Abstract: The present disclosure provides medical instruments and medical instrument components having targeted torsional failure. Such targeted torsional failure helps prevent a surgeon from applying excessive torque that may damage an implant or bone, and also helps avoid the problems and complications that arise when medical instruments break within patients during surgical procedures. To provide such targeted torsional failure, the disclosed medical instrument components include a breakaway section designed so that the component breaks at a desired amount of torque, at a desired location, and in a desired way. The provided medical instrument components may also include a sleeve to increase side-loading strength that may otherwise be reduced due to the breakaway section. The increased side-loading strength may help prevent accidental bending-type failures. The presently disclosed medical instrument component therefore provides targeted torsional failure without sacrificing side-loading strength.

Abstract: A fastener for fixing bone and a method of fixing bone with the fastener. The fastener may be headless and may be configured to compress bone when driven into at least one bone and across a discontinuity formed by the bone. In an exemplary embodiment, the fastener includes a forward portion, a rear portion, a first thread having a plurality of revolutions in each of the forward and rear portions, and a second thread having a plurality of revolutions in the rear portion and none in the forward portion. The first thread may have a greater average lead in the forward portion than the rear portion. Revolutions of the first thread and the second thread may alternate with one another in the rear portion such that the rear portion is at least double-threaded.

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.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fixing bone using an intramedullary nail locked to an encircling anchor including a bushing and a locking member. An exemplary system may include any combination of the nail, one or more bushings, one or more locking members, an instrument to guide installation of the bushing, at least one drill, and a driver that attaches to the bushing. The instrument may define a guide axis and be configured to be coupled to a bone such that the guide axis extends across the bone. The instrument may be used to guide a drill, the bushing, and/or the locking member along the guide axis into the bone. The nail may be configured to be placed along the medullary canal of the bone such that the nail extends through the bushing, and the locking member may be configured to lock the nail to the bushing.

Abstract: Orthopedic systems and methods for installing an implant and/or boring a bone bicortically. The system may include a drill having a proximal boring portion configured to bore a larger hole in a bone more efficiently when the drill rotates in a first direction compared to an opposite second direction, and a distal boring portion configured to bore a smaller hole in the bone more efficiently when the drill rotates in the second direction. The implant may be configured to be implanted at least partially in the bone, such that a first region of the implant is located in the larger hole and a second region of the implant is located in the smaller hole. In an exemplary method, the larger hole and the smaller hole may be bored in the bone's near cortex and far cortex, respectively, by a shaft and a nose of the drill rotated in opposite directions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fixing bone using an intramedullary nail locked to an encircling anchor including a bushing and a locking member. An exemplary system may include any combination of the nail, one or more bushings, one or more locking members, an instrument to guide installation of the bushing, at least one drill, and a driver that attaches to the bushing. The instrument may define a guide axis and be configured to be coupled to a bone such that the guide axis extends across the bone. The instrument may be used to guide a drill, the bushing, and/or the locking member along the guide axis into the bone. The nail may be configured to be placed along the medullary canal of the bone such that the nail extends through the bushing, and the locking member may be configured to lock the nail to the bushing.

Abstract: Orthopedic systems and methods for installing an implant and/or boring a bone bicortically. The system may include a drill having a proximal boring portion configured to bore a larger hole in a bone more efficiently when the drill rotates in a first direction compared to an opposite second direction, and a distal boring portion configured to bore a smaller hole in the bone more efficiently when the drill rotates in the second direction. The implant may be configured to be implanted at least partially in the bone, such that a first region of the implant is located in the larger hole and a second region of the implant is located in the smaller hole. In an exemplary method, the larger hole and the smaller hole may be bored in the bone's near cortex and far cortex, respectively, by a shaft and a nose of the drill rotated in opposite directions.

Abstract: A fastener for fixing bone and a method of fixing bone with the fastener. The fastener may be headless and may be configured to compress bone when driven into at least one bone and across a discontinuity formed by the bone. In an exemplary embodiment, the fastener includes a forward portion, a rear portion, a first thread having a plurality of revolutions in each of the forward and rear portions, and a second thread having a plurality of revolutions in the rear portion and none in the forward portion. The first thread may have a greater average lead in the forward portion than the rear portion. Revolutions of the first thread and the second thread may alternate with one another in the rear portion such that the rear portion is at least double-threaded.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fixing bone using an intramedullary nail locked to an encircling anchor including a bushing and a locking member. An exemplary system may include any combination of the nail, one or more bushings, one or more locking members, an instrument to guide installation of the bushing, at least one drill, and a driver that attaches to the bushing. The instrument may define a guide axis and be configured to be coupled to a bone such that the guide axis extends across the bone. The instrument may be used to guide a drill, the bushing, and/or the locking member along the guide axis into the bone. The nail may be configured to be placed along the medullary canal of the bone such that the nail extends through the bushing, and the locking member may be configured to lock the nail to the bushing.

