U.S. patent number 3,602,218 [Application Number 04/816,513] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-31 for sterile disposable finger pin.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Zimmer Manufacturing Company. Invention is credited to Daniel C. Riordan, Arthur D. Steffe.
United States Patent |
3,602,218 |
Riordan , et al. |
August 31, 1971 |
STERILE DISPOSABLE FINGER PIN
Abstract
A finger pin made from Kirschner wire is mounted to a hub and
sealed within a plastic container. The hub mates with the tip of a
hypodermic syringe or another nonsterile handle so that the pin is
easily inserted into the finger with the hub closely adjacent the
surface of the skin. The hub prevents the pin from penetrating
further into the finger and provides a means for easily removing
the pin after the fracture has healed. The tip of the pin is
specially shaped to aid the pin in penetrating the finger.
Inventors: |
Riordan; Daniel C. (New
Orleans, LA), Steffe; Arthur D. (Cleveland, OH) |
Assignee: |
Zimmer Manufacturing Company
(Warsaw, ID)
|
Family
ID: |
25220843 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/816,513 |
Filed: |
April 16, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
606/916; 206/363;
606/62; 604/117; 606/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
17/68 (20130101); A61B 2090/036 (20160201); A61B
17/848 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
17/68 (20060101); A61B 17/84 (20060101); A61B
19/00 (20060101); A61f 005/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/92,92A,92B,92BC,92E,83,214.4,221,347 ;206/63.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
German Printed Application No. 1,029,528, published May 8, 1958,
inventor - Ernst Pohl. 128-92 BC. .
Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, Vol. 46-A, No. 2, March 1964,
Advertisement Page 62. "Palmer Stille Nail holder and Driver"
relied upon. 128-92 E..
|
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Frinks; Ronald L.
Claims
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and
desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
1. A pin for pinning finger fractures and of the type used with a
surgical insertion instrument having a connection hub,
comprising:
a hub member having spaced opposing end faces,
a straight solid wire member mounted to an extending from one of
said opposing end faces, said wire member including a generally
pointed converging tip portion formed by opposing sloping faces and
additional opposed angles faces quadrately disposed to said sloping
faces to provide penetration into a finger member, said wire member
having sufficient rigidity to be inserted into a finger bone to
span a fracture without buckling, and
said one end face serves to permanently limit the penetration of
said wire member into the finger member, and said other end face
including means for detachably attaching said hub member to said
connection hub.
2. A pin as in claim 1 wherein said sloping faces serve to provide
an entrance path into the finger member and said additional
opposing angled faces serve to clear finger and bone tissue away
from said wire member, said additional opposing angled faces form
an included angle of substantially 60.degree. at the tip of said
wire member and each face thereof joins with said wire member at an
angle of 12.degree.-15.degree. with respect to an imaginary plane
normal to the longitudinal axis of said wire member and passing
through said opposing sloping faces.
3. A pin as in claim 2 wherein said opposing sloping faces each
form an angle of substantially 6.degree. with respect to the outer
surface of said wire member.
4. A pin as in claim 3 wherein said opposing sloping faces are
separated by 0.015 inches to 0.020 inches at the outermost terminal
point of said wire member.
5. A pin as in claim 1 wherein said wire member is a Kirschner-type
wire having a circular cross section and a diameter between 0.035
inches and 0.0625 inches.
Description
This invention relates to disposable surgical instruments and, more
particularly, to a sterile disposable finger pin which is mounted
to a hub so as to conveniently attachable to, and detachable from,
a hypodermic syringe which is used as the means for inserting the
finger pin.
Physicians often have a need to insert a finger pin into a
fractured finger to hold the finger joint in a fixed position so
that the fracture may heal. Such fractures may be of the type known
as mallet fingers, shaft fractures, or epiphyseal separations. Many
different types and designs of finger pins are known to those
skilled in the art. However, there is a need in the medical
profession for a finger pin that is suitably packaged in a sterile
container and provided with an extremely simple means of connecting
it to an instrument which can be used by the physician in inserting
the finger pin.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved
finger pin which is prepackaged, disposable, sterile and easily
fastened to an instrument for inserting the finger pin into the
finger.
Another object of this invention is to provide a finger pin of the
type specified which can be conveniently carried in a physician's
case or pocket to be readily available for use.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved
finger pin of the type specified which can be easily carried by a
physician in a sterile condition and fastened to the end of a
nonsterile handle or syringe for insertion.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, a finger pin is constructed
of a straight, stainless steel wire which is attached to a plastic
end hub so as to be easily fastened to the end of a nonsterile
handle or syringe to provide means for inserting the finger pin.
The hub, with the pin attached, is packaged in a small transparent
container to protect the sterile pin before use. The container is
tubelike having a closed end and an open end which is flanged to
receive a portion of the hub and secure it to the container. The
hub is constructed to be engageable with the tip of a hypodermic
syringe so that the hub and finger pin may be attached to the end
of the syringe to provide an easy instrument for inserting the pin.
The finger pin is thoroughly packed with a disposable wrapper
within the tubelike container. Therefore, according to the
invention, there is provided a finger pin which is prepackaged,
disposable, sterile and easily fastened onto the end of a
nonsterile handle or syringe, both of which can be conveniently
carried in the physician's case or pocket, and thus provide a
readily available, sterile finger pin and instrument for inserting
the same.
Further objects and advantages other than those mentioned above,
will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following
description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated
in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that changes may
be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of
construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or
sacrificing any advantages thereof.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 illustrates one manner in which a finger pin may be inserted
into a finger using a hypodermic syringe;
FIG. 1A illustrates the finger pin inserted into the thumb of a
patient with the hub remaining near the surface of the skin;
FIG. 2 illustrates the tubelike container and the hub of the finger
pin in engaging relationship;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the hub, finger pin, and tubelike
container for protecting the same;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the tip of the finger pin;
and
FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged side view of the tip of the finger
pin shown in FIG. 4.
