Surgical connecting element for fixing adjacently arranged bone plates

Abstract

In order to configure, in such a way as to be capable of being employed in a simple and secure manner and produced cost-effectively, a surgical connecting element for fixing adjacently arranged bone plates, comprising a first bearing element, a second bearing element and a coupling element, by means of which the first and second bearing element can be coupled to each other in such a way that bone plates lying between the first and second bearing element can be fixed, it is proposed that the second bearing element and the coupling element be so designed and adapted to each other that, by relative movement between the coupling element and the second bearing element transversely to a clamping direction, the bone plates are fixable between the first and the second bearing element.

1 . Surgical connecting element for fixing adjacently arranged bone plates, comprising a first bearing element, a second bearing element and a coupling element for coupling the first and second bearing element to each other in such a way that bone plates lying between the first and second bearing element are fixable, 
 wherein the second bearing element and the coupling element are so designed and adapted to each other that, by relative movement between the coupling element and the second bearing element transversely to a clamping direction, the bone plates are fixable between the first and the second bearing element.    
   
   
       2 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein a fixing position of the first and of the second bearing element is lockable by relative movement between the coupling element and the second bearing element transversely to the clamping direction.  
   
   
       3 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein a fixing position of the first and of the second bearing element is unlockable by relative movement between the coupling element and the second bearing element transversely to the clamping direction.  
   
   
       4 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second bearing elements has a holding body which is insertable into an intermediate space between adjacently arranged bone plates.  
   
   
       5 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 4 , wherein a holding body is designed to be elastic in the direction transverse to the clamping direction.  
   
   
       6 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting element is produced from a biocompatible material.  
   
   
       7 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting element is fabricated from a resorbable plastics material.  
   
   
       8 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling element is provided with a predetermined breaking point.  
   
   
       9 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined breaking point is so arranged on the coupling element and so designed that breaking is producible essentially with a tensile stress which brings about optimum biasing of the bone plates.  
   
   
       10 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second bearing elements has a raised edge region for producing a tensile stress in the clamping direction.  
   
   
       11 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second bearing element are of substantially the same design.  
   
   
       12 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the first bearing element is adapted to be coupled to the coupling element in a functionally identical manner to the second bearing element.  
   
   
       13 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the first bearing element is integrally or positively connected to the coupling element.  
   
   
       14 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the second bearing element has at least one through-opening for the coupling element, so that the second bearing element and the coupling element are movable relative to each other substantially parallel to the clamping direction.  
   
   
       15 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the second bearing element has at least one fixing recess, by means of which the second bearing element and the coupling element are fixable relative to each other.  
   
   
       16 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 15 , wherein a fixing recess has an extent in a transverse direction, so that the fixing recess is not of radially symmetrical design.  
   
   
       17 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 14 , wherein the second bearing element has at least one through-opening for the coupling element, so that the coupling element and the second bearing element are displaceable relative to each other, and has at least one fixing recess, the at least one through-opening and the at least one fixing recess being interconnected.  
   
   
       18 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the second bearing element is connectable to the coupling element by a relative movement of the entire bearing element with respect to said coupling element.  
   
   
       19 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein bone plates seated between the first bearing element and the second bearing element are fixable by a relative movement of the coupling element with respect to the second bearing element.  
   
   
       20 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the second bearing element is connectable to the coupling element by a relative movement of a holding element, seated on the second bearing element, with respect to the coupling element.  
   
   
       21 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling element is a rigid body.  
   
   
       22 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 21 , wherein the coupling element is so dimensioned that, in a direction transverse to its longitudinal direction, it has a greater width than in the transverse direction perpendicular thereto.  
   
   
       23 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 22 , wherein the coupling element has a substantially rectangular cross-section at least in the region which is positionable between adjacent bone plates.  
   
   
       24 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling element is of substantially rotationally symmetrical design in its longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       25 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 21 , wherein the coupling element has at least one fixing opening, in which a corresponding holding element of the second bearing element is engageable.  
   
