Patent ID: 8114078

Claim:
An intramedullary nail system for fixation of fractures of a proximal femur, comprising: an intramedullary nail extending along a nail longitudinal axis and being sized and shaped for insertion into an intramedullary area of the femur, comprising: a proximal end having a head with a borehole extending therethrough diagonal to the nail longitudinal axis, wherein the borehole includes one or more grooves; and a distal end having a shank with a diameter reduced with respect to a diameter of the head of the proximal end, wherein the shank has a cross hole and an axial notch; a femur neck screw extending along a neck screw longitudinal axis, the neck screw comprising: a cluster at a proximal end of the neck screw; a plurality of longitudinal slots oriented in a direction of the neck screw longitudinal axis; and a threaded end at a distal end of the femur neck screw; and a locking element having a plurality of prongs arranged substantially parallel to the neck screw longitudinal axis, a thickness of each of the prongs of the locking element, measured in a radial height direction (h), increasing toward a distal end of each of the prongs, at least one prong of the locking element being inserted into a corresponding one of the longitudinal slots and expanding to an expanded condition in which a proximal end of the at least one prong is further from the neck screw longitudinal axis than the proximal end of another one of the prongs wherein, in the expanded condition, the proximal end of the at least one prong is received within one of the grooves of the borehole of the femur nail, the distal end of at least one of the prongs being received in a corresponding slot of the neck screw to form a twisting lock between the neck screw and the nail by a positive connection between the locking element and the nail, and between the locking element and the femur neck screw.