Volar fixation system including guide

Abstract

A volar fixation system includes a plate intended to be positioned against the volar side of the radial bone. The plate includes threaded holes for receiving pegs which lock relative to the plate. The system also includes a guide which is provided on top of the volar plate and includes holes oriented according to the axes of the threaded holes for guiding a drill into the bone fragments at the required orientation.

1 . A volar fixation system, comprising: 
 a) a substantially rigid volar plate having a distal head portion and a proximal body portion extending from the head portion, said head portion including a plurality of threaded holes defining a plurality of axes at least two of which are oblique relative to each other, and said body portion including at least one screw hole; and    b) a guide including a plurality of guide holes, said guide adapted to be positioned over at least a portion of said head portion of said volar plate such that said guide holes define drill guides adapted to direct a drill through said plurality of threaded holes in alignment with respective axes of said plurality of threaded holes.    
     
     
         2 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said guide holes have fixed axes.    
     
     
         3 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 structure which aligns said guide over said head portion of said volar plate.    
     
     
         4 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said head portion includes a bone contacting surface, and    at least two of said plurality of axes of said threaded holes diverge from said bone contacting surface.    
     
     
         5 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of threaded holes in said head portion are linearly arranged.    
     
     
         6 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of threaded holes are arranged in a generally medial to lateral direction where successive lateral threaded holes are situated distally relative to adjacent threaded holes.    
     
     
         7 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least two of said plurality of axes are oblique in two dimensions relative to each other.    
     
     
         8 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one peg having a threaded head portion adapted to be engaged in a threaded hole of said head portion, and a shaft portion sized to be received through said threaded hole and extend along said axis of said threaded hole.    
     
     
         9 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one screw adapted to be received in said at least one screw hole.    
     
     
         10 . A volar fixation system according to  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said at least one screw is a self-tapping screw.    
     
     
         11 . A method of drilling through holes in a volar plate for fixation of a distal radius fracture, said method comprising: 
 a) providing a volar plate having a bone contacting surface and an opposite surface, and a distal head portion and a proximal body portion, the head portion including a plurality of threaded holes each defining a discrete axis, at least two of said axes being oblique relative to each other such that said at least two axes diverge from said bone contacting surface;    b) providing a guide having a plurality of holes defining fixed axes;    c) positioning a guide on the volar plate such that the fixed axes are aligned coaxially with the respective axes of the threaded holes in the head portion of the volar plate; and    d) drilling through the coaxially aligned holes in the guide and volar plate and into a fragmented portion of the distal radius beneath the volar plate.