Targeting device for bone implant

Abstract

A medical implant system has parts for detachably establishing a spatial orientation between a body implant such as a bone plate and an aiming device. A contoured portion of a body implant is designed in such a manner that an adapter device can be detachably fastened to the body implant by means of a mechanic form-fit connection. Preferably the form-fitting elements are grooves and protrusions which tightly engage when clamped together. The adaptor device provides a basis for aiming or targeting a device such that the targeting device may be detachably positioned in a stable spatial position with respect to the body implant. Preferably, the adaptor device comprises a dowel pin, a handling device and a clamping element, which elements allow for a quick and easy assembling and disassembling of the adaptor device in a desired alignment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a shows a bone stabilizing plate representing a body implant according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1 b shows the upper part of the plate depicted in FIG. 1a;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a medical system comprising the plate depicted in FIG. 1a and an adaptor device for holding an aiming device in a spatially precise orientation with respect to the plate; and

FIGS. 3 a to 3d illustrate a procedure for assembling the medical system depicted in FIG. 2.

Claims

1. An implantation system for a bone stabilizing implant comprising: a bone stabilizing implant having a body portion with a plurality of through holes for anchoring the implant to part of a bone by means of fastening elements and a contour portion having an opening therein and at least one groove;an aiming device for detachable attachment to the implant; andan adaptor for establishing a spatial orientation between the implant and the aiming device, the adaptor having a form-fit connector at one end thereof for engaging a first groove of the at least one groove on the counter portion.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central opening is a through hole.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the contour portion comprises a second groove and said adaptor form-fit connector engages the second groove.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first groove and the second groove are arranged in an asymmetric manner with respect to the central opening.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the contour portion comprises a locking element for engaging a locking mechanism carried by the adaptor device for locking the implant to the adaptor.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the locking element is an internal screw thread.

7. An adaptor device for detachably establishing a spatial orientation between an implant and an aiming device for anchoring the implant to an internal part of a body, the adaptor device comprising: an end portion for detachably coupling the implant by the engagement of mating form fitting elements formed on the adaptor end portion and on a contour portion of the implant; anda coupling portion, adapted to be mechanically connected to the aiming device.

8. The adaptor device according to claim 7, further comprising a dowel pin, which is designed in such a manner that the dowel pin can be detachably fastened to an opening in the contour portion.

9. The adaptor device according to claim 8, wherein the dowel pin comprises a locking mechanism which is lockable to the body implant by means of a locking element on the implant.

10. The adaptor device according to claim 9, where the locking mechanism comprises an external screw thread.

11. The adaptor device according to claim 8, wherein the coupling portion includes a handling device, which handling device comprises a through hole such that the handling device is slideable over an outer surface of the dowel pin.

12. The adaptor device according to claim 11, wherein the handling device comprises a handle.

13. The adaptor device according to claim 11, wherein the handling device comprises at least one protrusion which is formed in such a way that the adaptor device is capable of engaging into at least one groove formed in the contour portion of the implant.

14. The adaptor device according to claim 13, wherein the handling device comprises a second protrusion.

15. The adaptor device according to claim 14, wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are arranged in an asymmetric manner with respect to the opening.

16. The adaptor device according to claim 13, further comprising a clamping element, which is adapted for mounting onto the dowel pin in order to engage and maintain the handling device in a position wherein the at least one handling device protrusion abuts against the implant.

17. The adaptor device according to claim 16, wherein the clamping element is a nut.

18. The adaptor device according to claim 11, wherein the aiming device is detachably attachable to the handling device.

19. A method for detachably establishing a spatial orientation between a bone implant and an aiming device for anchoring the implant to a bone, the method comprising: fastening a dowel element to a contour portion of the body implant, the contour portion having a form-fitting element in an outer surface thereof;fixing a handling device having an aiming device to the dowel element such that the handling device has a mating form-fitting element which abuts against the form-fitting element of the implant contour portion;mounting a clamping element onto the dowel element in order to secure the relative spatial position between the handling device and the body implant by the engagement of the form-fitting elements on the dowel element and the contour portion; andusing the aiming device to attach the implant to bone.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the fastening of the dowel element to the contour portion of the body implant comprises inserting a dowel pin into an opening in the contour portion.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein inserting a dowel pin into the opening of the contour portion comprises screwing the dowel pin into an internal screw thread which is provided in the opening.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein fixing the handling device to the dowel element comprises using a handling device comprising a through hole and sliding the handling device over an outer surface of the dowel pin.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein sliding the handling device over the dowel pin comprises rotating the handling device around the dowel pin such that a form-fitting element, which is provided at an end of the handling device, engages into a form-fitting element provided in the contour portion.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the form-fitting element on the handling device is a protrusion and the form-fitting element on the contour portion is a groove.

25. A bone plate implantation system comprising: a bone plate having a plurality of through bores extending from a bone contacting surface to an outer surface thereof including an alignment opening having a plurality of grooves extending outwardly therefrom along said outer surface of said bone plate;a dowel shaft element having a first end for engaging said alignment opening having the grooves extending therefrom and a second end spaced from said first end along an axis;an adaptor having a bore for receiving said dowel shaft and a first end having a plurality of protrusions for insertion into said plurality of grooves on said plate outer surface; anda targeting device mountable on a second end of said adaptor having drill guide bores alignable with at least one of said plurality of bores in said bone plate.

26. The implantation system of claim 25, wherein a clamping element is moveably mounted on the second end of the dowel shaft element for engaging the second end of said adaptor for clamping said adaptor to said plate and clamping said protrusions in said grooves.

27. The implantation system as set forth in claim 25, wherein said grooves are asymmetrically positioned around said bore in said bone plate.