Description:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(Section 10 and Rule 13)

1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
BONE IMPLANT
2. APPLICANT:
Meril Corporation (I) Private Limited, an Indian company of the address Survey No. 135/139, Muktanand Marg, Bilakhia House, Pardi, Vapi, Valsad-396191 Gujarat, India.

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:

FIELD OF INVENTION
[001] The present disclosure relates to a medical device. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a bone implant.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[002] Bone fractures are a public health issue around the world, especially in people with osteoporosis. A broken bone or bone fracture occurs when a force exerted against a bone is stronger than the force the bone can withstand. A fracture can lead to for example, work absence, decreased productivity, disability, impaired quality of life, and/or high healthcare costs.
[003] Conventional methods of treating a broken bone include, without limitation, the use of compression plates with screws, single-strand wire, and crimp systems. Single-strand wires commonly fail due to breakage or loosening. Compression plates with screws attempt to treat spiral, longitudinal, and butterfly fractures, but such plates are not very successful with long breaks or where there are multiple bone fragments. Also, too many compression plates with intrusive screws tend to weaken the resulting bone union.
[004] Traditionally, self-tapping screws and helical screws are employed to secure the compression plates. But they often cause damage to the bone by creating holes in the underlying bone/ bone segments and make it challenging to rigidly hold weaker bone/ bone segments in their original shape. Further, since the screws are intrusive, they are not always feasible for low-thickness bones.
[005] Thus, there arises a need to develop a new implant which overcomes the disadvantages associated with the conventional solutions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[006] Particular embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
[007] The present disclosure relates to an implant including a proximal end, a distal end, a base plate, a sliding plate, a fastener and at least one wire. The base plate extends between the proximal end and the distal end. The base plate defines a first longitudinal leg, a second longitudinal leg, and a slot extending at least partially along a length of the base plate between the first longitudinal leg and the second longitudinal leg. The sliding plate is movably disposed within the slot of the base plate. The fastener is movably coupled to the proximal end of the base plate and at least partially abutting the proximal end of the sliding plate. The fastener is configured to adjust a distance between the proximal ends of the sliding plate and the base plate. The at least one wire extends at least between the first longitudinal leg and the second longitudinal leg of the base plate. A first end of the wire is fixedly coupled to the base plate and a second end of the wire is fixedly coupled to the sliding plate. The distance between the proximal ends of the sliding plate and the base plate as adjusted by the fastener corresponds to an amount of compressive force exerted by the wires.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[008] The summary above as well as a detailed description of the illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the apportioned drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, the exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale.
[009] Fig. 1 depicts an implant 100 seated over a bone 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0010] Fig. 1a depicts a bottom view of the implant 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0011] Fig. 1b depicts an exploded view of the implant 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0012] Fig. 2a depicts a base plate 110 of the implant 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0013] Fig. 2b depicts a cross-sectional view of the base plate 110, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] Fig. 3 depicts a sliding plate 130 of the implant 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0015] Fig. 4 depicts an enlarged view of a portion of the implant 100, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Prior to describing the invention in detail, definitions of certain words or phrases used throughout this patent document will be defined: the terms "include" and "comprise", as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term "or" is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases "coupled with" and "associated therewith", as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have a property of, or the like; Definitions of certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, and those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that such definitions apply in many, if not most, instances to prior as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.
[0017] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually inclusive unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0018] Although the operations of exemplary embodiments of the disclosed method may be described in a particular, sequential order for convenient presentation, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments can encompass an order of operations other than the particular, sequential order disclosed. For example, operations described sequentially may in some cases be rearranged or performed concurrently. Further, descriptions and disclosures provided in association with one particular embodiment are not limited to that embodiment, and may be applied to any embodiment disclosed herein. Moreover, for the sake of simplicity, the attached figures may not show the various ways in which the disclosed system, method, and apparatus can be used in combination with other systems, methods, and apparatuses.
[0019] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments. These features and advantages of the embodiments will become more fully apparent from the following description and apportioned claims, or may be learned by the practice of embodiments as set forth hereinafter.
[0020] In the context of the present disclosure, the term “bone” refers to a rigid body tissue consisting of cells embedded in an abundant hard intercellular material that make up our body skeleton.
[0021] The term “bone fracture” or fractured bone, refers to a break or crack in a bone. Break in a bone implies a completely fractured bone in multiple pieces while a crack refers to a partially fractured bone wherein the two segments of the bone formed after the crack are partially coupled. The crack can be formed in a number of ways - crosswise, lengthwise, etc. The bone fracture occurs when an external force exerted on a bone is stronger than the force, the bone can structurally withstand.
