Abstract:
A bone-fixation system is disclosed, the system comprising a bone plate having a section with a plurality of holes and a recessed area at least partially surrounding one or more of the holes, the recessed area defining a floor surface situated below a top surface of the plate, the floor surface extending at least partially between some or all of the plurality of holes, and an aiming device having a plurality of holes arranged to align with the plurality of holes in the plate and an extension, the extension being receivable within the recessed area and defining a bottom surface adapted to at least partially rest on the floor surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/607,242, filed Mar. 6, 2012 and entitled “Bone Plate and Aiming Block,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bone plates, and more particularly, the insertion of screws through plates for the purpose of repairing fractures. 
     Bone plates are widely utilized in the repair of certain fractures of bones in both human and animal bodies. Generally, such plates are designed to be fixed on either side of a fracture in order to maintain the portions of the bone created by the fracture in registration with one another in order to promote healing of the bone. Typically, the plates are fixed via screws, pegs, or the like, which may be inserted at different angles in order to secure the best purchase of bone possible. 
     It is also widely known to utilize aiming or guiding blocks for guiding a drill and/or a screw during insertion so that the screw ultimately extends along a desired axis. Such guides take many different forms with the general goal being to extend the depth of a bone plate hole and provide stability to the drill and/or screw during the drilling and insertion processes. While generally suited for their intended purpose, these guides have some drawbacks. For instance, many require intricate attachment mechanisms that increase the difficulty of a surgery, while others suffer from misalignment either during attachment or even thereafter. Likewise, many require cumbersome instruments for use in initial placement of the aiming block on the bone plate, as well as overly complicated means for fixing the blocks with respect to the bone plates. 
     Therefore, there exists a need for an improved aiming or guide block for use in connection with bone plates. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first aspect of the present invention is a bone-fixation system including a bone plate having a recessed section with a plurality of first holes and an aiming block including an extension for reception within the recess and second holes that align with the first holes when the extension is received within the recess. Other embodiments of this first aspect may further include a joystick having a threaded distal end for reception within a first threaded hole of the plate and within a second threaded hole of the aiming block. Still further embodiments may allow the joystick to maintain the aiming block in position when the distal end is threaded into the first threaded hole of the bone plate. 
     A second aspect of the present invention is a bone-fixation system, the system comprising a bone plate having a section with a plurality of holes and a recessed area at least partially surrounding one or more of the holes, the recessed area defining a floor surface situated below a top surface of the plate, the floor surface extending at least partially between some or all of the plurality of holes. An aiming device also forms part of the system and has a plurality of holes arranged to align with the plurality of holes in the plate and an extension, the extension being receivable within the recessed area and defining a bottom surface adapted to at least partially rest on the floor surface. In some embodiments of this second aspect, the bone plate includes a head, and the recessed area extends along a major portion of the head. 
     A third aspect of the invention comprises a bone-fixation system including a bone plate having a section with a plurality of holes and a recessed area at least partially surrounding one or more of the holes, the recessed area defining a floor surface situated below a top surface of the plate, the floor surface extending at least partially between some or all of the plurality of holes. An aiming device also forms part of the system and has a plurality of holes arranged to align with the plurality of holes in the plate and an extension, the extension being receivable within the recessed area and defining a bottom surface adapted to at least partially rest on the floor surface. Lastly, an insertion tool is included in the system and comprises a handle and a shaft, a distal end of the insertion tool being engageable with the aiming device to manipulate the aiming device into engagement with the plate. In some cases, the insertion tool includes an extension projecting from the shaft and a shoulder, a diameter of the shoulder being greater than a diameter of the extension, the extension being insertable through at least one of the holes of the aiming device and into a hole in the plate so that the shoulder abuts a top surface of the aiming device. 
