Fastener and method for bone fixation
US6080161A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 27, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S606/91
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fastener for securing an osteosynthesis plate to a plurality of bone segments is provided. The fastener in the form of a fastener blank includes an elongated shank adapted for insertion through an opening in the plate and into a hole formed in the bone. The upper end of the shank forms a head that serves to secure the plate to the bone. The elongated shank is constructed of a material which when heated will deform to form a tight fit within the hole drilled in the bone. The fastener is preferably made of a resorbable material. The invention also provides a method for securing a plate to a bone using the fasteners of the invention. A fastener blank is positioned into the hole so that a portion of the blank extends into the hole provided in the bone and another portion overlies the plate. The blank is heated to raise the temperature of the blank above the transition temperature of the material from which it is made and deform the blank into a tight fit within the hole.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.