Active Compression Apparatus, Methods Of Assembly And Methods Of Use

Abstract

Compression devices for joining tissue and methods for using and fabricating the same.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for generating active compression of bone segments comprising:
 a distal bone engagement portion;   a proximal bone engagement portion;   a helical strut interposed between the proximal bone engagement portion and the distal bone engagement portion formed by a perforation through a sidewall of the apparatus; and   a plurality of radial deformation limiting features formed along a length of the helical strut, each radial deformation limiting feature of the plurality of radial deformation limiting feature formed by an asymmetrically shaped receiving portion and a corresponding asymmetrically shaped protruding portion defined by opposing sides of the helical strut;   a first linear side of the receiving portion and a corresponding first linear side of the protruding portion and a second linear side of the receiving portion and a corresponding second linear side of the protruding portion, opposite of the first linear sides of the receiving and protruding portions, sloped in a same direction relative to a longitudinal central axis of the apparatus and non-parallel to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the distal bone engagement portion comprises threads. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the proximal bone engagement portion comprises an exterior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the helical strut. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the perforation is formed through the sidewall of the apparatus perpendicular to a longitudinal central axis of the apparatus and parallel to a radius of the longitudinal central axis. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the perforation comprises a nonuniform width between a distal end and a proximal end of the perforation when the apparatus is in a relaxed, non-deformed state. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the helical strut comprises a superelastic alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each radial deformation limiting feature of the plurality of radial deformation limiting features has only three linear sides. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each radial deformation limiting feature of the plurality of radial deformation limiting features has from 4 to 9 linear sides. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a first linear side of a receiving portion of a first radial deformation limiting feature of the plurality of radial deformation limiting features comprises a longitudinal length limiting projection that engages a corresponding longitudinal length limiting projection of a corresponding first linear side of a corresponding protruding portion of the first radial deformation limiting feature. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein a dimension between the longitudinal length limiting projection of the first linear side of the receiving portion and the longitudinal length limiting projection of the first linear side of the protruding portion is in a range of 0.010 to 0.100 inch. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the distal bone engagement portion comprises a helical thread wrapped in an opposite direction than a direction in which the helical strut is wrapped. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for generating active compression of bone segments comprising:
 a distal bone engagement portion;   a proximal bone engagement portion;   a helical strut interposed between the proximal bone engagement portion and the distal bone engagement portion formed by a perforation through a sidewall of the apparatus; and   a plurality of radial deformation limiting features formed along a length of the helical strut, each radial deformation limiting feature of the plurality of radial deformation limiting features formed by an asymmetrically shaped receiving portion and an asymmetrically shaped protruding portion defined by opposing sides of the helical strut, a shape of the receiving portion dissimilar to a shape of the protruding portion.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the distal bone engagement portion comprises threads. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the proximal bone engagement portion comprises an exterior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the helical strut. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the perforation is formed through the sidewall of the apparatus perpendicular to a longitudinal central axis of the apparatus and parallel to a radius of the longitudinal central axis. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the helical strut comprises an alloy of over 50 percent nickel. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein a first linear side of a receiving portion of a first radial deformation limiting feature of the plurality of radial deformation limiting features comprises a longitudinal length limiting projection that engages a corresponding longitudinal length limiting projection of a corresponding first linear side of a corresponding protruding portion of the first radial deformation limiting feature. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein a dimension between the longitudinal length limiting projection of the first linear side of the receiving portion and the longitudinal length limiting projection of the first linear side of the protruding portion is in a range of 0.010 to 0.200 inch. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein a second linear side of the receiving portion of the first radial deformation limiting feature of the plurality of radial deformation limiting features comprises a longitudinal length limiting projection that engages a corresponding longitudinal length limiting projection of a corresponding second linear side of the corresponding protruding portion of the second radial deformation limiting feature. 
     
     
         20 . A method of activing compressing bone segments comprising:
 providing bone screw;   placing said bone screw between two opposing bone segments;   drawing the two opposing bone segments together by turning the bone screw;   elastically stretching the bone screw during the turning of the bone screw   storing energy in the bone screw during the elastic stretching;   releasing the stored energy in the bone screw as healing occurs between the two oppositing bone segments.