Patents by Inventor Robert Fencl

Robert Fencl 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).

  • Publication number: 20080091203
    Abstract: An intramedullary fixation assembly usable with different long bone types and a guide assembly for guiding deployment of the intramedullary fixation assembly. The intramedullary fixation assembly includes a fixation member that has ends and a curved body extending between the ends. The curved body of the fixation member has a radius of curvature configured to extend through the medullary canal regardless of the long bone anatomy. Fasteners fix the fixation member to the bone fragments and are guided by a guide assembly. The guide assembly includes a guide body defining openings configured to guide the fasteners through openings defined in the fixation member and into the bone fragments. A fixation end of the guide body includes a pair of opposing, converging surfaces that are configured to engage in a positive fit with an exposed end of the fixation member accessible through the side aperture in the first fragment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Mark Warburton, Robert Fencl, John Capo, Virak Tan, Aaron Smith
  • Publication number: 20060235421
    Abstract: Instrumentation for surgically resurfacing a femoral condyle to receive a prosthetic femoral component in minimally invasive unicompartmental knee replacement surgery. The instrumentation includes a resurfacing guide for attachment to a femur and a rail member externally delineating an area of a femoral condyle of the femur that is to be surgically resurfaced to receive a prosthetic femoral component. The resurfacing guide has an abutment wall. The instrumentation includes a resurfacing instrument having a tissue removing surface for removing anatomical tissue from the delineated area of the femoral condyle, the tissue removing surface being movable along the delineated area to remove anatomical tissue therefrom. The resurfacing instrument has a engagement wall for contacting the abutment wall to limit the depth to which anatomical tissue is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Richard Rosa, Vernon Hartdegen, Eric Stookey, Brian Harris, Robert Fencl
  • Publication number: 20060081553
    Abstract: A snap-off surgical screw configured for threading into a bone of a patient using a driver member, comprising a shaft extension joined to a screw portion via a frangible connection. The frangible connection comprises at least one defect formed through an outer surface of the frangible connection. The defect is configured to promote selective separation of the shaft extension from the screw portion at the defect. A proximal end of the screw portion is preferably provided with a recess, and the frangible connection is preferably positioned in the recess to thereby configure the shaft extension to snap-off from the screw portion below the proximal end of the screw portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Chad Patterson, Jeffrey Roberts, Robert Fencl
  • Publication number: 20060058796
    Abstract: A surgical device for pressing and retaining adjacent bones against one another comprising a compression brace and separate fasteners. The compression brace has at least two fastener retaining portions. Each fastener retaining portion has a fastener hole therethrough for receiving a fastener, such as a screw or pin. A pair of bridge members are positioned between the fastener retaining portions, and are spaced apart from one another to form a compression opening. The compression bracket can include a plurality of fastener retaining portions and a plurality of compression openings. In some embodiments, the fasteners are maintained in a substantially fixed relation with the fastener retaining portion. The brace is installed on adjacent bones such that a fastener engages each bone. The compression opening is spread apart to draw the fasteners toward one another, and thereby compress the adjacent bones together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Vernon Hartdegen, Kevin Wong, Robert Fencl
  • Publication number: 20060015101
    Abstract: An intramedullary fixation assembly usable with different long bone types and a guide assembly for guiding deployment of the intramedullary fixation assembly. The intramedullary fixation assembly includes a fixation member that has ends and a curved body extending between the ends. The curved body of the fixation member has a radius of curvature configured to extend through the medullary canal regardless of the long bone anatomy. Fasteners fix the fixation member to the bone fragments and are guided by a guide assembly. The guide assembly includes a guide body defining openings configured to guide the fasteners through openings defined in the fixation member and into the bone fragments. A fixation end of the guide body includes a pair of opposing, converging surfaces that are configured to engage in a positive fit with an exposed end of the fixation member accessible through the side aperture in the first fragment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Mark Warburton, Robert Fencl, John Capo, Virak Tan, Aaron Smith
  • Publication number: 20060015123
    Abstract: An intramedullary fixation assembly usable with different long bone types and a guide assembly for guiding deployment of the intramedullary fixation assembly. The intramedullary fixation assembly includes a fixation member that has ends and a curved body extending between the ends. The curved body of the fixation member has a radius of curvature configured to extend through the medullary canal regardless of the long bone anatomy. Fasteners fix the fixation member to the bone fragments and are guided by a guide assembly. The guide assembly includes a guide body defining openings configured to guide the fasteners through openings defined in the fixation member and into the bone fragments. A fixation end of the guide body includes a pair of opposing, converging surfaces that are configured to engage in a positive fit with an exposed end of the fixation member accessible through the side aperture in the first fragment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Robert Fencl, Mark Warburton, John Capo, Virak Tan, Aaron Smith
  • Publication number: 20050209600
    Abstract: A femoral caliper having one or more anatomical referencing members for placement against portions of the femur, such as the anterior cortex and posterior portion of the femoral condyles, to measure the femur for sizing of the femoral component. A reference mark positioning guide of the femoral caliper is connected to the anatomical referencing member and is capable of guiding placement of a reference mark on the femur that facilitates positioning of the femoral component. The femoral caliper includes an adjustment mechanism capable of displacing the reference mark positioning guide relative to the anatomical referencing member. This allows adjustment of the position of the reference mark (and hence the femoral component) on the femur to account for the up or down sizing of the femoral component. Preferably, the adjustment mechanism adjusts the reference mark positioning guide in the anterior-posterior direction to allow balancing of the tightness or laxity of the selected component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Robert Fencl, J. Blaha, Vernon Hartdegen, William Maloney, Stephen White
  • Publication number: 20050096747
    Abstract: A knee prosthetic including a tibial component defining medial and lateral concavities shaped to receive medial and lateral femoral condyles of the femur. The concavities have first portions for contact with the condyles during normal knee flexion and second portions for contact with the condyles during deep, or high, knee flexion. The medial concavity can include a conforming boundary that encompasses at least the first and second portions, wherein an area inside the conforming boundary has a generally flat surface. The flat surface allows the medial femoral condyle to slide and rotate posteriorly during high knee flexion. The conforming boundary can have a generally triangular shape with an apex extending anteriorly and a relatively wider base extending posteriorly, wherein the apex includes the first portion and the base includes the second portion. The relatively wider base portion advantageously allows additional area for posteriorly directed articulating contact during high knee flexion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: David Tuttle, Vernon Hartdegen, Stephen White, Robert Fencl, Robert Schmidt