[0022] The term “bone alignment” refers to the ideal alignment of two or more bones or bone segments in a way that joints and muscles can work properly. It is an ideal anatomical alignment of the skeletal system that puts bones in the best position possible.
[0023] The term “bone healing” refers to the process of rebuilding a bone following a fracture. It is an intricate and fluent regenerative process that aims to restore the damaged bone close to its initial physiological state.
[0024] The term “compression” refers to the act or the process of applying pressure on the fractured bone.
[0025] The term “mechanical tension” refers to a bias originating from a force of a stretched material.
[0026] The present disclosure discloses an implant. The implant is used for bone fixation of at least two bone segments or a crack by providing a compressive force to the fractured bone.
[0027] The implant of the present disclosure treats a bone fracture without causing any potential damage to the bone (for example, drilling a hole, inserting screws, etc.) and also saves valuable time during surgery. The implant includes without limitation, at least one base plate, a sliding plate, and one or more wires. The wires of the implant are wrapped around a fractured bone to provide compressive forces around the fractured area of the bone and hold the fractured bone (or segments thereof) firmly in place without the need for drilling holes and/or inserting screws in the bone. This increases the life and strength of the underlying bone. A relative position of the sliding plate with respect to the base plate is used to control the amount of compressive forces provided around the fractured bone by the wires.
[0028] The implant of the present disclosure may be manufactured with a pre-defined length that corresponds at least to the length of a fractured area to be covered by the implant and provide effective compressive forces to the bones/bone segments of the fractured area. The implant may effectively be used for a short bone, a long-bone and/or a complicated bone fracture.
[0029] Now referring to the figures, Fig. 1 illustrates an implant 100 seated over a fractured bone (or bone) 10. A bottom view of the implant 100 is shown in Fig. 1a and an exploded view of the implant 100 is shown in Fig. 1b., depicting a plurality of components of the implant 100. The components of implant 100 includes at least a base plate 110, a sliding plate 130, and one or more wires 150. As shown in Fig. 1, the wires 150 of the implant 100 are wrapped around the bone 10 to provide compressive forces around the fractured area of the bone 10 to provide faster healing of the bone 10. A relative position of the sliding plate 130 with respect to the base plate 110 is used to control the amount of compressive force to be applied around the bone 10 by the wires 150.
[0030] The implant 100 extends between a proximal end 100a and a distal end 100b. In the depicted embodiment, the proximal end 100a is a sealed end while the distal end 100b is an open end.
[0031] In this description, the proximal side/end of the implant 100 or any of its components refers to the side/end towards the operator and the distal side/end refers to the side/end away from the operator. The proximal end/side of the individual components in the description is denoted as 100a while the distal end/side of the individual components is denoted as 100b.
[0032] The base plate 110 is depicted in Fig. 2a and a cross-sectional view of the base plate 110 is depicted in Fig. 2b. The base plate 110 is made of one or more materials including, but not limited to medical grade stainless steel, medical grade titanium, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the base plate 110 is made of medical grade stainless steel. The base plate 110 includes a pre-defined shape including, but not limited to, rectangle, semi-oval, semi-circular, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b more clearly, the base plate 110 is rectangular in shape. The base plate 110 may include a pre-defined length between the proximal end 100a and the distal end 100b. The pre-defined length may vary depending upon the length of the fractured area of the bone 10 to be covered. The base plate 110 may have a pre-defined width ranging from 8 mm to 16 mm. In an exemplary embodiment, the width of the base plate 110 is 14 mm. The base plate 110 provides support to the components of the implant 100. The base plate 110 also helps to maintain integrity of the fractured bone 10, after the implant 100 is seated on the bone 10, as shown in Fig. 1.
[0033] The base plate 110 is provided with a first longitudinal leg 110a and a second longitudinal leg 110b defining at least one slot 111 therebetween. The slot 111 extends at least partially along a length of the base plate 110. In the depicted embodiment, as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b, the slot 111 may be disposed along a central longitudinal axis of the base plate 110. Alternately, the slot 111 may be distanced from the central longitudinal axis of the base plate 110. In an embodiment, the slot 111 includes a length and a width less than the length and width of the base plate 110, respectively.