     A fourth aspect of the invention is a method of implanting a bone plate, the method comprising: (1) providing a bone plate having a section with a plurality of holes and a recessed area adjacent one or more of the holes; (2) providing an aiming device having a plurality of holes and an extension, at least some of the plurality of holes being alignable with the plurality of holes in the plate; (3) engaging a distal end of an insertion tool with at least one of the holes in the aiming device; (4) after the engaging step, manipulating the insertion tool to engage the aiming device with the plate, the extension of the aiming device being situated within the recessed area of the plate; and (5) engaging the distal end of the insertion tool with at least one hole in the plate so that a shoulder of the insertion tool engages a top surface of the aiming device to secure the aiming device to the plate. The engaging steps of the method may, in one embodiment, comprise rotating a threaded distal end of the insertion tool, such that the threaded distal end engages a threaded hole formed in the aiming device or the plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the subject matter of the present invention and the various advantages thereof can be realized by reference to the following detailed description, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a bone plate according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a top perspective view of a right-oriented aiming block for use with a bone plate according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a top perspective view of a left-oriented aiming block for use in connection with the bone plate shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the bone plate of  FIG. 1  (shown as transparent) with the aiming block of  FIG. 2B  placed adjacent thereto. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the aiming block of  FIG. 2B . 
         FIG. 5  is perspective view of a joystick for use in placement of the aiming blocks of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a construct consisting of the bone plate of  FIG. 1 , the aiming block of  FIG. 2B , and the joystick of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken on line A-A of  FIG. 6  depicting the cooperation among the bone plate, the aiming block, and the joystick. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the bone plate of  FIG. 1  shown placed on a fractured clavicle bone. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the bone plate, aiming block, and joystick construct with cylindrical bodies meant to represent screws, pegs, or other fixation members placed through the holes formed in the aiming block and bone plate. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the bone plate of  FIG. 1  shown fully attached to a fractured clavicle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In describing the preferred embodiments of the invention(s) illustrated and to be described with respect to the drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. However, the invention(s) is not intended to be limited to any specific terms used herein, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents, which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
     Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements,  FIGS. 1-10  depict components usable in fixation of human clavicle fractures. At the outset, it is to be understood that while the various components discussed herein are directed toward a use in connection with fractured clavicle bones, such components may be modified (if necessary) to have applicability in the repair of fractures in other bones in human or animal bodies. Those of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that such components, although discussed in connection with a single purpose, have applicability for other purposes in the orthopedic field. 
     Beginning with  FIG. 1 , there is shown a bone plate  10  configured for use in fixing a clavicle fracture. Bone plate  10  includes a plurality of bone screw receiving holes  12  that may facilitate the locking or fixation of such screws to plate  10  and the plate to the bone, elongate holes  14  that may facilitate the reduction of the fracture through the use of compression screws, a recessed area  16  including a plurality of bone screw receiving holes  18  similar to bone screw holes  12 , a plurality of K-wire or suture receiving holes  20 , and a threaded hole  22  situated within recessed area  16 . Bone plate  10  is preferably constructed of a metallic material such as titanium or the like, and may be designed to be bendable in order to fit certain profiles of certain clavicle bones. In addition, it is noted that both holes  12  and  18  may be fitted with a rim capable of being deformed by the head of a bone screw, thereby fixing the bone screw to the plate when inserted. Holes  12 ,  14  and  18  can also be designed to receive different types of screws, for instance, any number of those holes can receive locking, non-locking or compression screws, as well as pins or other fixation mechanisms. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  depict aiming blocks  30 , which include nearly identical structure, but which are configured for use with two different bone plates  10 . For instance, while block  30  of  FIG. 2B  is configured to cooperate with recess  16  of plate  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , block  30  of  FIG. 2A  exhibits an opposite construction suited for a plate oppositely constructed to the one shown in  FIG. 1 . In other words, where plate  10  may be for use with a clavicle on one side of the body, an oppositely configured plate would be utilized on the other side of the body. For the sake of simplicity, only a single aiming block  30  will be referred to herein. Preferably, block  30  is constructed of polymeric or metallic material, such as PEEK, titanium, or stainless steel, but it is to be understood that any suitable type of material may be employed. 
