Osteosynthesis plate

An osteosynthesis plate includes at least two drilled holes arranged adjacent to one another. A notch is arranged on the convex side of the osteosynthesis plate, between the at least two drilled holes arranged adjacent to one another.

This application is a national stage application of PCT/IB2004/001784, filed Jun. 1, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an osteosynthesis plate comprising a convex surface and a concave surface, at least two drilled holes arranged adjacent to each other, and a notch formed in the convex surface and extending toward, but not penetrating the concave surface. The invention relates in particular to an osteosynthesis plate for internal fixation of bone fragments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Osteosynthesis plates for implantation, anatomical reduction and internal splint fixation of bone fragments following bone fractures are known to a large extent in a very wide range of forms and developments. The success of fracture care is substantially determined by the stability of the implants. The stability is critical for ensuring healing of the fracture before failure of the implant. The stability should be as high as possible without the implant being excessively thick and hence too rigid. Excessive thickness of the implant could lead to a disturbance of the soft tissues. Furthermore, an implant which is comparatively stiff owing to an excessive thickness does not have the elasticity required for healing.

Osteosynthesis plates usually have a number of drilled holes through which bone screws for the fixation of the implants to the bone and hence for fixation of the fracture are passed. Particularly in the case of implants which are used in the articular region, frequently a plurality of drilled holes are arranged comparatively close together. Especially in the case of convex plates, this leads to a reduction of the stability in this region. The bearing cross-section is weakened there owing to the drilled holes. The region still remaining between the two drilled holes is firstly isolated and secondly is comparatively far away from the neutral fibres of the plate owing to the convex shape. Consequently, bending loads on the convex side result in an excessive stress, which could lead to failure of the plate precisely in this region. Thus, a comparatively small region is critical overall for the stability of an osteosynthesis plate. This may decide the success or failure of fracture care.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the stability of osteosynthesis plates. In particular, it is intended to improve the stability of osteosynthesis plates where at least two drilled holes are comparatively close together.

This and other objects are achieved, according to the invention, by an osteosynthesis plate comprising at least two drilled holes arranged adjacent to one another, characterized in that at least one notch is arranged on the convex side of the osteosynthesis plate, between the at least two drilled holes arranged adjacent to one another.

An osteosynthesis plate according to the invention has at least two drilled holes arranged adjacent to one another. According to the invention, at least one notch is arranged between these two drilled holes. As mentioned above, excessive stresses occur under bending loads on the convex side in the case of drilled holes arranged adjacent to one another. At first glance, it therefore does not appear very advantageous to remove even further material from a point of maximum load. Surprisingly, however, the opposite is the case. By means of the at least one notch, it is ensured that stress peaks are eliminated and the maximum bending load is distributed over a broader web. Furthermore, a part of the load is conducted to the outside of the plate. The region on the outside of the drilled holes is usually substantially broader than the web remaining between the drilled holes. Consequently, this can also take up a greater load. Such a relief notch is considered to be advantageous especially in angularly-stable plate osteosynthesis, since the total load is borne by the plate in the case of angularly stable anchoring.

The prior art already discloses plates which have incisions or notches at certain points. Thus, firstly, undercuts are known. In this connection, the osteosynthesis plate is provided with notches on the underside, with the result that the contact area between plate and bone is reduced. This results in less disturbance of the periosteal blood supply, which improves healing. Furthermore, lateral incisions in reconstruction plates are known, where they ensure better flexibility of the plate perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Without these incisions, there is the risk that the plate would bend only across the material weakened by the drilled hole, resulting in a change in the shape of the drilled hole, which may be disadvantageous in the case of fixation by means of a bone screw. What is important, however, is that all these notches and incisions are in particular not made in the immediate region or the immediate environment of drilled holes. The cross-sections in the region of the drilled holes would be weakened by above-mentioned incisions. Moreover, the distortion of the drilled holes by the bending of the plate can be prevented only by a correspondingly greater distance of the incisions from the drilled holes. Consequently, the known osteosynthesis plates, whether with or without known incisions, cannot contribute to the achievement of the object. None of the known incisions and notches leads to a distribution or deflection of the load away from the critical region between the drilled holes.

The list of reference numerals and the drawings, together with the articles described in the claims, are an integral part of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a cut-out from a generic plate1ain various views. The generic plate is a model for an osteosynthesis plate, in order to illustrate the basic principle of the invention. The cut-out, shown inFIG. 1, of the generic plate1ahas two drilled holes2,2′. The two drilled holes2,2′ pass through the plate so that a screw can be introduced. A notch5ais arranged between the drilled holes2,2′. As is evident from the drawing ofFIG. 1B, this notch5ais present between the two drilled holes2,2′. In other words, the notch5alinks the two drilled holes2,2′; it runs from drilled hole2to drilled hole2′. The generic plate1ais an arched plate. It has a convex side6aand a concave side7a. As is evident in particular fromFIG. 1C, the notch5ais arranged in the convex side6a. The concave side7aremains unchanged.