[0034] The base plate 110 is configured to movably receive the sliding plate 130 within the slot 111. The slot 111 is open ended from the distal end 100b of the base plate 110 and close-ended from the proximal end 100a of the base plate 110. In other words, the slot 111 is defined by three walls and one open side (or open-ended slot 111). The three walls of the slot 111 include two longitudinal walls defined by the inner surfaces of the first longitudinal leg 110a and the second longitudinal leg 110b, and one lateral wall. Through the open side at the distal end 100b of the base plate 110, the sliding plate 130 can be moved up and down within the slot 111. However, towards the proximal end 100a of the base plate 110, the sliding plate 130 cannot move and abuts the lateral wall of the slot 111. Accordingly, while assembling the components of the implant 100, the proximal end 100a of the sliding plate 130 is first inserted within the slot 111 of the base plate 110 through the distal end 100b of the base plate 110.
[0035] Although the base plate 110 of the present disclosure is explained with the example of an open-ended slot 111, the base plate 110 can be made with a slot (not shown) that is close-ended from all the sides within which the sliding plate 130 can move and the same is within the scope of the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0036] The base plate 110 is provided with at least one track 111a disposed at least partially along the longitudinal walls of the slot 111, namely the inner surfaces of the first longitudinal leg 110a and the second longitudinal leg 110b. The tracks 111a may either be continuous or discontinuous. The tracks 111a may extend along one or more longitudinal walls of the slot 111. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b, the base plate 110 includes two tracks 111a that extend along the entire length of the longitudinal walls of the slot 111.
[0037] As shown in Figs. 2a and 2b, the tracks 111a at least partially extend away from the first longitudinal leg 110a and the second longitudinal leg 110b of the base plate 110 and into the slot 111. Alternatively, not shown, the tracks 111a may be completely disposed within the slot 111. The tracks 111a are operationally coupled to the sliding plate 130 thereby enabling the sliding plate 130 to move within the slot 111 without its dislocation.
[0038] At the proximal end 100a of the base plate 110, the base plate 110 is provided with at least one hole 113 (as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b). The hole 113 extends from the proximal end 100a to the lateral wall of the slot 111 of the base plate 110. In an embodiment, an inner surface of the hole 113 is provided with a plurality of threads (as shown in Fig. 2b). Alternately, the inner surface of the hole 113 may include a smooth surface.
[0039] As shown in Figs 1a and 1b, a fastener 115 is movably disposed within the hole 113 of the base plate 110. At least a portion of the fastener 115 is provided with a plurality of threads complementing the plurality of threads of the hole 113. The threads of the fastener 115 at least partially engage with the threads of the hole 113 to provide controlled movement of the fastener 115 across the hole 113. Other functionally equivalent coupling/mechanism between the hole 113 and the fastener 115 are within the scope of the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0040] A head 115a is disposed at the proximal end 100a of the fastener 115. The head 115a allows a user to grasp and rotate the fastener 115 thereby, allowing the user to rotatably move the fastener 115 across the hole 113 of the base plate 110 in a controlled manner.
[0041] The base plate 110 is provided with at least one rail 117 disposed at one edge of the base plate 110. In the depicted embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1a, 2a and 2b, the base plate 110 is provided with one rail 117 disposed at an outer edge of the first longitudinal leg 110a of the base plate 110. Alternatively, not shown, the rail 117 may be disposed along a top surface, or a bottom surface of the longitudinal leg 110a. The rail 117 extends at least partially along a length of the slot 111. In an embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2b, the rail 117 extends along the entire length of the slot 111. The rail 117 is configured to at least partially receive the one or more wires 150. The rail 117 may either be fixedly coupled to the first longitudinal leg 110a of the base plate 110 or be integrally formed with the base plate as a single integral structure. In an exemplary embodiment, the rail 117 forms an integral structure with the base plate 110. Alternatively, the rail 117 is fixedly coupled to the first longitudinal leg 110a via at least one of fasteners, socket joint, etc.
[0042] The rail 117 may either be a closed structure or be open from at least one surface. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b, the rail 117 is open from the top surface.
[0043] The rail 117 is provided with at least one first hole 117a (as shown in Figs. 1a and 2b). In case of multiple first holes 117a, the spacing between two adjacent first holes 117a may be one of equal or irregular. The number of first holes 117a may depend on the length of the base plate 110, and/or the number of wires 150. Each of the first holes 117a facilitate a first end of at least one of the wires 150 to enter the rail 117. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1a, the first hole 117a is disposed at a bottom surface of the rail 117 of the base plate 110. In an alternate embodiment, the first hole 117a is disposed at a side surface of the rail 117 of the base plate 110. The first holes 117a may be dimensioned corresponding to the wires 150.
