Patent ID: 7901412
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for facilitating a change in distance between a first bone portion and second bone portion of a bone fracture, said method comprising: inserting a head component into said first bone portion, wherein said head component cuts into said first bone portion, wherein said head component includes a tip, cutting threads, fastening threads, and a tool attachment, wherein said head component is affixed to a flexible wire comprised of a thin metal having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said flexible wire mates with said head component, said flexible wire having a first interface component along a portion of said wire, wherein said flexible wire is at least one of bendable without the use of tools and is able to be cut with a wire cutter, wherein said cutting threads are operable for insertion into and termination within said first bone portion, wherein said fastening threads are operable for mating with a thread formed by said cutting threads, and wherein said tool attachment is operable to receive a cannulated driver, wherein said first interface component includes a sawtooth configuration having a plurality of sawteeth, wherein said sawtooth configuration is configured such that one side of each tooth is substantially perpendicular to a surface of said wire and the other side of said sawtooth is substantially angular to said surface of said wire; translating a cap, without rotation of said cap, over said second end of said flexible wire and into said second bone portion, wherein said cap includes threads on an outside surface to facilitate rotating said cap into said second bone portion after said cap is translated over a portion of said flexible wire and said cap is configured to mate with said second end of said wire, wherein said cap is configured to minimize said cap from protruding from said second bone portion, wherein said cap includes a second interface component including an inverse sawtooth configuration on an inner surface of said cap such that said cap is configured to translate along said wire with a portion of said inverse sawtooth configuration sliding over a portion of said sawtooth configuration, wherein said sawtooth configuration and said inverse sawtooth configuration are configured to allow said cap to translate along said wire in only one direction, and wherein said inverse sawtooth configuration includes a plurality of inverse teeth, and wherein said cap includes a center hole for receiving said wire and additional openings for facilitating expansion of said cap; and, tensioning said flexible wire by applying a force on said wire away from said first bone portion and said second bone portion such that said head component pulls said first bone portion toward said second bone portion therefore reducing the distance between said first bone portion and said second bone portion, while said cap minimizes loss of tension in said wire by engaging said sawtooth with said inverse sawtooth.