ORTHOPEDIC INTRAMEDULLARY FIXATION SYSTEM

摘要

A system and method for repairing fractured long bones. A guide wire is inserted through an opening drilled in a proximal bone segment and pushed through the intramedullary cavity of the proximal bone segment, across the fracture site and into the intramedullary cavity of a distal bone segment. A dilator is inserted over the guide wire and pushed through the intramedullary cavity into the distal bone segment to a stop at the distal end of the guide wire. A flexible tube having a radially expandable distal portion is then pushed over the guide wire into the distal bone segment and against the dilator. A compression nut is threaded over the proximal end of the guide wire to engage the proximal bone segment and compress the flexible tube. Compression of the flexible tube deploys the radially expandable distal portion to anchor the device in the distal bone segment.