[0044] As shown in Fig. 2b, the base plate 110 is provided with one or more lumens 119 extending from an outer edge of the second longitudinal leg 110b of the base plate 110 to the slot 111. Alternatively, the lumens 119 extend from a top surface or a bottom surface of the second longitudinal leg 110b of the base plate 110.
[0045] The number of lumens 119 is equal to the number of first holes 117a. Each of the lumens 119 is configured to at least partially receive a second end of at least one of the wires 150. In case of multiple lumens 119, the spacing between adjacent two lumens 119 may be one of equal or irregular. In an embodiment, the spacing between the two adjacent lumens 119 corresponds to the spacing between two adjacent first holes 117a. The number of lumens 119 may correspond to the number of first holes 117a. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2b, the base plate 110 is provided with four lumens 119.
[0046] As shown in Figs. 1a and 1b, the base plate 110 is provided with a lock body 121. The lock body 121 is disposed at the first longitudinal leg 110a of the base plate 110, proximal to the rail 117. Alternatively, not shown, the lock body 121 may be disposed distal to the rail 117. The lock body 121 is at least partially aligned with the rail 117 of the base plate 110 longitudinally. The lock body 121 helps to crimp and hold at least a portion of the wires 150 between the lock body 121 and the base plate 110 to immobilize the first end of the wires 150 with respect to the base plate 110. In an exemplary embodiment, the lock body 121 is configured to receive the wires 150 from the rail 117. Other functionally equivalent dispositions of the lock body 121 on the base plate 110 to immobilize the first end of the wires 150 are within the scope of the teaching of the present disclosure. Other functionally equivalent alternatives of the lock body 121 to immobilize the first end of the wires 150 are within the scope of the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0047] The lock body 121 is removably coupled to the base plate 110 via a plurality of fasteners 123. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1a, and 1b, the lock body 121 is coupled to the base plate 110 via two fasteners 123. The fasteners 123 help the lock body 121 to impart a crimping force on at least the first end of the wires 150 to hold a portion of the wires 150 between the lock body 121 and the base plate 110. Other functionally equivalent techniques to couple the lock body 121 to the base plate 110 are within the scope of the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0048] The sliding plate 130 is movably disposed within the slot 111 of the base plate 110. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1a and 1b, the proximal end 100a of the sliding plate 130 is inserted within the slot 111 from the distal end 100b of the base plate 110. The sliding plate 130 is made of one or more materials including, but not limited to, medical grade stainless steel, medical grade titanium, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the sliding plate 130 is made of medical grade stainless steel. The sliding plate 130 may have a length that is less than the length of the slot 111. Alternatively, the sliding plate 130 may have a length that is more than the length of the slot 111. The sliding plate 130 may have a pre-defined shape corresponding to the shape of the slot 111. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1a and 1b, the sliding plate 130 is rectangular in shape.
[0049] The sliding plate 130 is provided with grooves 130a (as shown in Fig. 1b) corresponding to the tracks 111a of the base plate 110. The grooves 130a are configured to at least partially receive the tracks 111a thereby enabling the sliding plate 130 to move within the slot 111 without dislocation of the sliding plate 130 away from the slot 111 of the base plate 110.
[0050] Alternatively, not shown, the sliding plate 130 may be provided with one or more tracks 111a and the base plate 110 may be provided with one or more grooves 130a and the same is within the scope of the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0051] As shown in Fig. 1a, the distal end 100b of the fastener 115 at least partially abuts the proximal end 100a of the sliding plate 130. The said coupling between the distal end 100b of the fastener 115 and the proximal end 100a of the sliding plate 130 allows the sliding plate 130 to be pushed distally within the slot 111 corresponding to the movement of the fastener 115 across the hole 113 of the base plate 110. In an exemplary embodiment, rotating the fastener 115 in a clockwise direction moves the fastener 115 towards the distal end 100b of the base plate 110. This pushes the sliding plate 130 towards the distal end 100b of the base plate 110. If required, the distal end 100b of the sliding plate 130 may be hammered to push the sliding plate 130 proximally within the slot 111.
