Patent ID: 7442195
Filing Date: 2008-10-28
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for the reduction of a bone fragment of a bone fracture at a bone fracture site through a minimally invasive access passage to the bone fracture site, the access passage following an access direction and having a minimally invasive cross-sectional area, the apparatus comprising: a working head constructed for actuation between an insertion configuration and a working configuration; the insertion configuration providing the working head with an insertion area transverse to the access direction and being dimensioned and configured for passing through the minimally invasive cross-sectional area to move along the access passage to the bone fracture site; the working configuration providing the working head with an essentially rigid working face extending over a working area transverse to the access direction, the working area of the extended working face being substantially greater than the insertion area for engaging and manipulating the bone fragment into a reduced position; an actuating arrangement including an actuator remote from the working head for actuating the working head between the insertion configuration and the working configuration from an actuating site remote from the bone fracture site; a coupling arrangement coupling the actuator with the working head for enabling remote actuation of the working head in response to operation of the actuator; and a manipulating arrangement for selective manipulation of the working head from the remote actuating site such that insertion of the working head through the access passage to the bone fracture site is accomplished with the working head in the insertion configuration, and upon placement of the working head at the bone fracture site and actuation of the working head to the working configuration, reduction of the bone fragment is accomplished with the working head in the working configuration to engage the bone fragment with the working face and manipulate the bone fragment into the reduced position at the bone fracture site; the manipulating arrangement including a stem extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis and having lateral transverse dimensions; and the working head comprising a blade-like member having a leading edge, a trailing edge spaced longitudinally from the leading edge, an altitudinal thickness, and side edges spaced apart laterally from one another along a lateral dimension substantially greater than the laterally transverse dimensions of the stem such that the working face extends over the working area between the leading, trailing and side edges throughout a relatively large area in comparison to any area established by the laterally transverse dimensions of the stem and the thickness of the blade-like member.