Patent ID: 11925394
Assignee: MEDICARBONE, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 15:
16. A method for applying an intramedullary sleeve apparatus (100) to a fractured bone to bond to the bone during bone fracture treatment, the method comprising:
a. providing the intramedullary sleeve comprising:
i. an inner non-resorbable intramedullary sleeve (110), having at least one proximal end and at least one distal end;
ii. an outer intramedullary sleeve (120) disposed around the inner sleeve (110), having at least one proximal end and at least one distal end;
wherein the inner sleeve (110) and the outer sleeve (120) are bonded together; and

iii. one or more access valves disposed through the inner sleeve (110) and the outer sleeve (120) so as to allow access into the inner sleeve (110), wherein each access valve is disposed at at least one proximal end of the inner sleeve (110) and the outer sleeve (120), at least one distal end of the inner sleeve (110) and the outer sleeve (120), or a combination thereof, wherein an access valve (130) of the one or more access valves comprises a first port (132) to allow for injection of a curable material, and a second port (134) to allow insertion of a light guide (140);

b. creating one or more laparoscopy holes through a cortical layer of the bone at at least one distal end and at least one proximal end of the bone;
c. applying one or more positioning guides to the intramedullary sleeve;
d. positioning the one or more positioning guides between the one or more laparoscopy holes and through the bone;
e. applying, by the one or more positioning guides, the intramedullary sleeve within the bone;
f. injecting a curable material comprising injectable bone cement, curable resin, or a combination thereof through the first port (132) of the access valve (130);
g. providing the light guide (140), the light guide (140) comprising a flexible plug (142);
h. inserting the light guide (140) through the second port (134) of the access valve (130) such that the flexible plug (142) creates a seal that seals the light guide (140) in the second port (134) of the access valve (130); and
i. actuating the light guide (140) such that the curable material is cured.