[0052] Additionally, or optionally, not shown, the distal end 100b of the fastener 115 is rotatably coupled to the sliding plate 130. In other words, the distal end 100b of the fastener 115 is allowed to rotate while it is fixedly coupled to proximal end 100a of the sliding plate 130. Accordingly, the fastener 115 may be rotated in the anti-clockwise direction to pull the sliding plate 130 towards the proximal end 100a of the base plate 110.
[0053] Alternatively, the fastener 115 may be rotated in the anti-clockwise direction to push the sliding plate 130 distally and the fastener 115 may be rotated in the clockwise direction to pull the sliding plate 130 proximally.
[0054] As shown in Fig. 3, the sliding plate 130 is provided with one or more second holes 131. In case of multiple second holes 131, the spacing between two adjacent second holes 131 may be one of equal or irregular. In an embodiment, the spacing between the two adjacent second holes 131 corresponds to the spacing between two adjacent lumens 119. The number of second holes 131 may correspond to the number of lumens 119. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the sliding plate 130 is provided with four second holes 131. Each of the second holes 131 are disposed close to a respective lumen 119 of the base plate 110. Each second hole 131 is configured to at least partially receive a second end of the wires 150 from the respective lumen 119 of the base plate 110.
[0055] At least a top surface or a bottom surface of the sliding plate 130 is provided with one or more cavity 133 (as shown in Fig. 1a) in fluidic communication with a respective second hole 131. In case of multiple cavities 133, the spacing between two cavities 133 may be one of equal or irregular. In an embodiment, the spacing between the two adjacent cavities 133 correspond to the spacing between two adjacent second holes 131. The number of cavities 133 may correspond to the number of second holes 131. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the sliding plate 130 is provided with four cavities 133.
[0056] Each of the cavity 133 may extend at least partially along the thickness of the sliding plate 130. The cavities 133 may be disposed along a central longitudinal axis of the sliding plate 130 or away from the central longitudinal axis of the sliding plate 130. The number of cavities 133 is equal to the number of second holes 131. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1a and 3, the cavities 133 extends across the entire thickness of the sliding plate 130. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the cavity 133 is keyhole shaped to facilitate the disposition of one or more fasteners 133a. Other functionally equivalent shapes of the cavity 133 are within the scope of the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0057] As shown in Figs. 1a and 1b, each of the cavity 133 is provided with at least one fastener 133a. The cavity 133 is configured to at least partially receive a portion of the wires 150 from the respective second hole 131. The fastener 133a helps to secure a portion of the wires 150 to the cavity 133 to immobilize the second end of the wire 150 to the sliding plate 130. Other functionally equivalent techniques/mechanisms to secure the wires 150 to the cavity 133 and/or the sliding plate 130 are within the scope of the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0058] As shown in Figs. 1, 1a and 1b, the implant 100 is provided with the one or more wires 150. The number of wires 150 is equal to the number of first holes 117a, the lumens 119, the second holes 131 and/or the cavities 133. The wires 150 may either be monofilament or multifilament. In an exemplary embodiment, the wires 150 are monofilament. The wires 150 are made of one or more materials including, but not limited to, medical grade stainless steel, medical grade titanium, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the wires 150 are made of medical grade stainless steel.
[0059] Each of the wire 150 have a respective predefined length defined between the two ends (i.e., the first end and the second end) of the wire 150. The length of the wires 150 may depend upon the diameter of the bone 10 and/or the distance of the respective cavity 133 from the proximal end 100a of the sliding plate 130. The wire 150 have a pre-defined diameter ranging from 0.1 mm to 1.2 mm. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the wire 150 is 0.3 mm.
[0060] Fig. 4 depicts an enlarged view of the implant 100 seated on the bone 10. As shown in Fig. 4, the wire 150 extends from the lock body 121, where the first end of the wire 150 is coupled to the base plate 110. The wire 150 extends at least partially within the rail 117 and exits from the first longitudinal leg 110a of the base plate 110 via at least one of the first hole 117a of the rail 117. Thereafter, the wire 150 wraps around the bone 10 and enters the second longitudinal leg 110b of the base plate 110 via a corresponding lumen 119 of the base plate 110. From the lumen 119, the wire 150 enters a corresponding cavity 133 of the sliding plate 130 via a respective second hole 131 of the sliding plate 130. The second end of the wire 150 is then coupled to the respective cavity 133 via the fastener 133a.
[0061] As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the wires 150 are wrapped around the bone 10 to impart a compressive force on the bone 10. The amount of compressive force depends upon a relative position of the sliding plate 130 within the slot 111 of the base plate 110. In other words, the compressive force imparted by the wires 150 depends upon the distance between the proximal end 100a of the sliding plate 130 and the proximal end 100a of the base plate 110. Greater the distance between the proximal ends 100a of the sliding plate 130 and the base plate 110, greater is the compressive force imparted by the wires 150 on the bone 10.
[0062] Accordingly, the distance between the proximal ends 100a of the sliding plate 130 and the base plate 110 (thereby, the compressive force) is increased by moving (or pushing) the sliding plate 130 distally within the slot 111 of the base plate 110 with the help of the fastener 115. And, if required, the distance between the proximal ends 100a of the sliding plate 130 and the base plate 110 (thereby, the compressive force) is decreased by moving (or pulling) the sliding plate 130 proximally within the slot 111 of the base plate 110 with the help of at least one of the fasteners 115 or a hammer.
[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, the fastener 115 is rotated in the clockwise direction to increase the distance between the proximal ends 100a of the sliding plate 130 and the base plate 110, thereby increasing the compressive force imparted by the wires 150 on the bone 10.
[0064] In another exemplary embodiment, the fastener 115 is rotated in the anti-clockwise direction to decrease the distance between the proximal ends 100a of the sliding plate 130 and the base plate 110, thereby decreasing the compressive force imparted by the wires 150 on the bone 10.
[0065] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the distal end 100b of the sliding plate 130 is hammered to decrease the distance between the proximal ends 100a of the sliding plate 130 and the base plate 110, thereby decreasing the compressive force imparted by the wires 150 on the bone 10.
[0066] The scope of the invention is only limited by the appended patent claims. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is/are used. , Claims:WE CLAIM,
1. An implant (100) comprising:
a. a proximal end (100a) and a distal end (100b);
b. a base plate (110) extending between the proximal end (100a) and the distal end (100b), the base plate (110) defining:
i. a first longitudinal leg (110a) and a second longitudinal leg (110b), and
ii. a slot (111) extending at least partially along a length of the base plate (110) between the first longitudinal leg (110a) and the second longitudinal leg (110b);
c. a sliding plate (130) movably disposed within the slot (111) of the base plate (110);
d. a fastener (115) movably coupled to the proximal end (100a) of the base plate (110) and at least partially abutting the proximal end (100a) of the sliding plate (130), the fastener (115) is configured to adjust a distance between the proximal ends (100a) of the sliding plate (130) and the base plate (110);
e. at least one wire (150) extending at least between the first longitudinal leg (110a) and the second longitudinal leg (110b) of the base plate (110), a first end of the wire (150) is fixedly coupled to the base plate (110) and a second end of the wire (150) is fixedly coupled to the sliding plate (130).
2. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slot (111) of the base plate (110) is provided with at least two tracks (111a) corresponding to at least two grooves (130a) of the sliding plate (130).
3. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal leg (110a) of the base plate (110) includes a rail (117) configured to at least partially receive at least a portion of one of the wires (150).
4. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rail (117) is provided with one or more first holes (117a) to allow the first end of at least one of the wires (150) to enter the rail (117) of the base plate (110).
5. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second longitudinal leg (110b) includes one or more lumens (119) configured to at least partially receive at least one of the wires (150).
6. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding plate (130) is provided with one or more second holes (131) configured to at least partially receive at least one of the wires (150) from a respective lumen (119) of the base plate (110).
7. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base plate (110) is provided with a lock body (121) disposed proximal to the rail (117) to hold and immobilize the first end of at least one of the wires (150) between the lock body (121) and the base plate (110).
8. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lock body (121) is coupled to the base plate (110) via at least one fastener (123).
9. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener (115) is configured to adjust the distance between the proximal ends (100a) of the sliding plate (130) and the base plate (110) by at least pushing the sliding plate (130) within the slot (111) of the base plate (110).
10. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding plate (130) is provided with one or more cavities (133) with a fastener (133a) to secure the second end of at least one of the wires (150) to the sliding plate (130).
11. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wires (150) may be at least one of mono-filament or multi-filament.
12. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distal end (100b) of the slot (111) is either open-ended or close-ended.
13. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the sliding plate (130) is either more than, less than or same to the length of the slot (111).
14. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein distal end (100b) of the fastener (115) is fixedly coupled to the proximal end (100a) of the sliding plate (130).
15. The implant (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proximal end (100a) of the base plate (110) is provided with a hole (113) to allow the fastener (115) to extend from the proximal end (100a) of the base plate (110) to the slot (111).