Multi-diameter bone pin for installing and aligning bone fixation plate while minimizing bone damage

Abstract

A driving pin can be used for installing a bone plate on a bone. In some examples, the driving pin has a driving pin body extending from a proximal end to a distal end. The driving pin body may define at least three regions of different cross-sectional thickness, including a bone penetrating region adjacent the distal end, a driving region adjacent the proximal end, and a bone plate orienting region between the bone penetrating region and the driving region. In general, the bone penetrating region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the bone plate orienting region and the bone plate orienting region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the driving region. The bone plate orienting region may be sized to conform to the size of a fixation hole extending through bone plate.

1 . A method comprising:
 inserting a bone penetrating region of a driving pin adjacent a distal end of the driving pin through a fixation hole of a bone plate;   positioning a bone plate orienting region of the driving pin co-linear with the fixation hole of the bone plate; and   coupling a driving region of the driving pin adjacent a proximal end of the driving pin with a driver;   wherein the bone penetrating region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the bone plate orienting region, the bone plate orienting region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the driving region, and the bone plate orienting region has a size corresponding to the fixation hole of the bone plate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting the bone penetrating region through the fixation hole further comprises engaging the driver and driving the bone penetrating region into a bone underlying the fixation hole over which the bone plate is positioned. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the bone is a metatarsal of a foot. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the bone is a cuneiform of a foot. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bone plate further comprises a drill guide extending from the top surface of the bone plate about the fixation hole;   inserting the bone penetrating region comprises inserting the bone penetrating region through the drill guide; and   positioning the bone plate orienting region co-linear with the fixation hole comprises positioning the bone plate orienting region co-linear with the drill guide.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the driving pin further defines a fourth region of greater cross-sectional thickness than the bone penetrating region, the driving region, and the bone plate orienting region; and   inserting the bone penetrating region comprises inserting the bone penetrating region until the fourth region contacts the drill guide.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising rotating the bone plate about the bone plate orienting region of the driving pin, while the bone penetrating region of the driving pin is inserted into a bone underlying the fixation hole over which the bone plate is positioned, to adjust a position of one or more secondary fixation holes on the bone plate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the driving pin from the fixation hole and inserting a bone anchoring member into the fixation hole and into a bone underlying the fixation hole over which the bone plate is positioned to permanently anchor the bone plate to the underlying bone. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the bone anchoring member is a bone screw. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bone penetrating region has a diameter ranging from 0.1 mm to 2 mm;   the bone plate orienting region has a diameter ranging from 0.5 to 3 mm; and   the driving region has a diameter ranging from 1.6 mm to 3.7 mm.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the bone penetrating region has a diameter ranging from 1 mm to 2 mm; and   the bone plate orienting region has a diameter ranging from 1 mm to 2 mm.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bone penetrating region, the driving region, and the bone plate orienting region each have a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the driving pin further defines a fourth region of greater cross-sectional thickness than the bone penetrating region, the driving region, and the bone plate orienting region;   the fourth region is positioned proximally of the bone plate orienting region and has a cross-sectional thickness greater than the fixation hole diameter; and   the fourth region has a different cross-sectional shape than a remainder of the driving pin.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the driving region tapers to a point at the distal end, and further comprising a tapered cross-sectional dimension transition between the driving region and the bone plate orienting region. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 inserting a bone penetrating region of a driving pin adjacent a distal end of the driving pin through a fixation hole of a bone plate;   positioning a bone plate orienting region of the driving pin co-linear with the fixation hole of the bone plate;   driving the bone penetrating region of the driving pin inserted through the fixation hole of the bone plate into an underlying bone that is one of a metatarsal or a cuneiform, wherein driving the bone penetrating region of the driving pin comprises coupling a driving region of the driving pin adjacent a proximal end of the driving pin with a driver and driving the bone penetrating region with the driver; and   subsequent to driving the bone penetrating region of the driving pin into the underlying bone, removing the driving pin from the fixation hole and inserting a bone anchoring member into the fixation hole and into the underlying bone;   wherein the bone penetrating region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the bone plate orienting region, the bone plate orienting region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the driving region, and the bone plate orienting region has a size corresponding to the fixation hole of the bone plate.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the underlying bone is the metatarsal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising rotating the bone plate about the bone plate orienting region of the driving pin, while the bone penetrating region of the driving pin is inserted into the underlying bone, to adjust a position of one or more secondary fixation holes on the bone plate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the bone plate further comprises a drill guide extending from the top surface of the bone plate about the fixation hole;   inserting the bone penetrating region comprises inserting the bone penetrating region through the drill guide; and   positioning the bone plate orienting region co-linear with the fixation hole comprises positioning the bone plate orienting region co-linear with the drill guide.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the bone anchoring member is a bone screw. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the bone penetrating region has a diameter ranging from 0.1 mm to 2 mm;   the bone plate orienting region has a diameter ranging from 0.5 to 3 mm; and   the driving region has a diameter ranging from 1.6 mm to 3.7 mm.