Patent ID: 8439917

Claim:
A method of repairing a fracture of a bone, the method comprising: inserting a bone fixation device into an intramedullary space of the bone to place an elongate body of the fixation device in a flexible state on one side of the fracture and a portion of a rigid hub of the fixation device such that a first end of the rigid hub is disposed on the one side of the fracture and a second end of the rigid hub is disposed on the other side of the fracture and the rigid hub between the first hub end and the second hub end traverses the fracture, the bone fixation device being inserted so that the elongate body extends axially from the first hub end away from the fracture; and operating an actuator from adjacent the second end of the rigid hub; in response to the operating of the actuator, rigidizing the elongate body from the flexible state to a more rigid state so as to inhibit flexing along the elongate body; and in response to the operating of the actuator, deploying a plurality of grippers of the fixation device from an insertion configuration to a deployed configuration extending radially outwardly from the elongate body so as to engage an inner surface of the bone along the intramedullary space to anchor the fixation device to the bone.