University of Kansas Technology Overview
Injuries and/or age-related conditions can result in separation of bone-ligament connections, requiring medical intervention to repair damaged ligaments and realign the bones into their normal positions. Surgery can reattach the ligament to the bone, but post-operative immobilization is necessary for optimal healing outcomes. Specifically, the bones must be immobilized relative to each other for the injury to heal properly. This Kansas researchers discovery is a compact anti-rotation device that can secure adjacent bones and/or bone portions in a manner that prevents or limits relative rotational movement. Accordingly, the compact anti-rotation device can help promote healing of reconnected bone portions by maintaining the bone portions substantially immobilized relative to each other.
The device is a kit comprised of a torsion bar and anchoring elements to be secured on opposing sides of the bone elements. The device has an anchor coupled to one end of the torsion bar and a second anchor coupled to the other end. If necessary, the anchors can be secured directly to the bone itself. Beneficially, insufficient anchoring of the torsion bar would lead to bending or twisting of the anchoring members relative to the torsion bar instead of torquing or twisting the torsion bar itself.
To use this product, an orthopedic surgeon would:
Position the first and second bone portions at desired locations;
Insert an elongated internal connector through the first and second bone portions; and
Insert the first and second anchors of the anti-rotation device.
Benefits
This device restricts bone portions from moving relative to each other, such that some slight movement is allowed but any major movement is prevented. In this way, healing time and outcomes are optimized.
A patient’s normal movements rotate the ligament and bone relative to each other.Therefore, the devices currently used to immobilize these normal movements experience torque from the patient’s movements. In some instances, these devices cannot fully absorb the force of the torque and, in response, permit movement of the patient’s newly repaired bone-ligament connection. It is precisely this major movement that interferes with proper healing or even provokes further injury.
Applications
Repair of tears of ligaments.
Any surgically repaired bone-ligament connection injuries that need to be post-surgically immobilized for optimal healing.
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