Abstract: Orthopedic systems and methods for installing an implant and/or boring a bone bicortically. The system may include a drill having a proximal boring portion configured to bore a larger hole in a bone more efficiently when the drill rotates in a first direction compared to an opposite second direction, and a distal boring portion configured to bore a smaller hole in the bone more efficiently when the drill rotates in the second direction. The implant may be configured to be implanted at least partially in the bone, such that a first region of the implant is located in the larger hole and a second region of the implant is located in the smaller hole. In an exemplary method, the larger hole and the smaller hole may be bored in the bone's near cortex and far cortex, respectively, by a shaft and a nose of the drill rotated in opposite directions.

Abstract: System, including methods, devices, and kits, for hip fixation. The system may include a fixation element configured to be placed obliquely into a proximal femur and anchored in a head of the proximal femur. The system also may include a plate member including (a) a mounting portion configured to be placed on and attached to a lateral cortex of the proximal femur and (b) a barrel portion configured to be placed into a lateral region of the proximal femur and positioned around a portion of the fixation element. The system further may include a compliant member positioned or positionable at least partially in the plate member and configured to be reversibly deformed in response to a load applied to the head of the proximal femur, to change an angular orientation of the fixation element with respect to the plate member.

Abstract: System, including methods, devices, and kits, for hip fixation. The system may include a support member defining an aperture and including an intramedullary nail for a proximal femur or a plate member for a proximal femur. The system also may include a fixation element having a compliant region and configured to be received in the aperture of the support member such that the fixation element extends out of the support member from the aperture and into a head of the proximal femur and is slideable with respect to the support member along a long axis defined by the fixation element. The system further may include a set of stiffening inserts each insertable into the fixation element and configured to stiffen the compliant region differently from one another.

Abstract: System, including methods, devices, and kits, for hip fixation. The system may comprise an intramedullary nail configured to be placed longitudinally into a proximal femur. The system also may comprise a fixation element configured to be placed transversely through the nail, such that the fixation element is slideable along its long axis in the nail and extends out of the nail to a head of the proximal femur and is anchored in the head. A compliant member may be located in the nail and configured to deform reversibly in response to a load applied to the head of the proximal femur after placement of the fixation element, to reversibly change an angular orientation of the fixation element with respect to the nail.

Abstract: System, including methods, devices, and kits, for hip fixation. The system may include a support member defining an aperture and including an intramedullary nail for a proximal femur or a plate member for a proximal femur. The system also may include a fixation element having a compliant region and configured to be received in the aperture of the support member such that the fixation element extends out of the support member from the aperture and into a head of the proximal femur and is slideable with respect to the support member along a long axis defined by the fixation element. The system further may include a set of stiffening inserts each insertable into the fixation element and configured to stiffen the compliant region differently from one another.

Abstract: System, including methods, devices, and kits, for hip fixation. The system may include a fixation element configured to be placed obliquely into a proximal femur and anchored in a head of the proximal femur. The system also may include a plate member including (a) a mounting portion configured to be placed on and attached to a lateral cortex of the proximal femur and (b) a barrel portion configured to be placed into a lateral region of the proximal femur and positioned around a portion of the fixation element. The system further may include a compliant member positioned or positionable at least partially in the plate member and configured to be reversibly deformed in response to a load applied to the head of the proximal femur, to change an angular orientation of the fixation element with respect to the plate member.

Abstract: System, including methods, devices, and kits, for hip fixation. The system may comprise an intramedullary nail configured to be placed longitudinally into a proximal femur. The system also may comprise a fixation element configured to be placed transversely through the nail, such that the fixation element is slideable along its long axis in the nail and extends out of the nail to a head of the proximal femur and is anchored in the head. A compliant member may be located in the nail and configured to deform reversibly in response to a load applied to the head of the proximal femur after placement of the fixation element, to reversibly change an angular orientation of the fixation element with respect to the nail.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing dynamic mechanical loading and mechanical property assessment of tissue cultures in open dish cultures are provided. An actuator may be provided under a cell culture dish for driving the dish upward toward a fixed post member, thereby providing controlled compression of a tissue sample.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide rotationally asymmetric bone screws. Embodiments of the present invention provide mechanisms that reduce the bending stiffness of conventional shaft bone screws in order to yield a less-rigid fixation construct. Such a less-rigid construct enables a controlled amount of motion at a fracture site which in turn promotes bone healing. As a means to reduce the bending stiffness of positive-locking bone screws, embodiments of the present invention provide a bone screw having a non-circular cross-section over parts of the screw length and/or longitudinal slots along at least a portion of the bone screw.

Abstract: System, includes devices, methods, and kits, for fixing bone and/or repairing connective tissue associated with bone using a fastener constructed as a bone nail that includes at least one helical ridge having a large pitch. The large pitch permits the nail to be driven into bone by application of axial force to the nail, to secure the nail in the bone. In some embodiments, the bone nail may have a variable pitch that decreases toward the trailing end of the nail.

Abstract: System, including method and apparatus, for applying traction to a patient's limb using constant-force springs. The constant-force springs may include one or more main springs that apply a base tractive force and at least one supplementary spring that can apply a supplementary tractive force to the limb. The at least one supplementary spring may be changeable reversibly between uncoupled and coupled configurations while the base tractive force is applied continuously to the limb and without repositioning the limb, thereby providing discrete adjustment of traction force while the limb remains in traction.