Abstract: A femoral neck anteversion guide for use with a femur having a prepared intramedullary canal. The guide includes a radiolucent stem having a distal end for inserting into the prepared intramedullary canal; and a radiopaque angle locator wire embedded within the stem at a known angle for allowing the femoral neck angle and femoral neck anteversion to be determined.

Abstract: A magnetic positioning system is provided for assisting in positioning a fastening element at a desired concealed internal location such as in a preformed opening in an interlocking nail in a long bone of a limb of a patient who has suffered a bone fracture. The arrangement includes: a first permanent ("target") magnet positioned at the internal location and a positioning device for a second permanent ("targeting") magnet. The positioning device comprises a hand-held drill and a magnetic aiming device mounted on the drill. The aiming device including a pivot member including the second magnet is disposed at one end thereof and having an axial bore. A mount for the pivot member permits three degrees of movement of the pivot member so as to enable the second magnet to align with the first magnet. The positioning device also includes a guide pin which is insertable into the axial bore and which is engaged by the drill chuck of the drill when the magnets are aligned.

Abstract: Reduction of a fracture in a long bone is provided by a magnetic reducing rod assembly including a pair of reducing rod devices each comprising a flexible rod having a magnet at one end thereof. The magnets on the rods are inserted into the bone at opposite ends thereof and are caused to move along the bone until the magnets are brought into collinear alignment wherein the associated rods provide reduction of the fracture. An audio sensing system assists in aligning the magnets by producing a sound which varies in relation to the proximity of the magnets. The reducing rod devices are ultimately removed and replaced by a conventional intramedullary rod.

Abstract: A magnetic positioning system is provided for assisting in positioning a fastening element at a desired concealed internal location such as in a preformed opening in an interlocking nail in a long bone of a limb of a patient who has suffered a bone fracture. The arrangement includes: a first permanent ("target") magnet positioned at the internal location and a positioning device for a second permanent ("targeting") magnet. The positioning device comprises a hand-held drill and a magnetic aiming device mounted on the drill. The aiming device including a pivot member including the second magnet is disposed at one end thereof and having an axial bore. A mount for the pivot member permits three degrees of movement of the pivot member so as to enable the second magnet to align with the first magnet. The positioning device also includes a guide pin which is insertable into the axial bore and which is engaged by the drill chuck of the drill when the magnets are aligned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for rapidly and precisely positioning locking screws or pins into corresponding screw holes in a orthopedic aid such as an intramedullary interlocking rod implanted in a long bone of the limb of a patient, so as to lock the rod in place in the bone. A first magnet is positioned at the location of a screw hole in the rod and an aiming device, comprising a second magnet pivotably mounted so as to be able to be brought in alignment with the first magnet, is used to locate the first magnet and hence enable a screw or pin to be guided into place through the bone into the screw hole in the rod to lock the rod in position. In one embodiment, an elongate insertion member which carries the first magnet at the distal end thereof is used to position the first magnet at the level of the hole in the rod while in a second embodiment, a solid rod is used and the magnet is removably disposed within the hole in the rod prior to implantation of the rod.