US 12,239,328 B2
Rib fracture repair device
Peter Clifton Jenkins, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Ramses Martinez, West Lafayette, IN (US)
Assigned to The Trustees of Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (US); and Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, IN (US)
Appl. No. 17/920,089
Filed by The Trustees of Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, IN (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 23, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/028828
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 20, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/216992, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 28, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/014,582, filed on Apr. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0248372 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/16 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/1693 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00238 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00314 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00336 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00353 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00893 (2013.01); A61B 2090/064 (2016.02); A61B 2090/067 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for performing a plurality of remote operations, the device comprising:
a handle;
a loading tool extending from the handle;
a spine coupled to the loading tool, the spine comprised of a plurality of chain segments, wherein each chain segment is removably coupled to an adjacent chain segment, the chain segments collectively defining a series of operational openings;
a flexible shaft disposed through the operational openings of the chain segments, the flexible shaft configured to be removed from the spine without movement of the spine;
a drill disposed on a distal end of the flexible shaft, the drill configured to couple to a plurality of tools; and
a flexible outer sheath positioned around the spine.