Patent ID: 8628582

Claim:
A system for the surgical insertion of an implant into the sinus tarsi of a foot of a patient, comprising: a unitary frustoconical-shaped implant; wherein the frustoconical-shaped implant comprises a low domed distal end, an outer surface of v-shaped threads having a first handedness, and a flat proximal end, and the frustoconical-shaped implant is configured to be received within the sinus tarsi; wherein the vertical distance between a trough and a peak of each of said v-shaped threads is between about 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm; wherein the v-shaped threads do not have a leading edge with a greater height than a trailing edge and therefore are not threads of a self-tapping screw; wherein the frustoconical-shaped implant consists of one piece having a first cannulation entirely through a longitudinal axis thereof; wherein said first cannulation comprises a proximal polygonal fitting recess and a distal cylindrical recess; wherein said cylindrical recess is continuous with said fitting recess and said cylindrical recess contains internal threads; wherein the internal threads are left-handed or right-handed female threads positioned over no more than one-third of the length of said first cannulation; wherein said internal threads further have a second handedness opposite from the first handedness of said v-shaped threads; wherein said cannulation is concentric with said fitting recess and said cylindrical recess; and wherein a shoulder in said first cannulation of said implant delineates the end of said cylindrical recess and the beginning of said fitting recess; a positioning tool having a polygonal distal wrench head corresponding for engagement with the polygonal fitting recess in said frustoconical-shaped implant, and the positioning tool further having a second cannulation throughout an entire longitudinal axis of the positioning tool; wherein the positioning tool is capable of use in applying a rotating force and a pushing force to the frustoconical-shaped implant during insertion of said frustoconical-shaped implant into the sinus tarsi when the positioning tool is engaged with the polygonal fitting recess; a positioning element having threads which correspond for threading into and engaging said internal threads in said frustoconical-shaped implant; wherein the positioning element is capable applying a pulling force against the frustoconical-shaped implant during positioning or withdrawal of the implant relative to the sinus tarsi when threaded into and engaging the internal threads; and a guide rod dimensioned to fit within and pass through both said first cannulation and said second cannulation and capable of guiding the frustoconical-shaped implant and the positioning tool to the sinus tarsi.