Patent ID: 7763023

Claim:
Apparatus for treating a fracture of a bone of a subject, comprising: an intramedullary (IM) elongate member insertable into a medullary canal of a first part of the bone and comprising a proximal head defining at least one hole therethrough; a sleeve comprising an engagement mechanism arranged to engage one of the at least one hole when the sleeve is within the hole, such engagement restricting rotational and longitudinal movement between the sleeve and the proximal head of the elongate member after the sleeve is engaged with the at least one hole; and at least one screw or pin arranged inside the sleeve for securing a second part of the bone to the first part of the bone, the engagement mechanism including a male coupling element arranged to engage with a female coupling element on the elongate member such that longitudinal movement of the sleeve relative to the elongate member while the male coupling element is engaged with the female coupling element is possible only after rotation of the sleeve relative to the elongate member while the male coupling element is engaged with the female coupling element, the female coupling element being located on the surface around each of the at least one hole and each female coupling element comprising: a first portion that allows, while the male coupling element is situated in the first portion, rotation of the sleeve relative to the elongate member from an entrance to the first portion to an end of the first portion after which further rotation of the sleeve relative to the elongate member is prevented; and a second portion beginning at the end of the first portion and that, while the male coupling element is situated in the second portion, allows longitudinal movement of the sleeve relative to the elongate member and prevents rotation of the sleeve relative to the elongate member.