Plastic Implant for Osteosynthesis

Abstract

The invention relates to an osteosynthesis implant ( 1 ) that preferably consists of a bioresorbable plastic material. The inventive implant receives the longitudinal fixation elements ( 10 ) to be anchored in the bone, especially in the form of wires, nails, pins or screws. The openings destined to receive the fixation elements ( 10 ) do not completely extend through the implant ( 1 ) like in conventional bone plates or intramedullary nails but are degenerated to indents ( 2 ) in the surface of the implant ( 1 ) so that they may serve as a guide for the fixation elements ( 10 ) to be guided through the implant ( 1 ). The inventive implant ( 1 ) allows insertion of the fixation elements ( 10 ) in the bone diverging angles and crossing one another, so that the fixation elements ( 10 ) extending intramedullarly or in the spongiosa are primarily prevented from migrating in a proximal or distal direction.

1 . A bone plate comprising:
 a plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, a thickness therebetween; and   at least one indentation formed on the upper surface adapted and configured for guiding and receiving a fixation element, the indentation having a depth, wherein the depth of the indentation is less than the thickness of the plate;   wherein the bone plate is made from a plastic material.   
     
     
         2 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic is made from a bioresorbable material. 
     
     
         3 . The bone plate of  claim 2 , wherein the plate is made from polylactates. 
     
     
         4 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of indentations disposed in a grid on the upper surface. 
     
     
         5 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of indentations, wherein the plate has a circular configuration and the indentations are disposed in concentric circles. 
     
     
         6 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the plate has a convex curvature and the lower side has a concave curvature. 
     
     
         7 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plate has a thickness between 2 and 6 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface has a surface area between 3 and 15 square cm. 
     
     
         9 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plate includes between 3 and 100 indentations. 
     
     
         10 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the indentation is conically shaped. 
     
     
         11 . The bone plate of  claim 10 , wherein the conical indentation has a conical angle between 30 and 120 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the indentation has a diameter between 1.0 and 3.0 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the depth of e indentation is between 0.6 and 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , further comprising a Fixation element, wherein the Fixation element has a self-drilling tip on one end. 
     
     
         15 . The bone plate of  claim 14 , wherein the self drilling tip has a length between 4 and 10 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The bone plate of  claim 14 , wherein the length of the self drilling tip substantially corresponds to the thickness of the plate. 
     
     
         17 . The bone plate of  claim 14 , wherein the Fixation element has a uniform diameter over substantially its entire length. 
     
     
         18 . The bone plate of  claim 14 , wherein the Fixation element has a diameter ranging between 1 and 6 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The bone plate of  claim 14 , wherein the Fixation element is a Kirschner wire. 
     
     
         20 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bone plate comprises a plurality of indentations formed on the upper surface adapted and configured for guiding and receiving a plurality of fixation elements at diverging angles.