US 12,016,604 B2
Methods and devices for achieving semi-rigid bone fixation
Firas Souleiman, Raynham, MA (US); Ivan Zderic, Raynham, MA (US); Torsten Pastor, Raynham, MA (US); Dominic Gehweiler, Raynham, MA (US); Boyko Gueorguiev-Rüegg, Raynham, MA (US); Michael Swords, Raynham, MA (US); Tim Schepers, Raynham, MA (US); Matthew Tomlinson, Raynham, MA (US); Charles Horrell, Raynham, MA (US); Nicholas Mourlas, Raynham, MA (US); Jon Thompson, Raynham, MA (US); Todd Kent, Raynham, MA (US); and Jessica Galie, Raynham, MA (US)
Assigned to DePuy Synthes Products, Inc., Raynham, MA (US)
Filed by DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
Filed on Sep. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/939,696.
Prior Publication US 2024/0074868 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. A61B 17/86 (2006.01); A61B 17/88 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01); A61F 2/42 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/8685 (2013.01) [A61B 17/863 (2013.01); A61B 17/866 (2013.01); A61B 17/8866 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30622 (2013.01); A61F 2002/3085 (2013.01); A61F 2/4202 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of maintaining stability to an injury defined by a separation of two bones, the separation being an injured distance greater than a pre-injury distance between the two bones in a first human patient, the method comprising:
delivering a first apparatus configured to achieve semi-rigid and long-term fixation by maintaining an approximation of the two bones in the first human patient comprising the injury, the first apparatus comprising a flexible segment disposed between a first anchor and a second anchor;
conducting repetitive dynamic loading comprising at least one of axial translations and anterior to posterior translations of the two bones in the first human patient;
measuring a restored distance between the two bones in the first human patient; and
maintaining, by the first apparatus, the restored distance between the two bones in the first human patient after the repetitive dynamic loading, the restored distance approximately equal to the pre-injury distance.