Orthopaedic fixation plate

Abstract

A plate for use in fixating the position of a first bone segment relative to a second bone segment, the plate comprising a body portion having a plurality of attachment mechanisms located therein, wherein the attachment mechanisms include: a first group of three attachment mechanisms substantially positioned within 90°-150° of one another about a circle, and preferably within substantially 120° of one another, whereby the first group of attachment mechanisms is designed to facilitate attachment of a plurality of adjustable length struts to the plate; and a second group of attachment mechanisms substantially positioned about the circle that are designed to facilitate attachment of accessories to the plate, wherein the total number of the attachment mechanisms is a multiple of three.

1. An orthopaedic spatial fixation system for holding bone parts comprising a plurality of fixation plates wherein each plate includes a body portion having n holes  attachment structures positioned therein, whereby said holes  attachment structures are substantially positioned along an arc of α° of a circle defined by a diameter d, and the cord  a chord length between adjacent holes  attachment structures is substantial  substantially equal to  1   and is substantially equal between all attachment structures, and 
       d   ⁢           =     l   (           1       tan   2     ⁡     (     α     2   ⁢   n       )         +   1     )       )         
 
       and  whereby the diameter d for each plate within the system is unique, and  the value for n(360/α) for each consecutive plate diameter d  in the system is a multiple of  3, and      wherein at least two of the fixation plates are connected to each other by at least six substantially rigid, adjustable length struts, wherein each of the struts is disposed substantially diagonally with respect to its adjacent struts .    
     
     
       2. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1  further comprising bone pins for interfacing the bone parts and plates; and,
 a plurality ofwherein the struts that  extend between the plates to hold the plates in a selected position relative to one another and relative to the bone parts;  
 wherein the struts are attached to the plates at the holes  attachment structures; and,  
 wherein a plurality of  the struts have adjustable length sections for varying the length of the strut to adjust the relative position of the plates.  
 
     
     
       3. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 2  wherein the holes  attachment structures on at least one of the plates are one hundred twenty degrees (120°) apart. 
     
     
       4. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1  wherein rotation of one plate one hundred twenty degrees (120°) relative to an adjacent plate results in the same alignment of adjacent holes  attachment structures as before such rotation of the plates. 
     
     
       5. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1  wherein the plates are symmetrically configured so that if one plate is placed over an adjacent plate, the holes  attachment structures in each plate can be aligned. 
     
     
       6. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 5  wherein the plates are symmetrically configured so that one plate can be flipped over without affecting the alignment of adjacent holes  attachment structures. 
     
     
       7. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 2  wherein there are two plates and each plate includes  3 holes  attachment structures . 
     
     
       8. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 7  wherein
 there arethe struts comprise only six struts each having a first end and a second end;  
 the first end of each strut is attached to one of the plates and the second end of each strut is attached to the other plate;  
 the ends of the struts are attached to the plates at the holes  attachment structures; and, each hole  attachment structure accommodates two strut ends, one from each of two adjacent struts.  
 
     
     
       9. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment structures are holes. 
     
     
       10. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1 , wherein the circle comprises a groove and the attachment structures are clamps attached to the groove. 
     
     
       11. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1 , further comprising markings or etches to designate the attachment structure positions. 
     
     
       12. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more plates being multiple diameter plates having a second set of attachment structures. 
     
     
       13. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 12 , wherein the second set of attachment structures is not spaced according to the diameter equation and chord length limitations. 
     
     
       14. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 1 , wherein the chord length between adjacent attachment structures is between about  0 . 48  inches and about  0 . 52  inches. 
     
     
       15. An orthopaedic spatial fixation system, comprising a plurality of arcuate shaped fixation plates, wherein each plate comprises a plurality of attachment structures, at least some of which have substantially uniform sizes and a geometrical arrangement defined whereby the attachment structures are: (a) in sets of three, (b) spaced substantially  120  degrees apart from each other along an arc of the fixation plate, and (c) substantially equally spaced apart; wherein rotating a first one of the fixation plates substantially  120  degrees from a starting position in a plane substantially parallel to another one of the fixation plates causes the first fixation plate to present the same geometrical arrangement of attachment structures as the geometrical arrangement of the attachment structures of the another plate, and
   wherein at least two of the fixation plates are connected to each other by at least six substantially rigid, adjustable length struts, wherein each of the struts is disposed substantially diagonally with respect to its adjacent struts.     
     
     
       16. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , whereby rotating the first fixation plate substantially  60  degrees from the starting position in a plane substantially parallel to another one of the fixation plates presents the same geometrical arrangement of attachment structures as the geometrical arrangement of the attachment structures of the another plate. 
     
     
       17. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein the number of attachment points is a multiple of six, providing  2 × 3  symmetry. 
     
     
       18. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the fixation plates is ring shaped. 
     
     
       19. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of attachment structures is positioned such that in use, at least some of the attachment structures on one of the plates move into alignment with at least some of the attachment structures on another plate as adjustment is effected. 
     
     
       20. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein the attachment structures are positioned along an arc of α° of a circle defined by a diameter d, and a chord length between adjacent attachment structures is substantially equal to l, and the defined relationship comprises 
       d   ⁢           =     l   (           1       tan   2     ⁡     (     α     2   ⁢   n       )         +   1     )       )           
       
        
       
     
     
       21. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein the orthopaedic spatial fixation system is adapted to be positioned on a patient. 
     
     
       22. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein the struts comprise only six adjustable struts, a first end of each of the struts connected to one of the attachment structures on one of the fixation plates and a second end of each of the struts connected to one of the attachment structures on another one of the fixation plates, wherein the attachment structures connected to the struts are each connected to two struts. 
     
     
       23. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein the struts comprise only six adjustable struts, each strut connected at a first end to one of the attachment structures of one of the fixation plates and each strut connected at a second end to one of the attachment structures of another one of the fixation plates, wherein each attachment structure that is connected to a strut is only connected to one strut. 
     
     
       24. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 15 , wherein a chord length between adjacent attachment structures is between about  0 . 48  inches and about  0 . 52  inches. 
     
     
       25. An orthopaedic spatial fixation system, comprising a plurality of fixation plates wherein each plate comprises a plurality of attachment structures, at least some of the attachment structures being in sets of three attachment points, each plate having a geometrical arrangement defined whereby the three attachment points in a set are spaced substantially  120  degrees apart from each other along an arc of the fixation plate; wherein at least two of the fixation plates are connected to each other by at least six substantially rigid, adjustable length struts, wherein each of the struts are disposed substantially diagonally with respect to its adjacent struts, and the number of attachment structures on each plate being a multiple of  3 , whereby rotating the first fixation plate substantially  120  degrees from a starting position in a plane substantially parallel to another one of the fixation plates presents the same geometrical arrangement of attachment points as the geometrical arrangement of attachment points presented to the struts when the first fixation plate is in the starting position. 
     
     
       26. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 25 , further comprising an accessory adapted to be attached to one or more of the fixation plates. 
     
     
       27. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 25 , wherein the orthopaedic spatial fixation system is adapted to be positioned on a patient. 
     
     
       28. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 25 , wherein the struts comprise only six struts, a first end of each of the struts connected to one of the attachment structures on one of the fixation plates and a second end of each of the struts connected to one of the attachment structures on another one of the fixation plates, wherein the attachment structures connected to struts are each connected to two struts. 
     
     
       29. The orthopaedic spatial fixation system of  claim 25 , wherein a chord length between adjacent attachment structures is between about  0 . 48  inches and about  0 . 52  inches.