Patent ID: 8128626

Claim:
A system for stabilizing a fractured bone having an intramedullary canal, the system comprising: an implant shaped to be inserted into the intramedullary canal of the bone, the implant comprising a composite structure having a support structure covered by a thermo-chemically activated polymer matrix, a glass transition temperature of the thermo-chemically activated polymer matrix being greater than 37 degrees Celsius, a first thermo-chemical state above the glass transition temperature where the thermo-chemically activated polymer matrix is deformable, a second thermo-chemical state below the glass transition temperature where the thermo-chemically activated polymer matrix is relatively rigid, the thermo-chemically activated polymer being responsive to heating above the glass transition temperature to transform from the second thermo-chemical state to the first thermo-chemical state and responsive to cooling below the glass transition temperature to transform from the first thermo-chemical state to the second thermo-chemical state, the thermo-chemically activated polymer permitting multiple transitions between the first thermo-chemical state and the second thermo-chemical state, the composite structure, while the polymer is in the first thermo-chemical state, being responsive to a deforming force to expand from a first shape to a second shape which conforms to a form of a surrounding portion of the intramedullary canal, and the composite structure, while the polymer is in the second thermo-chemical state, maintaining the second shape in a relatively rigid configuration to provide torsional, axial, and bending reinforcement to the fractured bone sufficient to promote healing of the fractured bone; and an implant deformer removably insertable into the implant and configured to transform the implant between the first shape and the second shape within the intramedullary canal with a controlled transfer of thermal energy between the implant deformer and the polymer matrix; wherein the implant is configured to remain at the second shape after removal of the implant deformer from the intramedullary canal.