Distal radius nail

Abstract

A system for treating a bone fracture includes an intramedullary nail sized and shaped to be inserted through a medullary canal of a bone to extend across a fracture site of the bone, the intramedullary device extending from a first end to a second end and including a plurality of openings extending laterally therethrough, the openings sized and shaped to receive bone fixation elements therethrough, and an insertion device including a base portion and a handle portion extending therefrom, the base portion integrally formed with the intramedullary nail and connected thereto via a plurality of connection points which, when a force is exerted thereon, break to disconnect the insertion device from the intramedullary nail, the base portion including a plurality of guide channels extending therethrough, each of the guide channels being aligned with a corresponding one of the openings of the intramedullary nail.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for treating a distal radius bone, comprising:
 drilling an entry hole through a styloid process of a distal radius bone;   inserting an intramedullary nail through the entry hole using an insertion device integrally formed with the intramedullary nail until a shaft portion of the intramedullary nail is passed into a medullary canal of the bone and a head portion of the intramedullary nail resides within an end of the bone, the intramedullary nail connected to the insertion device via a plurality of connection points;   drilling holes into the bone via guide channels of the insertion device which are in alignment with openings of the intramedullary nail;   inserting bone fixation elements through drilled holes of the bone and into a corresponding one of the openings; and   snapping off the insertion device to disconnect the insertion device from the intramedullary nail by breaking the connection points connecting the insertion device and the intramedullary nail.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein drilling holes into the bone includes passing a drill into drill guides, each of the drill guides received within a guide channel and a corresponding one of the openings. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising removing the drill guides from the guide channels prior to disconnecting the insertion device from the intramedullary nail. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein snapping off the insertion device includes one of drawing the insertion device toward a user thereof and angling the insertion device relative to the intramedullary nail. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the intramedullary nail and the insertion device are molded together via a PEEK material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the bone fixation elements include locking screws so that threads along a head portion of the locking screws deform a PEEK material of the intramedullary nail to lock the locking screws relative to the intramedullary nail. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the shaft portion includes a wire extending from the PEEK material of the head portion of the intramedullary nail.