The physician's technique of pinning a finger fracture with finger
pins of the type described herein is a relatively simple operation
and may be done either in the physician's office or emergency room.
Basically, the technique is simply to scrub up the finger, do a
digital block and then take a sterile, disposable finger pin,
which, in accordance with this invention, is preferably attached to
a hypodermic syringe 10, as shown in FIG. 1, and twist the finger
pin into the fractured bone. After insertion, the syringe or handle
is disconnected from the hub, leaving the hub attached to the
finger pin as shown in FIG. 1A, and a protective splint taped over
the hub and finger. The hub prevents further pin penetration and
also provides an easy means for removing the pin after the fracture
has healed.
The inventors have experimented by using an ordinary hypodermic
needle in following the above outlined procedure; however, such a
needle proved inadequate and unsatisfactory. The inventors
determined that it would be necessary to design a finger pin
capable of withstanding the forces imposed on it as it was inserted
into the finger. The subsequent development led to the finger pin
of the present invention.
Hypodermic syringes are available to the medical profession having
what is known as a Luer-Lok tip and needles are furnished secured
to a mating hub, known as a Luer-Lok hub. The hub and syringe tip
are made from compatible polypropylene. The following description
of the invention is made with reference to a Luer-Lok tip and hub
arrangement solely for the purposes of describing an embodiment of
the invention; however, it is expressly understood that the
invention is not to be limited to merely a Luer-Lok hub and tip
arrangement and that any type of hub to which a nonsterile handle
or syringe can be easily attached may also be used. The Luer-Lok
tip and hub arrangement may be preferred, however, since such hubs
and tips are already commercially available and their use would
reduce the cost and effort expended in manufacturing the finger
pin.
With reference to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a container 12,
which is tubelike, closed at end 14 and including collar 16 at the
other end. Container 12 provides a means for retaining the finger
pin in order to prevent it from becoming contaminated prior to its
use. Riblike members 15 merely strengthen the container which is a
means well known to those skilled in the art. Hub member 18 is
illustrated as partially protruding from collar 16 of the container
and includes flange 20. Hub member 18 snugly mates with the inner
surface of collar 16 to provide a tightly sealed container for the
finger pin. The hub member extends beyond the face of the collar as
shown in FIG. 2 so as to be easily grasped to remove the finger pin
from the container. Hub member 18 and collar 16 may be provided
with a twist-lock arrangement to secure the finger pin and hub
within container 12. Such twist-lock arrangements are well known to
those skilled in the art and form no part of the present invention.
Container 12 is made from propylene plastic which affords a
relatively unbreakable and inexpensive container.
With reference to FIG. 3, finger pin 22 is illustrated attached to
hub member 18 which is shown as a Luer-Lok hub; however, as stated
above, the invention is not to be limited to such a hub. The finger
pin is implanted in a centrally located hole extending into the hub
member. Finger pin 22 is constructed from a straight, stainless
steel wire; preferably a Kirschner wire which is commonly used in
orthopedic surgery. The Kirschner wire is hard drawn and spring
tempered to a tensile strength of 220,000 to 270,000 p.s.i. and has
a diameter of 0.035 inches to 0.0625 inches. A Kirschner wire
having a diameter within this range possesses the strength, without
buckling, to withstand the forces exerted by the physician when the
finger pin is being inserted. Pin 22 preferably has a length of
13/4 inches; however, the length is not critical and may be
increased or decreased, bearing in mind that the pin length should
not be too short so that it does not extend between the length of a
finger joint. Conversely, the pin should not be too long so as to
cause it to buckle as it is inserted into the finger. Also, pins of
too great length will be inconvenient as the hub will extend too
far out beyond the surface of the finger, thereby allowing the pin
to be jammed further into the finger than may be desired. Tip 24 of
the pin is specially constructed as described more fully
hereinafter to make the pin more easily insertable into a fractured
finger.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of tip 24 and shows a preferred
embodiment of the tip wherein side faces 25, 26 intersect with each
other to form an interior angle of substantially 60.degree.. FIG. 5
is an enlarged side view of the tip shown in FIG. 4 and illustrates
a preferred tip shape configuration. Face 27 preferably slopes
downward at an angle of 6.degree., bottom face 28 sloping upwards
at an angle of substantially 6.degree. also. Surface 29 preferably
slopes back from the front surface 30 at a clearance angle of
12.degree. to 15.degree.. Front surface 30 is approximately 0.015
to 0.020 inches thick at its outermost point. The aforedescribed
shape of tip 24 enables finger pin 22 to be inserted into the bone
more easily since the bone marrow and tissue are pushed upwardly
and downwardly by sloping faces 27, 28 to provide an entrance path
for the pin and are directed away from the path of the finger pin
by face 29.
To summarize the operation of the finger pin, the containerized
finger pin is mounted to the end of hypodermic syringe 10, by means
of the mating Luer-Lok hub and syringe tip, and the finger pin and
hub disengaged from the container by twisting hub 18 from its
interlocking relationship with flange 16 of the container. This
breaks the seal between the finger pin and the container and the
finger pin may be extracted and inserted into the finger fracture
at the desired location by grasping the hypodermic syringe and
exerting pressure against the finger. When the pin is fully
inserted, the pin and hub are separated from hypodermic syringe 10.
When the pin is inserted in the finger, hub 18 prevents the pin
from any further penetration and also enables the pin to be easily
removed after the fracture has healed.
The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its
preferred practical form; however, the structure shown is capable
of modification by those skilled in the art within a range of
equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be
understood as being broadly novel and as commensurate with the
appended claims.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows.
* * * * *