Stent apparatus and method

摘要

A bone stent facilitates bone fixation via interior contact, as may be useful for flexible entry into a sidewall of an elongated bone. As consistent with one or more embodiments, a stent includes proximal and distal end caps connected by a plurality of elongated members extending longitudinally between the end caps, and a flexible cable extending through the proximal end cap and connected to one of the end caps. The flexible cable, end caps and elongated members are responsive to the end caps being moved toward one another by laterally bending the elongated members outwardly away from one another, with the cable fixing the elongated members in the compressed state (e.g., while applying pressure to the interior sidewalls of a bone). When the end caps are released from the compressed state, the longitudinal compressive force is released and the elongated members elastically return to the uncompressed state.

主权项

1. A bone stent apparatus comprising:
a proximal end cap; a distal end cap; a plurality of elongated members extending longitudinally between the end caps, each elongated member having opposing ends respectively connected to one of the proximal and distal end caps; a flexible member extending in length from the proximal end cap away from the distal end cap and having sidewalls that define an opening extending along the length; and a flexible cable extending through the flexible member and the proximal end cap, the cable being connected to one of the end caps and configured and arranged with the flexible member, end caps and elongated members to, while inserted within a bone with the cable extending through an opening in the bone and into a proximal end of the flexible member arced toward the opening,
laterally bend the elongated members from an uncompressed state to a compressed state by, in response to a compressive force applied to the flexible member, drawing the end caps toward one another and imparting a longitudinal compressive force to the elongated members, the elongated members bowing outwardly and contacting the bone in the compressed state, andreturn to the uncompressed state by releasing the longitudinal compressive force via the cable, the elongated members being responsive to the release of the longitudinal compressive force by elastically returning to the uncompressed state in which the end caps are further away from one another, relative to a distance between the end caps in the compressed state.