   
       26 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 25 , wherein, with a substantially rotationally symmetrical design of the coupling element, a fixing recess runs around the circumference of the coupling element.  
   
   
       27 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 26 , wherein adjacent fixing recesses are separated by a disc-shaped element.  
   
   
       28 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 26 , wherein adjacent fixing recesses are separated by a spherical element.  
   
   
       29 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 25 , wherein the holding element of the second bearing element engages in a fixing opening transversely to the clamping direction.  
   
   
       30 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 25 , wherein the coupling element comprises a plurality of fixing openings which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the coupling element.  
   
   
       31 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 30 , wherein adjacent fixing openings are arranged equidistantly from each other.  
   
   
       32 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 25 , wherein the coupling element is provided with an engaging strip formed from fixing openings.  
   
   
       33 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 32 , wherein the engaging strip is designed as a latching strip.  
   
   
       34 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 32 , wherein the coupling element has at least two engaging strips.  
   
   
       35 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 34 , wherein at least two engaging strips are arranged offset from one another with respect to the distance of fixing openings relative to the first bearing element.  
   
   
       36 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 33 , wherein a lateral surface of the coupling element is provided with an engaging strip.  
   
   
       37 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 33 , wherein an engaging strip is arranged on the coupling element between lateral surfaces of the coupling element.  
   
   
       38 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 33 , wherein an engaging strip is of stepped design.  
   
   
       39 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 33 , wherein an engaging strip is of sawtooth design.  
   
   
       40 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 25 , wherein an engaging strip comprises rectangular openings as fixing openings.  
   
   
       41 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 25 , wherein a fixing opening has a tapering cross-section.  
   
   
       42 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 25 , wherein the second bearing element has a holding tongue which is adapted to enter into a fixing opening and by means of which the second bearing element is connectable to the coupling element.  
   
   
       43 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 42 , wherein a holding tongue comprises a plurality of holding teeth for simultaneous engagement in a plurality of fixing recesses.  
   
   
       44 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 42 , wherein a holding tongue is arranged at an angle to a bearing surface of the second bearing element.  
   
   
       45 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 42 , wherein the second bearing element has further holding means for fixing to the coupling element.  
   
   
       46 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 45 , wherein the second bearing element comprises fixing tongues, between which the holding tongue is arranged and by which the coupling element is fixable.  
   
   
       47 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 46 , wherein the fixing tongues are designed as snap-action tongues.  
   
   
       48 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 21 , wherein the second bearing element is connectable to the coupling element by rotation relative thereto.  
   
   
       49 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 48 , wherein the second bearing element has a holding tongue which is engageable in a fixing recess of the coupling element by rotation of the second bearing element relative to the coupling element.  
   
   
       50 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 26 , wherein the second bearing element has an insertion slot which is open towards the edge of the second bearing element.  
   
   
       51 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 50 , wherein lateral surfaces of the insertion slot are offset transversely to a bearing surface of the second bearing element.  
   
   
       52 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 20 , wherein the coupling element is of linearly flexible design.  
   
   
       53 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 52 , wherein the coupling element is formed by a thread or wire.  
   
   
       54 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 52 , wherein the first bearing element has spaced-apart openings for threading through the linearly flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       55 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 52 , wherein the second bearing element has at least one opening for feeding through the flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       56 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 52 , wherein the first and the second bearing element are fixable with bone plates lying therebetween by a knot in the linearly flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       57 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 52 , wherein the second bearing element has a peg element for fixing the linearly flexible coupling element by looping it around.  
   
   
       58 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 57 , wherein the peg element is surrounded by a recess.  
   
   
       59 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 52 , wherein a fixing opening of the second bearing element comprises a clamping seat for the linearly flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       60 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 59 , wherein opposite clamping seats are provided.  
   
   
       61 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 59 , wherein a clamping seat is arranged at a radial spacing with respect to a projection of a feed-through opening of the first bearing element in the clamping direction onto the second bearing element.  
   
