Active bone and joint stabilization device features

Inventors

Stecco, Kathryn A. • Becking, Frank P. • Castro, Carlos

Assignees

Medeon Biodesign Inc

Abstract

Components and associated methods of manufacture or assembly and/or use for bone and joint stabilization devices or systems are described. The components include features for device introduction, attaching a distal anchoring foot or threaded screw to an elongate spring-type member, anchoring head features for stabilizing position of the elongate member when engaged within the head and/or digital or electronic methods for tensioning the subject devices.

Core Innovation

The medical device includes an elongate spring member having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of cells. Each cell includes deflectable lateral beams connected at an outer extent, and adjacent cells are connected at a medial connector, forming a repeating multi-cell structure with deflectable beams. The device architecture further includes anchoring features and connector relationships adapted for deployment and retention.

A disposable introducer is integrally connected to the elongate spring member in a final implant confirmation. The introducer is implemented as an introducer needle and remains associated with the elongate spring member through implantation confirmation. The structural and material features are described with specific geometric relationships and materials, including integration with anchoring heads/feet and associated interfaces for driver and deployment alignment.

In refinement, the device includes anchoring members and retention/connection features, such as a strand of material passing through at least one anchoring member. The spring member can be made of a NiTi alloy that is superelastic at human body temperature, supporting device behavior consistent with body-temperature use. Deflectable beam cells and medial connectors cooperate with an outer extent connector to support a stabilization function for bone and joint stabilization.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim identified in the provided text is clm-00001, supported by dependent claim refinements. Across the provided claim set, the inventive features focus on the multi-cell deflectable lateral beam spring architecture, the integrally connected disposable introducer for final implant confirmation, and refinements covering specific anchoring/retention structures, NiTi superelastic behavior at human body temperature, and driver-interface positional constraints.

Across clm-00001 and the provided refinements, the claim coverage centers on the elongate, multi-cell spring member with deflectable lateral beams connected by a medial connector, combined with a disposable introducer integrally connected for final implant confirmation. The refinements further narrow the disclosure toward particular anchoring/retention mechanisms, NiTi superelastic behavior at human body temperature, and specific positional or configuration constraints such as driver-interface geometry and a 90-degree twisted longitudinal extension for anchoring-foot alignment during pivoted deployment.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications