Proximal humerus fracture repair plate and system

Abstract

Devices and systems for repairing bone fractures and more specifically a fracture repair plate that provides for fixation of a metaphysis to the diaphysis of a long bone, for instance a fracture between the proximal humerus and the diaphysis of the humerus. The fracture repair system includes an implantable repair fracture repair plate and a bone anchor for fixing the fracture repair plate to a bone. In one embodiment, the fracture repair plate may also be adapted to serve as an anchor for a suture. The fracture repair system may also include a fracture reduction mechanism attachable to the fracture repair plate for imparting a controlled translational movement between two bone segments along a plane that lies substantially parallel to the surface of the bone to which the fracture repair plate is attached and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bone shaft.

1 . A fracture repair plate for repairing a fracture at the head of a long bone, the fracture repair plate comprising:
 a longitudinal axis, an outer face and a contoured inner face including a bearing surface configured to minimize a contact surface area between the fracture repair plate and the bone;   two or more threaded locking anchor apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate, each of the two or more threaded locking anchor aperture having an axis that is divergent from the axis of each remaining two or more locking anchor apertures; and   two or more threaded locking screw apertures, each of the threaded locking screw apertures having an axis, an angle of the axis of each of the threaded locking screw apertures relative to the outer face of the fracture repair plate increasing progressively as a location of the locking screw apertures progresses down a length of the fracture repair plate.   
     
     
         2 . The fracture repair plate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an upper peripheral edge including an undercut land; and 
 one or more suture apertures formed along the upper peripheral edge of the plate through the undercut land. 
 
     
     
         3 . A fracture repair system adapted for fixation of a fracture to a bone, the fracture repair system comprising:
 a fracture repair plate having a longitudinal axis, an outer face and a contoured inner face including a bearing surface configured to minimize a contact surface area between the fracture repair plate and the bone;   two or more threaded locking anchor apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate, each of the two or more threaded locking anchor aperture having an axis that is divergent from the axis of each remaining two or more locking anchor apertures;   two or more threaded locking screw apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate, each of the threaded locking screw apertures having an axis, an angle of the axis of each of the threaded locking screw apertures relative to the outer face of the fracture repair plate increasing progressively as a location of the locking screw apertures progresses down a length of the fracture repair plate;   two or more locking bone anchors adapted for placement through one of the two or more threaded locking anchor apertures, each of the two or more locking bone anchors including a plurality of annular grooves formed about a shaft of the locking bone anchor and a plurality of longitudinal grooves formed parallel to a primary axis of the shaft, each of the two or more locking bone anchors including a head attached to the shaft, the head having an external thread adapted to cooperate with the thread formed in one of the two or more threaded locking anchor apertures; and   two or more locking cortical screws adapted for placement through one of the one or more threaded locking screw apertures, each of the two or more locking cortical screws including a head attached to a threaded shaft, each of the one or more locking cortical screws adapted for threaded engagement with the bone, the head of each of the two or more locking cortical screws including an external thread adapted to cooperate with one of the two or more threaded locking screw apertures.   
     
     
         4 . The fracture repair system of  claim 3  further comprising:
 an upper peripheral edge including an undercut land; and 
 one or more suture apertures formed along the upper peripheral edge of the plate through the undercut land. 
 
     
     
         5 . The fracture repair system of  claim 3  further comprising:
 one or more slotted apertures formed through the cross-section of the fracture repair plate; and 
 one or more screws adapted for placement through one of the one or more slotted apertures, each of the one or more screws adapted for threaded engagement with the bone. 
 
     
     
         6 . The fracture repair system of  claim 3  further comprising a drill guide plate attachable to the outer face of the fracture repair place, the drill guide plate including a plurality of guide apertures adapted to guide a drill at a pre-selected angle. 
     
     
         7 . A fracture repair system adapted for reduction and fixation of a fracture of a humerus bone, the humerus bone defined in part by a proximal humerus, a diaphysis including a longitudinal axis and a lateral aspect defining in part a surface plane of the diaphysis, the fracture repair system comprising:
 a fracture repair plate having a longitudinal axis, an outer face and a contoured inner face including a bearing surface configured to minimize a contact surface area between the fracture repair plate and the humerus bone;   two or more threaded locking screw apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate, each of the threaded locking screw apertures having an axis, an angle of the axis of each of the threaded locking screw apertures relative to the outer face of the fracture repair plate increasing progressively as a location of the locking screw apertures progresses down a length of the fracture repair plate;   two or more locking cortical screws adapted for placement through one of the one or more locking screw apertures, each of the two or more threaded locking cortical screws including a head attached to a threaded shaft, the head of each of the two or more threaded locking cortical screws including a thread, each of the one or more locking cortical screws adapted for threaded engagement with the bone, the thread of the head each of the two or more threaded locking cortical screws adapted to engage one of the two or more threaded locking screw apertures; and   a drill guide plate attachable to the outer face of the fracture repair place, the drill guide plate including a plurality of guide apertures adapted to guide a drill at a pre-selected angle.   
     
     
         8 . The fracture repair system of  claim 7  further comprising:
 two or more threaded locking anchor apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate, each of the two or more threaded locking anchor aperture having an axis that is divergent from the axis of each remaining two or more locking anchor apertures; and 
 two or more locking bone anchors adapted for placement through one of the two or more threaded locking anchor apertures, each of the two or more locking bone anchors including a plurality of annular grooves formed about a shaft of the locking bone anchor and a plurality of longitudinal grooves formed parallel to a primary axis of the shaft, each of the two or more locking bone anchors including a head attached to the shaft, the head having an external thread adapted to cooperate with the thread formed in one of the two or more threaded locking anchor apertures. 
 