FIG. 2shows an osteosynthesis plate1bin various views. The osteosynthesis plate1bhas different types of drilled holes. The term “drilled hole” is understood herein as meaning any orifice or bore in the plate according to the invention through which means for fixing the plate with and to a bone can be introduced. Thus, for example, both cylindrical and conical drilled holes as well as slots and drilled holes having a thread, and combinations thereof, are included therein. As is evident fromFIG. 2, the two drilled holes4,4′ in the middle region of the osteosynthesis plate1bare arranged comparatively close together. In the region of the two drilled holes4,4′, an excessive stress occurs under bending load on the convex side6b, as mentioned above. According to the invention, a notch5bextends between these drilled holes4,4′. By making the notch5b, the load which rests on the web12in the region between the two drilled holes4,4′ is more uniformly distributed, for example deflected to the lateral webs10,10′, as indicated by the arrows11. Particularly from the diagram ofFIG. 2B, it is clear that the lateral webs10,10′ are broader than the middle web12. Consequently, the web10,10′ can also take up a greater load than the web12. Moreover, the area moment of inertia here is reduced only slightly by making the notch5b, at the same time the extreme fibre spacing being disproportionately shortened. This makes a substantial contribution towards increasing the stability of the plate.

FIG. 2shows that the proximal end8, in contrast to the distal end9, has a spoon-like shape, i.e. is arched. As a result, the osteosynthesis plate1bcan be used both for the left and for the right proximal humerus. Owing to this arched, spoon-like design, however, it is precisely these bending loads as discussed above that occur. The relief notch is therefore extremely useful especially in the case of such osteosynthesis plates.

The notch5is a recess which is introduced into the osteosynthesis plate. It can otherwise be described using the terms “incision” or “groove”. The notch5is in particular rounded in order to reduce the influence of the notch effect.

The depth of the notch5depends on the curvature of the osteosynthesis plate1. The greater this curvature, the deeper it is possible to form the notch. The side view of a plate may serve as an aid for determining the preferred depth of the notch5. If, in side view, as shown inFIG. 2A, the web12present between the drilled holes4,4′ no longer projects beyond the edge of the drilled holes, the notch5has the preferred depth. The curvature of the plate should conceal the notch in side view.

In other words, the notch5has a depth which substantially corresponds to the depth of the edge15,15′ and17,17′ of the drilled hole4,4′ and2,2′, respectively, which depth is present in that region19,19′ or18,18′ of the drilled hole4,4′ or2,2′, respectively, which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the notch5and which is further away from the notch. The notch is consequently preferably approximately as deep as the depth of the opposite edge of the drilled hole, which is clearly evident in particular fromFIG. 1AandFIG. 2A. The “depth” of the edge of the drilled hole is understood thereby as meaning the distance between the edge of the drilled hole and the plane which lies on the top of the osteosynthesis plate. This definition also makes it clear that the depth is dependent on the curvature of the plate, the spacing of the drilled holes between which the notch is made and the thickness of the plate. However, the depth may vary. What is important, however, is that the notch is only so deep that no new exposed zone is produced, for example, on the outside of the drilled holes (inFIG. 2, in the region of reference numeral10,10′).

As mentioned above, the notch5is made between two drilled holes arranged adjacent to one another. In an embodiment, the notch5extends coaxially with a straight line14which connects the two midpoints13,13′ of the drilled holes2,2′, as shown inFIG. 1B. The longitudinal axis of the notch1aconsequently coincides with the straight line14. In the case of special plate forms, in particular curved osteosynthesis plates, the notch5may be displaced from the middle of the web. Thus, it is intended that the relief notch be displaced parallel to this connection of the midpoints, as shown, for example, inFIG. 2B. Here, the notch5bhas been displaced in the direction towards the proximal end8of the osteosynthesis plate1b. The notch5bforms the tangent to the two drilled holes4,4′. It is advantageous if the proximal region of the edge16of the notch5is approximately at the height at which the proximal region of the edge15,15′ of the drilled hole4,4′ is present, or above this height. This ensures the load distribution.

As is evident in particular fromFIG. 2, the notch5is arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis3of the osteosynthesis plate1b.

The drilled holes between which the notch is arranged are arranged adjacent to one another. Here, “adjacent” is understood as meaning that the drilled holes are comparatively close together. The exact magnitude of the distance between the adjacent drilled holes at which the present invention displays its advantageous effects depends in turn on the curvature of the osteosynthesis plate. Moreover, the size of the implant is decisive. Furthermore, it depends to a certain degree also on the total number of drilled holes arranged on the implant. In any case, two drilled holes are arranged adjacent to one another in the context of the invention if only a narrow web which leads to excess stresses at this point remains between them.

The two drilled holes2,2′ or4,4′ can also be regarded as being adjacent in the context of the invention if their spacing is not so great that the above-defined depth of the notch5exceeds the thickness of the osteosynthesis plate1. This means that the distance between the drilled holes2,2′ or4,4′ arranged adjacent to one another depends on the depth of the notch5in that the notch is not deeper than the thickness of the osteosynthesis plate1. If the depth of the notch5is therefore adapted to the depth of the opposite edge15,15′ or17,17′ in the case of a curved osteosynthesis plate1at some time a point will be reached at which this edge15,15′ or17,17′ is present below a plane defined by the bottom of the plate, i.e. is lower than the bottom of the plate. If the notch5were then still to be as deep as the edge15,15′,17,17′, this depth would be greater than the thickness of the plate and the latter consequently broken through. It is also clear therefrom that the spacing of the drilled holes in the case of more greatly curved plates will be smaller than in the case of plates having a smaller curvature. Here, the drilled holes between which the notch according to the invention is made may be further apart, and the notch can nevertheless perform its function according to the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS