EP-4740881-A2 - PLATE IMPLANT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plate implant (1a) for bridging a fracture gap (6) with a longitudinal axis (LA) in the direction of the greatest extent of the plate implant (1a); a plurality of bores (4) which are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis (LA); and an elastic longitudinal expansion device (2) which is provided at least between two bores (4); wherein the longitudinal expansion device (2) is designed such that the plate implant has increased local extensibility in the direction of the bone longitudinal axis (LA) while simultaneously having high bending and torsional stiffness, wherein the longitudinal expansion device (2) has an elastic element (2) which is integrated into the plate implant (1a), wherein the elastic element (2) is formed by an elastomer insert.

Inventors

• MOSLER, Lüder

Assignees

• Karl Leibinger Asset Management GmbH & Co. KG

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20221005

Claims (3)

1. Plate implant (1a) for bridging a fracture gap (6) with: a longitudinal axis (LA) in the direction of the greatest extent of the plate implant (1a); a plurality of bores (4) which are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis (LA); and an elastic longitudinal expansion device (2) which is provided at least between two bores (4); wherein the longitudinal expansion device (2) is designed such that the plate implant has increased local extensibility in the direction of the bone longitudinal axis (LA) while maintaining high bending and torsional stiffness wherein the longitudinal expansion device (2) has an elastic element (2) which is integrated into the plate implant (1a), wherein the elastic element (2) is formed by an elastomer insert.
2. Plate implant (1a) for bridging a fracture gap (6) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bores (4) is provided along the longitudinal axis (LA) and wherein the elastic element (2) extends in a first straight section (21) offset to the left edge (LR) of the plate implant (1a) opposite a first plurality of bores (41a) and parallel to the first bores (41a) and wherein the elastic element (2) extends in a second straight section (22) offset to the right edge (RR) of the plate implant (1a) opposite a second plurality of bores (42a) and parallel to the second bores (42a) and the first section (21) and the second section (22) are connected to each other by a third straight section (20) of the elastic element (2) which runs between two of the bores (4).
3. Plate implant (1ba-g) for bridging a fracture gap (6) according to one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized by a trunk area (R) with a substantially constant first width and a head area (K) that widens continuously from the first width.

Description

The present invention relates to a plate implant for fixing fractures. The DE 198 55 254 A1 Disclosing a device for the retention and protection of damaged bones, the device comprises two sections that can be fixed to a bone on either side of the bone damage and are coupled to each other via at least one spring mechanism so as to be axially resiliently displaceable relative to each other in order to bridge the bone damage. Furthermore, the device has means for varying the spring constant. The DE 39 12 703 A1 Disclosed is a fixation device for long bone fractures, comprising an elongated, flattened fixation element with a substantially rectangular cross-section made of tissue-compatible, high-strength material, in particular implant steel, in each of whose end sections at least two bores extending through its opposite broad sides are formed, and bone screws passing through these bores. The fixation element has an elastic connecting section between the rigid end sections containing the bores for the bone screws, with a cross-section that is smaller than that of the end sections. The US 2012/277748 A1 Disclosing a plate for connecting a first bone segment and a second bone segment. The plate comprises a central longitudinal axis, a first end segment extending along the central longitudinal axis and configured for attachment to the first bone segment, a second end segment extending along the central longitudinal axis and configured for attachment to the second bone segment, and an intermediate segment extending along the central longitudinal axis and between the first end segment and the second end segment. The intermediate segment comprises three continuous material segments, two of which extend in a direction substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis, and one of which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis. The DE 24 38 669 A1 Disclosing an osteosynthesis plate with an elongated body having several holes extending longitudinally along the body and serving for the insertion of bone screws, at least one of which is formed by an eye connected to the rest of the body via a rod-like part, wherein the rod-like part is spring-elastic, extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body and allows displacement of the eye in the longitudinal direction of the body. To fix fractures during bone healing, implants in the form of plates (so-called plate implants or osteosynthesis plates) are frequently used. These flat, usually elongated plate implants are equipped, for example, with numerous holes for bone screws, which are used to screw them into the bone. They stabilize the fracture gap during bone healing and are generally surgically removed after successful healing. In practice, it is observed that bone healing is delayed or incomplete after treatment with plate implants. This is attributed to the fact that a certain degree of movement within the bone gap is necessary to stimulate bone healing. Medical literature specifies axial movements in the range of a few tenths of a millimeter, while simultaneously suppressing shear and torsional movements. The WO 2021/102591 A1 This describes a plate implant with incisions in the fracture gap area that allow limited mobility. The incisions reduce the load-bearing cross-section of the plate implant in the fracture gap area to a thin leaf spring, whose bending and longitudinal extension are limited by stops. Due to its design, the implant allows limited rotation of the fixed bones, but no longitudinal axial movement. The EP 1 221 308 A1 The image reveals a spinal implant with leaf springs designed to reduce the implant's bending stiffness. The leaf springs do not support increased longitudinal expansion of the implant. The present invention is therefore based on the objective of designing a plate implant that bridges and stabilizes fracture gaps, but still allows limited movement in the direction of the (bone) longitudinal axis. The invention provides a plate implant according to claim 1. The plate implant according to the invention is based on the idea of providing an elastic longitudinal expansion device, which is provided at least between two bores. The longitudinal expansion device is designed such that the plate implant exhibits increased local extensibility in the direction of the bone's longitudinal axis while simultaneously possessing high bending and torsional stiffness. This allows a certain degree of longitudinal movement in the fracture gap to promote bone healing. to stimulate. According to the invention, the longitudinal expansion device has an elastic element which is integrated into the plate implant. According to the invention, the elastic element is formed by an elastomer insert. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of bores is provided along the longitudinal axis, wherein the elastic element in a first straight section is offset to the left edge of the plate im