     Aiming block  30  includes holes  32  which are designed to align with holes  18  when aiming block  30  is placed within recess  16  of plate  10 . Likewise, a K-wire hole  34  is provided on aiming block  30  to align with K-wire hole  20  of plate  10 . Finally, a threaded hole  36  is provided on aiming block  30 , which is aligned with threaded hole  22  located within recess  16  of plate  10 . As is best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , aiming block  30  also includes an extension  38  designed to cooperate and extend into recess  16  of plate  10 . Extension  38  is preferably sized and shaped so as to fit snugly within recess  16  and prevent aiming block  30  from moving when engaged with plate  10 .  FIG. 4  best depicts the specific shape of extension  38 , and it is particularly pointed out that the extension is a somewhat discontinuous structure by virtue of the hole structure of block  30 . It is to be understood that extension  38  may be many shapes, as long as such cooperates with recess  16  to keep block  30  aligned with plate  10 . Moreover, extension  38  could be sized so as to form an interference fit or taper lock with recess  16 , or such could include a locking structure designed to cooperate with a locking structure in recess  16 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts joystick  40 , which is a tool designed for cooperation with both aiming block  30  and plate  10 . Joystick  40  includes a handle  42 , an elongate shaft  44 , a shoulder section  46 , and a threaded distal tip  48 . In addition, a section  49  extends between shoulder section  46  and distal tip  48 , and includes a diameter that is less than the diameters of both of those flanking sections. As with the other components discussed in the present application, joystick  40  can be constructed of many different materials, including preferably metallic materials such as titanium or stainless steel. It is to be understood that while distal tip  48  is threaded in the preferred embodiment it can include any number of different fixation means, such as taper lock devices, friction fit devices, and ball detent structures. 
     In use, as is depicted in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 , and  9 , joystick  40  is designed to thread into both hole  22  of plate  10  and hole  36  of aiming block  30 . Specifically, during use, a surgeon first threads distal tip  48  into threaded hole  36  of aiming block  30 . In this position, joystick  40  may be utilized to manipulate and move aiming block  30  into a position within the body and on plate  10 , which is in turn placed on a bone. Once extension  38  of aiming block  30  is placed within recess  16  of plate  10 , thereby ensuring proper placement of aiming block  30  on plate  10 , additional threading of joystick  40 , and in particular distal end  48 , can occur. This results in the position best shown in the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 7 , where distal tip  48  is threaded into threaded plate hole  22 , and shoulder section  46  abuts a top surface of aiming block  30  around hole  36 . It is to be understood that the smaller diameter of section  49  (as well as its length) allows for joystick  40  to extend through threaded hole  36  of aiming block  30  and ultimately into the plate. In this position, aiming block  30  is pressed against plate  10  by virtue of the abutment of shoulder section  46  against the top surface of the plate, thereby essentially affixing the aiming block in place. 
     Remaining  FIGS. 8-10  depict proper placement of plate  10  on a fractured clavicle. Specifically, as is shown in  FIG. 8 , plate  10  is first placed over a fracture site on the clavicle, so that the fracture line is spanned by at least a portion of the plate. This initial placement may be aided through the use of K-wires or sutures which can be received in holes  20  of plate  10 . With the plate in this position, the above-discussed cooperation among plate  10 , aiming block  30 , and joystick  40  can be established. Any K-wires utilized may also be received within hole  34  of aiming block  30 . Thereafter, fixation elements (represented by cylindrical elements  50  in  FIG. 9 ) can be inserted through holes  32  of aiming block  30  and ultimately through holes  18  of plate  10 . As is noted above, the additional structure provided by aiming block  30 , and more particularly the extension provided by holes  32 , allows for a more specific placement of screws at a given angle. In addition, it is noted that aiming block  30  may be utilized to guide a drill, which may be necessary to use prior to inserting screws. Additionally, remaining holes  12  and  14  of plate  10  may accept other screws for fixing plate  10  along the clavicle bone. 
     A fully fixed plate  10  with screws placed through certain of its holes is shown in  FIG. 10 . Again, although shown and discussed as being for use in connection with repairing a clavicle fracture, plate  10 , aiming block  30 , and joystick  40  may be configured to be utilized in repairing fractures of any bone within the human body. Likewise, it is noted that although specific constructions are shown in the figures, each component of the present invention may vary depending upon intended use or for aesthetic purposes. 
     Although the invention(s) herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention(s). It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention(s) as defined by the appended claims. 
     It will also be appreciated that the various dependent claims and the features set forth therein can be combined in different ways than presented in the initial claims. It will also be appreciated that the features described in connection with individual embodiments may be shared with others of the described embodiments.