge ( ) on the skull. The apparatus comprises at least one attachment device ( ) made of a bioabsorbable polymeric material and having a head portion ( ), a main body portion ( ), and an end portion ( ). The end portion ( ) is deformable from an axially extending first condition to a radially extending second condition by heating the end portion and forming the end portion around the first kerf edge ( ), which clamps the attachment device ( ) to the cranial flap ( ). The main body portion ( ) includes a first surface portion ( ) that attaches to the first kerf edge ( ) and a second surface portion ( ) that attaches to the second kerf edge ( ). The attachment device ( ) is positionable in the kerf ( ) to secure the cranial flap to the skull by frictional engagement between the first surface portion ( ) against the first kerf edge ( ) and frictional engagement between the second surface portion ( ) against the second kerf edge ( ).