Surgical nail

Abstract

A surgical nail for treating a fractured bone includes a nail body extending along a longitudinal axis from a trailing end to a leading end and including a trailing end locking aperture extending transversely through a trailing end portion thereof and a leading end locking aperture extending transversely through a leading end portion thereof; a trailing end connecting element located at the trailing end of the nail body adapted and configured to be coupled to a trailing end aiming guide; and a leading end connecting element at the leading end of the nail body adapted and configured to be coupled to a leading end aiming guide.

1 - 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A device, comprising:
 a nail body sized and shaped for insertion into a medullary canal of a bone to be treated, the body extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end and including a first locking aperture extending from the proximal end through a wall of the nail body such that an axis of the first locking aperture extends at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis and a second locking aperture extending transversely through a distal portion of the nail body; and   a connecting element coupled to the distal end of the nail body, the connecting element extending from the distal end of the nail body by a length selected so that, when the nail body is implanted to a desired position within the medullary canal, at least a portion of the connecting element projects out of the bone for coupling to an aiming guide external to the bone.   
     
     
         56 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein the nail body has a flexibility selected so that the nail body is deformable during insertion into the medullary canal, the nail body returning toward the initial undeformed configuration upon reaching the desired position. 
     
     
         57 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein the connecting element is a rod distally from the distal end substantially coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the nail body. 
     
     
         58 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein the second locking aperture is a U-shaped groove offset from the longitudinal axis of the nail body and open to an exterior of the nail body. 
     
     
         59 . The device of  claim 55 , further comprising a third locking aperture extending transversely through the distal portion of the nail body, proximally of the second locking aperture. 
     
     
         60 . The device of  claim 59 , wherein an axis along which the third locking aperture extends is substantially parallel to an axis along which the second aperture extends. 
     
     
         61 . The device of  claim 59 , wherein the third locking aperture is a U-shaped groove offset from the longitudinal axis of the nail body and open to an exterior of the nail. 
     
     
         62 . The device of  claim 59 , wherein the second locking aperture extends through a first portion of the nail body on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the third locking aperture extends through a second portion of the nail body on a second side of the longitudinal axis opposite the first side. 
     
     
         63 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein an angle of the axis of the first locking aperture relative to the longitudinal axis is between 10 degrees and 170 degrees. 
     
     
         64 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein the connecting element includes a bore extending transversely therethrough along a bore axis substantially parallel to a central axis of the second locking aperture. 
     
     
         65 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein a plane including the axis of the first locking aperture and the longitudinal axis of the nail body is perpendicular to a plane including an axis of the second locking aperture. 
     
     
         66 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein the distal end of the nail body includes a first engagement feature and a proximal end of the connecting element includes a corresponding second engagement feature for coupling the connecting element to the nail body. 
     
     
         67 . The device of  claim 66 , wherein the first engagement feature includes threading on an exterior of the distal end of the nail body and the second engagement feature is corresponding threading on an interior surface of a recess at the proximal end of the connecting element. 
     
     
         68 . The device of  claim 65 , further comprising an end cap coupleable to the proximal end of the nail body when the connecting element is decoupled therefrom. 
     
     
         69 . The device of  claim 68 , wherein the end cap is mountable over the distal end of the nail body. 
     
     
         70 . The device of  claim 69 , wherein the end cap includes a threading along an exterior surface for engaging a bone. 
     
     
         71 . A system for treating a nail, comprising:
 a nail body sized and shaped for insertion into a medullary canal of a bone to be treated, the body extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end and including a first locking aperture extending from the proximal end through a wall of the nail body such that an axis of the first locking aperture extends at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis and a second locking aperture extending transversely through a distal portion of the nail body;   a connecting element coupled to the distal end of the nail body, the connecting element extending from the distal end of the nail body by a length selected so that, when the nail body is implanted to a desired position within the medullary canal, at least a portion of the connecting element projects out of the bone for coupling to an aiming guide external to the bone; and   an aiming arm configured to be coupled to the portion of the connecting element projecting out of the bone, the aiming arm including a first guide hole extending therethrough such that, when the aiming arm is coupled to the connecting element in a desired configuration, the first guide hole aligns with the second locking aperture.   
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 71 , further comprising a reamer including a wire extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and a first reamer head formed on a first end thereof. 
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the connecting element is releasably coupled to the distal end of the nail body. 
     
     
         74 . The system of  claim 73 , further comprising an end cap mountable over the distal end of the nail body when the connecting element is decoupled therefrom.