Patents by Inventor Alastair Younger

Alastair Younger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11832806
    Abstract: Suture buttons are disclosed for fixing two bones together. The suture buttons may enable surgeons to more easily and effectively implement a suture button technique, such as to repair syndesmosis injuries in ankles. A first suture button includes a pulley peg extending from a button head. The pulley peg may be positioned with a bone hole upon installation of the first suture button, which may help protect suture and help reduce potential patient discomfort. The second suture button helps facilitate the second suture button flipping into place upon deployment from a button inserter. Each of the first and second provided suture buttons may help reduce friction between the respective buttons and suture during an installation procedure. The first and second provided suture buttons may be used together in a surgical procedure or individually with other suitable buttons or anchors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Acumed LLC
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, Gretchen Hinton, Steven Morgan, Selene Parekh, Alastair Younger, Steve Crawford
  • Publication number: 20230355230
    Abstract: Suture buttons are disclosed for fixing two bones together. The suture buttons may enable surgeons to more easily and effectively implement the suture button technique, such as to repair syndesmosis injuries in ankles. A first suture button includes a pulley peg extending from a button head. The pulley peg may be positioned with a bone hole upon installation of the first suture button, which may help protect suture and help reduce potential patient discomfort. The second suture button helps facilitate the second suture button flipping into place upon deployment from a button inserter. Each of the first and second provided suture buttons may help reduce friction between the respective buttons and suture during an installation procedure. The first and second provided suture buttons may be used together in a surgical procedure or individually with other suitable buttons or anchors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, David VanVleet, Steven Morgan, Selene Parekh, Alastair Younger, Mark B. Sommers, Gretchen Hinton, Ann Santich, William A. Beutler, JR.
  • Patent number: 11744572
    Abstract: Suture buttons are disclosed for fixing two bones together. The suture buttons may enable surgeons to more easily and effectively implement the suture button technique, such as to repair syndesmosis injuries in ankles. A first suture button includes a pulley peg extending from a button head. The pulley peg may be positioned with a bone hole upon installation of the first suture button, which may help protect suture and help reduce potential patient discomfort. The second suture button helps facilitate the second suture button flipping into place upon deployment from a button inserter. Each of the first and second provided suture buttons may help reduce friction between the respective buttons and suture during an installation procedure. The first and second provided suture buttons may be used together in a surgical procedure or individually with other suitable buttons or anchors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Acumed LLC
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, David VanVleet, Steven Morgan, Selene Parekh, Alastair Younger, Mark B. Sommers, Gretchen Hinton, Ann Santich, William A. Beutler, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20210068810
    Abstract: Suture buttons are disclosed for fixing two bones together. The suture buttons may enable surgeons to more easily and effectively implement the suture button technique, such as to repair syndesmosis injuries in ankles. A first suture button includes a pulley peg extending from a button head. The pulley peg may be positioned with a bone hole upon installation of the first suture button, which may help protect suture and help reduce potential patient discomfort. The second suture button helps facilitate the second suture button flipping into place upon deployment from a button inserter. Each of the first and second provided suture buttons may help reduce friction between the respective buttons and suture during an installation procedure. The first and second provided suture buttons may be used together in a surgical procedure or individually with other suitable buttons or anchors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, David VanVleet, Steven Morgan, Selene Parekh, Alastair Younger, Mark B. Sommers, Gretchen Hinton, Ann Santich, William A. Beutler, JR.
  • Publication number: 20210068809
    Abstract: Suture buttons are disclosed for fixing two bones together. The suture buttons may enable surgeons to more easily and effectively implement a suture button technique, such as to repair syndesmosis injuries in ankles. A first suture button includes a pulley peg extending from a button head. The pulley peg may be positioned with a bone hole upon installation of the first suture button, which may help protect suture and help reduce potential patient discomfort. The second suture button helps facilitate the second suture button flipping into place upon deployment from a button inserter. Each of the first and second provided suture buttons may help reduce friction between the respective buttons and suture during an installation procedure. The first and second provided suture buttons may be used together in a surgical procedure or individually with other suitable buttons or anchors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, Gretchen Hinton, Steven Morgan, Selene Parekh, Alastair Younger, Steve Crawford
  • Patent number: 8303667
    Abstract: A system for fastening prosthetic implants such as ankle prostheses is provided. The ankle prosthesis includes: a talar implant having a body for mounting to a top of a talus and with at least one talar fastening hole; a tibial implant having a plate for mounting to a bottom of a tibia, a flange extending from the plate for bearing against an anterior surface of the tibia, the flange comprising at least one tibial fastening hole; a mobile bearing for positioning between the talar implant and the tibial implant; and a plurality of fasteners for locking engagement with the at least one talar fastening hole and the at least one tibial fastening hole, each of the fasteners comprising locking means and an elongated unthreaded body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Inventor: Alastair Younger
  • Patent number: 8282652
    Abstract: Force-controlled autodistraction for lengthening a bone is disclosed. A distractor is coupled to first and second fixators that are coupled to first and second portions of the bone, respectively, on opposite sides of an osteotomy of the bone. A motor produces a motion of the first fixator relative to the second fixator such that the first portion of the bone is distracted from the second portion of the bone. A force sensor measures a resistant force to the motion, and a distractor displacement sensor measures a distractor displacement. A controller is operably coupled to the force sensor, the distractor displacement sensor, and the motor. The controller is configured to determine a variable limb stiffness using the resistant force, the distractor displacement, and a known distractor stiffness of the distractor, and to adjust a gain of the motor such that the variable limb stiffness matches a desired limb stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The Nemours Foundation
    Inventors: William Mackenzi, Tariq Rahman, Robert Akins, Alastair Younger
  • Publication number: 20110218648
    Abstract: A system for fastening prosthetic implants such as ankle prostheses is provided. The ankle prosthesis includes: a talar implant having a body for mounting to a top of a talus and with at least one talar fastening hole; a tibial implant having a plate for mounting to a bottom of a tibia, a flange extending from the plate for bearing against an anterior surface of the tibia, the flange comprising at least one tibial fastening hole; a mobile bearing for positioning between the talar implant and the tibial implant; and a plurality of fasteners for locking engagement with the at least one talar fastening hole and the at least one tibial fastening hole, each of the fasteners comprising locking means and an elongated unthreaded body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventor: Alastair Younger
  • Publication number: 20080051779
    Abstract: Force-controlled autodistraction for lengthening a bone is disclosed. A distractor is coupled to a first fixator and to a second fixator distal to the first fixator. The distractor has a known distractor stiffness. The first fixator is configured to be coupled to a first portion of the bone, and the second fixator is configured to be coupled to a second portion of the bone. The first and second portions are on opposite sides of an osteotomy of the bone. A motor is controllable to produce a motion of the first fixator relative to the second fixator such that the first portion of the bone is distracted from the second portion of the bone. A force sensor is configured to measure a resistant force to the motion, and a distractor displacement sensor is configured to measure a distractor displacement. A controller is operably coupled to the force sensor, the distractor displacement sensor, and the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: The Nemours Foundation
    Inventors: William Mackenzie, Tariq Rahman, Robert Akins, Alastair Younger