US 11,986,227 B2
Method and apparatus for maintaining a position of a bone fragment in relationship to another bone part
Robert Medoff, Kailua, HI (US)
Assigned to TriMed Inc., Santa Clarita, CA (US)
Filed by TriMed Inc., Santa Clarita, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/152,253.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/963,330, filed on Jan. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0220031 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 17/80 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/809 (2013.01) [A61B 17/8004 (2013.01); A61B 17/8052 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
4. A method of maintaining a position of a first bone part relative to a second bone part, the method comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining an apparatus comprising a unitary body,
the unitary body comprising: i) at least one elongate formed wire component with a length; and ii) a base,
the at least one elongate formed wire component having a first length portion coextensive with, against, and fixed relative to, a portion of the base;
b) placing the apparatus in an operative position wherein at least a portion of the at least one elongate formed wire component engages the first bone part; and
c) with the apparatus in the operative position, anchoring the base to the second bone part to thereby fix the apparatus in the operative position,
wherein the at least one elongate formed wire component defines a U-shaped receptacle and the step of placing the apparatus in an operative position comprises situating the apparatus so that at least a part of the first bone part resides in the U-shaped receptacle,
wherein the step of anchoring the base comprises extending a fastener through the base and into the second bone part and further comprises the step of causing the U-shaped receptacle to be drawn against the at least a part of the first bone part so as to thereby urge the first bone part towards the second bone part as an incident of extending the fastener into the second bone part.