REPAIR OF BONE DEFECTS

摘要

Instrumentation for the complete reduction, repair and tissue-engineering regeneration of bone defects or deformities caused by fractures, particularly fractures in relatively inaccessible areas of the human body or skeleton. The instrument is minimally invasive, creates a single access passage with a multitude of possible channels and a multitude of potential applications, including but not limited to debris removal, precise and controlled correction of translational, rotational and angular defects of bone, precise and controlled relocation or decompaction of bone fragments, structural reinforcement within the fracture site by delivery of a variety of micro-implants, and the delivery of a variety of tissue engineering materials and tissue engineering constructs to aid in the regeneration of living bone tissue at the fracture site. The instrument is capable of storing the various materials to be delivered, and controlling the location, quantity, shape, volume, alignment, orientation and internal pressure of said materials when they are delivered into the fracture site. Moreover, the instrument may be adapted for use with several existing techniques of visualization, computer assisted surgery and navigation.