Olecranon Plate

Abstract

A bone plate designed specifically to accomplish fixation of an olecranon fracture and consisting of a generally L-shaped plate including a first elongated flange and a second flange at one end of the first flange disposed at generally right angles relative to the first flange. The first flange includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures through which bone attaching screws may be secured and the second flange also includes a single aperture. Screws or pins may be passed through the aperture in the second short flange and the adjacent aperture in the longer flange and anchored in the proximal fragment so as to fix and position the latter relative to the plate and the remaining portion of the long flange is then secured by screws or pins to the distal ulna after the fracture is compressed.

Description

The olecranon plate has been specifically designed to provide a rigid internal skeletal fixation of a fractured olecranon with means afforded for precise positioning of a small fracture fragment of an olecranon, precise compression of an olecranon fracture and rigid fixation of the small proximal fragment in compression with the distal ulna.

The olecranon plate comprises an internal apparatus requiring an open operation, direct contact of the olecranon plate with the bone and reducation of the fracture before placement of all retaining screws inasmuch as once all of the screws have been secured in place no motion is possible at the fracture site.

The bone plate of the instant invention differs from present bone plates utilized for olecranon fractures in that it allows a small proximal fragment of the olecranon to be accurately manipulated and secured in position by providing two attachment screws for securement in the small proximal fragment at right angles relative to each other. The conventional bone plates may be utilized in connection with an olecranon fracture but these conventional bone plates provide for anchoring screws in only one plane and do not therefore provide for rigid fixation of an olecranon fracture through the utilization of a pair of anchoring screws for the small proximal fragment disposed at 90.degree. relative to each other.

The main object of this invention is to provide an olecranon plate which is designed specifically to provide for rigid fixation of an olecranon fracture so that early motion will be possible at the fracture site without danger of breakage as with intramedullary fixation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bone plate of specific configuration and adapted for utilization on an olecranon fracture in a manner securing a small proximal fragment of an olecranon fracture to the distal ulna in a fixed manner.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for fixation of a small proximal fragment of an olecranon fracture to the distal ulna by the utilization of a bone plate fixedly anchored to the distal ulna and also to the proximal fragment through the utilization of anchoring screws disposed at 90 degrees relative to each other.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an olecranon plate which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and readily applied so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and uncomplex in its application.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an olecranon fracture with the olecranon plate of the instant invention operatively applied thereto in a manner rigidly fixing the proximal fragment to the distol ulna with the fracture maintained in compression;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the application of FIG. 1 as seen from the left side thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the olecranon plate; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner in which the screw secured through the key slot aperture or bore of the long flange of the olecranon plate may be utilized to draw the proximal fragment into tight compression with the distol ulna.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the elbow joint including the adjacent ends of the ulna 12, the radius 14 and the humerus 16. A fracture exists as at 18 and is termed an olecranon fracture involving the small proximal fragment 19 and the distol ulna. The fracture is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings in an aligned condition and under compression by means of the olecranon plate of the instant invention referred to in general by the reference numeral 20.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 3 of the drawings, it may be seen that the olecranon plate 20 consists of a first long flange 22 including a right angled extension or short flange 24 at one end. The plate 20 may of course be constructed of stainless steel and it may be seen that the long flange includes apertures 26, 28, 30 and 32 spaced longitudinally therealong and that there is further provided an aperture 34 in the short flange 24. The apertures 26, 32 and 34 are of the keyhole type and include slot extensions 26' and 32' extending in opposite directions along the long flange 22 and a slot extension 34' extending along the short flange 24 toward the free end thereof. The slot extension 26' extends toward the end of the long flange 22 from which the short flange 24 is supported and the slot extension 32' extends toward the remote end of the long flange 22.

It will be noted that all of the apertures 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 are provided with beveled counter-bores and it will therefore be understood that each of the screws 36 to be utilized in conjunction therewith will be of the type including heads having beveled undersurfaces 38.

In utilizing the olecranon plate 20, an open operation is required and the plate 20 is applied directly to the bone. Further, the plate 20, as with other bone plates, may be constructed of varying widths and lengths and it will more than likely be desirable to remove the plate 20 upon healing of the fracture.

After the fracture has been exposed by an open operation, the small proximal fragment is secured to the plate 20 by right angled screws 36 secured through the apertures 26 and 34. According to the size and shape of the fragment 19, the screws 36 may or may not be angled. However, if angling of the screws is required or desired, the slot extensions 26' and 34' will enable the screws secured through the apertures 26 and 34 into the proximal fragment 26 to be angled.

Thereafter, the long leg or flange 22 is placed along the distol ulna and secured thereto by additional screws 36 secured through the apertures 28, 30 and 32 and in the ulna 12. If it is desired, the screw passing through the aperture 32 may be first engaged with the ulna 12 with the screw 36 positioned relative to the long flange 22 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings whereby seating of the screw 36 will tend to wedge the undersurfaces 38 of its head into the center of the aperture 32 thereby shifting the long flange 22 downward relative to the ulna 12 as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to place the proximal fragment 19 in tight compression with the distal ulna. Thereafter, the remaining screws 36 may be secured through the apertures 28 and 30. Of course, the same camming process may be utilized in conjunction with the slot extensions 26' and 34' of the apertures 26 and 34 in order to insure that the proximal fragment 19 is tightly seated in the inside corner of the olecranon plate 20 defined by the juncture of the flanges 22 and 24.

After the fracture 18 has healed, the olecranon plate 20 may be removed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A bone plate for supporting the fractured components of an olecranon fracture in fixed position and under compression, said plate comprising a generally L-shaped rigid brace including narrow elongated rigid short and long flanges disposed at generally right angles relative to each other and fixedly joined at adjacent ends, said short flange having at least one aperture formed therethrough intermediate its opposite ends and said long flange having at least three apertures formed therethrough with one of said three apertures being disposed adjacent the end of said long flange joined to said short flange, and at least four elongated bone component anchoring fasteners for passage through said apertures and anchoring in the bone components, said bone component anchoring fasteners including headed elongated fasteners having threaded shank portions, the heads of said fasteners including generally frusto-conical undersurfaces, the aperture formed through said short flange being of the keyhole-type including a slot extension extending lengthwise of the short flange away from the long flange and the aperture formed through the end of the long flange remote from the short flange being also of the keyhole-type and including a slot extension extending lengthwise of the long flange away from said short flange, the portions of the apertures and said slot extensions opening outwardly of the flange surfaces defining the outside corner of the brace being chamfered.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said long flange includes at least one additional aperture formed therein.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the aperture formed in said long flange adjacent said short flange also includes a slot extension extending lengthwise of the long flange toward said short flange.