     
     
         9 . The fracture repair system of  claim 7  further comprising:
 one or more slotted apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate; and 
 one or more screws adapted for placement through one of the one or more slotted apertures, the one or more screws adapted for engagement with the humerus bone. 
 
     
     
         10 . The fracture repair system of  claim 7  further comprising:
 an upper peripheral edge including an undercut land; and 
 one or more suture apertures formed along the upper peripheral edge of the plate through the undercut land. 
 
     
     
         11 . The fracture repair system of  claim 7  further comprising a reduction mechanism including a body adapted for attachment to the drill guide plate and a traction arm adapted to engage the body, the traction arm adapted for controlled translational movement relative to the body, the traction arm further adapted for attachment to the bone, such that as a translational force is applied to the traction arm, the translational force is applied to the bone along a plane that lies substantially parallel to the surface plane and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the diaphysis. 
     
     
         12 . The fracture repair system of  claim 11  wherein the reduction mechanism is adaptable for attachment to the drill guide to apply the translational force between two bone segments of a right humerus or a left humerus bone. 
     
     
         13 . The fracture repair system of  claim 11  wherein the reduction mechanism further comprises:
 the body including a right dovetail groove and a left dovetail groove; 
 the traction arm including a dovetail slideably engageable with the right dovetail groove for use in applying the translational force between two bone segments of a right humerus, the dovetail alternately slideably engageable with the left dovetail groove for use in applying the translational force between two bone segments of a left humerus bone. 
 
     
     
         14 . The fracture repair system of  claim 11  wherein the reduction mechanism further comprises:
 a pinion gear connected to the body, the pinion gear rotatable relative to the body; and 
 the traction arm including a rack gear engageable with the pinion gear such a rotational force applied to the pinion gear provides a translational movement of the fraction arm; and 
 a spring biased pawl attached to the body and engageable with the pinion to eliminate counter-rotation of the pinion. 
 
     
     
         15 . A fracture repair system adapted for reduction and fixation of a fracture of a humerus bone, the humerus bone defined in part by a proximal humerus a diaphysis including a longitudinal axis and a lateral aspect defining in part a surface plane of the diaphysis, the fracture repair system comprising:
 a fracture repair plate having a longitudinal axis, an outer face and a contoured inner face having a bearing surface configured to minimize a contact surface area between the fracture repair plate and the humerus bone;   two or more threaded locking anchor apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate, each of the two or more threaded locking anchor aperture having an axis that is divergent from the axis of each remaining two or more locking anchor apertures;   two or more threaded locking screw apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate, each of the threaded locking screw apertures having an axis, an angle of the axis of each of the threaded locking screw apertures relative to the outer face of the fracture repair plate increasing progressively as a location of the locking screw apertures progresses down a length of the fracture repair plate;   two or more locking bone anchors adapted for placement through one of the two or more locking anchor apertures, each of the two or more locking bone anchors including a plurality of annular grooves formed about a shaft of the locking bone anchor and a plurality of longitudinal grooves formed parallel to a primary axis of the shaft, each of the two or more locking bone anchors including a head attached to the shaft, the head having an external thread adapted to cooperate with the thread formed in one of the two or more locking anchor apertures; and   two or more locking cortical screws adapted for placement through one of the one or more threaded locking screw apertures, each of the two or more locking cortical screws including a head attached to a threaded shaft, each of the one or more locking cortical screws adapted for threaded engagement with the bone, the head of each of the two or more locking cortical screws including an external thread adapted to engage with one of the two or more threaded locking screw apertures;   a drill guide plate attachable to the outer face of the fracture repair place, the drill guide plate including a plurality of guide apertures adapted to guide a drill at a pre-selected angle; and   a reduction mechanism including a body adapted for attachment to the drill guide plate and a traction arm adapted to engage the body, the traction arm adapted for controlled translational movement relative to the body, the traction arm further adapted for attachment to the bone at a point that lies, such that as a translational force is applied to the traction arm, the translational force is applied to the bone along a plane that lies substantially parallel to the surface plane and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the diaphysis.   
     
     
         16 . The fracture repair system of  claim 15  wherein the fracture repair plate further comprises:
 an upper peripheral edge including an undercut land; and 
 one or more suture apertures formed along the upper peripheral edge of the plate through the undercut land. 
 
     
     
         17 . The fracture repair system of  claim 15  wherein the fracture repair plate further comprises:
 one or more slotted apertures formed through a cross-section of the fracture repair plate; and 
 one or more screws adapted for placement through one of the one or more slotted apertures, the one or more screws adapted for engagement with the humerus bone. 
 
     
     
         18 . The fracture repair system of  claim 13  wherein the reduction mechanism further comprises:
 the body including a right dovetail groove and a left dovetail groove; 
 the traction arm including a dovetail slideably engageable with the right dovetail groove for use in applying the translational force between two bone segments of a right humerus, the dovetail alternately slideably engageable with the left dovetail groove for use in applying the translational force between two bone segments of a left humerus bone. 
 
     
     
         19 . The fracture repair system of  claim 15  wherein the reduction mechanism further comprises a pinion gear rotatable relative to the body, the traction arm including a rack gear engageable with the pinion and a spring biased pawl attached to the body and engageable with the pinion to eliminate counter-rotation of the pinion. 
     
     
         20 . A locking bone anchor adapted for anchoring a fracture repair plate, the locking bone anchor comprising:
 an anchor shaft including a length and a longitudinal axis;   a plurality of annular grooves formed along the length of the shaft; and   a plurality of longitudinal grooves formed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.