US 12,186,258 B2
Orthopaedic external fixation system with removable rails or skates
John D. Ross, Ovilla, TX (US); Mikhail L. Samchukov, Coppell, TX (US); Alexander M. Cherkashin, Flower Mound, TX (US); Karen D. Standefer, Flower Mound, TX (US); Daniele Venturini, Povegliano Veronese (IT); Mario Donnici, Bussolengo (IT); and Andrea Ottoboni, Giacciano con Baruchella (IT)
Assigned to Orthofix SRL, Bussolengo (IT); and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed by Orthofix S.R.L., Verona (IT); and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 24, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/103,052.
Prior Publication US 2022/0160572 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/62 (2006.01); A61B 17/64 (2006.01); A61H 3/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61H 3/00 (2013.01) [A61B 17/62 (2013.01); A61B 17/645 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00017 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00075 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00119 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00221 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01); A61H 2003/007 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1253 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5007 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5043 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5048 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5064 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5071 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5097 (2013.01); A61H 2205/106 (2013.01); A61H 2205/12 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An improved orthopaedic external fixation system with removable rails or skates comprising:
at least one distal foot fixation element;
at least one pair of rails or skates removably connected to said foot fixation element;
at least one pair of cover elements, each cover element being removably coupled to a base of one rail or skate of the at least one pair of rails or skates;
at least one load sensor, wherein a cover element of the at least one pair of cover elements couples a load sensor of the at least one load sensor to a rail or skate of the at least one pair of rails or skates, wherein said at least one load sensor is a flexible resistive force sensor for obtaining information on the distribution of the load and is structured as a strip sensible to resistive force with interconnecting sensing areas that extends along a length of the corresponding cover element;
an electronic apparatus coupled to the at least one load sensor and receiving an electric signal from the at least one load sensor; and
an electronic controller coupled to said apparatus and issuing at least a flag signal upon detection of a threshold pressure force on said at least one load sensor.