   
       62 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the second bearing element is frictionally fixable to the coupling element.  
   
   
       63 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 1 , wherein the relative movement between the second bearing element and the coupling element for the fixing of the second bearing element to the coupling element proceeds from a unfixed position to a fixing position.  
   
   
       64 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 30 , wherein adjacent fixing openings are separated from each other.  
   
   
       65 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 30 , wherein adjacent fixing openings are not interconnected.  
   
   
       66 . Surgical connecting element for fixing adjacently arranged bone plates, comprising a first bearing element, a second bearing element and a coupling element for coupling the first and second bearing element to each other in such a way that bone plates lying between the first and second bearing element are fixable, 
 where the coupling element has at least one fixing recess, in which a corresponding coupling element of the second bearing element is engageable for coupling said second bearing element to the coupling element.    
   
   
       67 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 66 , wherein the engagement takes place substantially transversely to a clamping direction.  
   
   
       68 . Surgical connecting element according to  claim 66 , wherein the second bearing element is frictionally fixable to the coupling element.  
   
   
       69 . Cranio-surgical connecting element for fixing adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates with a gap between the adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates, comprising: 
 a first bearing element;    a second bearing element; and    a thread or a wire as coupling element for coupling the first and second bearing element to each other in such a way that skullcap bone plates lying between the first and second bearing element are fixable with the coupling element being fed through the gap between the skullcap bone plates; and    wherein the first bearing element is adapted to be placed under adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates and bearing on said skullcap bone plates and the second bearing element is adapted to be placed above the adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates and bearing on said skullcap bone plates.    
   
   
       70 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 69 , wherein the second bearing element and the coupling element are so designed and adapted to each other that, by relative movement between the coupling element and the second bearing element transversely to a clamping direction, the skullcap bone plates are fixable between the first and the second bearing element.  
   
   
       71 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 69 , wherein at least one of the first and second bearing elements has a holding body which is insertable into an intermediate space between adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates.  
   
   
       72 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 71 , wherein the holding body is designed to be elastic in the direction transverse to the clamping direction.  
   
   
       73 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 69 , wherein the connecting element is produced from a biocompatible material.  
   
   
       74 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 69 , wherein the connecting element is fabricated from a resorbable plastics material.  
   
   
       75 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 69 , wherein the first and the second bearing element are of substantially the same design.  
   
   
       76 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 69 , wherein the coupling element is of linearly flexible design.  
   
   
       77 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 76 , wherein the first bearing element has spaced-apart openings for threading through the linearly flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       78 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 76 , wherein the second bearing element has at least one opening for feeding through the flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       79 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 76 , wherein the first and the second bearing element are fixable with bone plates lying therebetween by a knot in the linearly flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       80 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 76 , wherein the second bearing element has a peg element for fixing the linearly flexible coupling element by looping it around.  
   
   
       81 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 76 , wherein the peg element is surrounded by a recess.  
   
   
       82 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 76 , wherein a fixing opening of the second bearing element comprises a clamping seat for the linearly flexible coupling element.  
   
   
       83 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 82 , wherein opposite clamping seats are provided.  
   
   
       84 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 82 , wherein a clamping seat is arranged at a radial spacing with respect to a projection of a feed-through opening of the first bearing element in the clamping direction onto the second bearing element.  
   
   
       85 . Cranio-surgical connecting element according to  claim 69 , wherein the second bearing element is frictionally fixable to the coupling element.  
   
   
       86 . Method for fixing adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates with a gap between said skullcap bone plates, comprising: 
 placing a first bearing element under the adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates;    feeding a thread or wire as coupling element for the first and second bearing element through the gap between the adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates;    placing a second bearing element above the adjacently arranged skullcap bone plates; and    exerting a tensile force on the coupling element to exert a clamping force for clamping the first bearing element and the second bearing element against the adjacently arranged bone plates.