Patent ID: 8740902

Claim:
An arthrodesis apparatus for a joint, such as an ankle joint, formed by at least a first bone and a second bone, the apparatus comprising: a) an arthrodesis nail having a thickness and a longitudinal axis and having (i) fastener means adapted to fasten the arthrodesis nail to the bones constituting the joint and (ii) guide means formed by at least one cavity provided in the thickness of the arthrodesis nail and extending through the thickness thereof so as to extend along an axis that intersects the longitudinal axis of the arthrodesis nail, the at least one cavity presenting a shape that is substantially elongate along the longitudinal axis; b) an instrument for putting the arthrodesis nail into place within the joint, the instrument comprising (i) a base that remains stationary with respect to the second bone and (ii) compression means comprising control means and holder means, the holder means arranged to prevent the second bone from moving relative to the base, the compression means adapted to enable the first bone forming the joint to be moved towards the second bone, the control means having a force exerting portion adapted to exert a longitudinal force directly on the arthrodesis nail, the force exerting portion being generally coaxial with the base and the arthrodesis nail; and, c) link means serving as an interface between the instrument and the arthrodesis nail, wherein the control means is arranged so as to act via the link means to move the arthrodesis nail relative to the base along a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis along which the arthrodesis nail extends, and wherein the guide means and the holder means are arranged and shaped to cooperate together so as to allow the arthrodesis nail to move relative to the holder means and to enable the first bone and the second bone to be moved towards each other once the arthrodesis nail has been secured to the first bone.