An arthroscopic surgical device for tunneling through hard tissue including an arcuate tunneling needle driver and a bone engagement element, the arcuate needle driver and the bone engagement element being joined together to provide a joined needle driver and bone engagement element having at least two different operative orientations including an arthroscopic operative orientation wherein the joined arcuate needle driver and bone engagement element has a trans-incision insertion cross-sectional footprint and a tunneling operative orientation suitable for tunneling, wherein the joined arcuate needle driver and bone engagement element has a tunneling cross-sectional footprint which is substantially greater than the insertion cross-sectional footprint.

The disclosure provides example methods, systems and apparatus for stabilization of a rib. An example method includes: (a) accessing a medullary canal of a rib having a fracture, (b) advancing a guidewire into the medullary canal across the fracture, (c) advancing a delivery catheter containing a stent over the guidewire into the medullary canal and across the fracture, (d) retracting the delivery catheter relative to the stent, and (e) expanding the stent in the medullary canal.

Disclosed herein is a steerable and curvable drill that can be used for various applications including vertebroplasty. The drill can include an elongate, tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central lumen extending therethrough; a deflectable zone on the distal end of the tubular body including one or more laser cuts, deflectable through an angular range; an insertable wire insertable into at least a portion of the central lumen of the elongate, tubular body; a handle on the proximal end of the tubular body; a deflection control on the handle; a drill control on the handle; a drive shaft within the elongate tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end; and a boring element on the distal end of the device for creating a cavity within bone. The boring element can be operably connected to the distal end of the drive shaft via a crimping mechanism. Systems and methods involving the drill are also disclosed.

A device comprises a base. A support is attached to the base. The support is shaped to receive a calf of a person and adapted to receive a wire or pin for securing a tibia of a person. A foot plate is attachable to the base. The foot plate has a plurality of attached members. The members are configured for receiving at least a first wire or pin to fix a foot of the person relative to the foot plate while the foot plate is oriented normal to a superior-inferior direction of the foot. The foot plate is rotatable relative to the base while the foot plate is attached to the base.

A device is disclosed that includes a bone stent positioned within a bony access channel formed within a vertebra. The bony access channel may extends from an outer end of the vertebra through an endplate. The device includes an end cap attached to a proximal end portion of the bone stent and is configured to, post-operatively, open to allow a reintroduction of a material to a spinal intradiscal space or intervertebral disc and to seal access to the spinal intradiscal space or the intervertebral disc after the reintroduction of the material.

Systems and methods for augmenting a vertebral body may include an optional access cannula, introducer device, and a stylet having a stylet shaft. The access cannula includes a hub portion and a cannula shaft extending from the cannula hub. The cannula shaft includes a distal end positionable within the vertebral body that defines a lumen along a longitudinal axis. The introducer device may be a telescoping or pivoting introducer device that is removably coupled to the hub portion of the access cannula. The introducer device controls the movement of the flexible distal portion of the stylet shaft and the flexible sheath from within the introducer device through the access cannula to within a target site in the vertebral body, wherein the flexible distal portion is moved from the constrained to the unconstrained state to displace cancellous bone within the target site.

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for attaching and supporting a bone suture. In particular, described herein are embodiments of implantable bracing apparatuses comprising one or more curved tubes configured to be implanted in one or more bone tunnels, and further configured to pass one or more sutures therethrough. Embodiments of methods of creating a bracing apparatus in situ by injecting a fluidic agent into a bone tunnel and inducing a phase transition are also described. Furthermore, described herein are embodiments of tunneling devices for creating a bone tunnel, which can be used with any of the bracing apparatuses described herein.

Systems and methods for augmenting a vertebral body. An introducer device includes a shaft having a flexible distal portion with a pre-set curve in an unconstrained state. An input provided to an actuator to tension a pulling element to move the pre-set curve to a constrained state in which the distal portion and a flexible sheath conforming to the shaft at least partially straighten. The introducer device is removable from the sheath remaining off-set from a longitudinal axis. A spacer hub facilitates proximal movement of the sheath relative to an access cannula expose a balloon through a syringe-style input. A hub of the access cannula may be adjustable to selectively adjust an interference surface relative to a datum. At least two radiopaque markers may be disposed on the sheath with relative positions between the markers viewable on lateral and A-P radiography to determine the location and/or curvature of the sheath.

The present disclosure illustrates an osteotome for treating hard tissue and methods of use. The osteotome embodiments described herein include a shaft with a working end configured to displace hard tissue and a lumen to deliver material through the shaft. The working end may create pathways by selectively transitioning from a linear to a non-linear configuration. The lumen may deliver material through the shaft while the working end is in a linear or a non-linear configuration allowing precise filling of the pathways.

A flexible elongate shaft assembly which includes an elongate flexible tube having at least one joint built into the elongate flexible tube, and the at least one joint comprised of at least one notch. Each notch includes a contact-aided compliant notch topology built into the elongate flexible shaft configured to cause each notch to mechanically interfere with itself and self-reinforce during bending of each notch resulting in an increase in stiffness of each notch to prevent buckling and plastic deformation of the elongate flexible shaft assembly, and assume a predetermined and designed bending shape of the elongate flexible shaft assembly. The flexible elongate shaft assembly is incorporated into a flexible articulate surgical tool that provides the needed stiffness in order to be able to manipulate tissue and bear loads in anatomically confined spaces. The surgical tool includes a clinician operated handle, the flexible elongated shaft assembly extending from the handle to a surgical tool with the flexible elongate tube having one or more joint sections located near the surgical tool. A flexible cable connects the handle to the surgical tool. The joint sections are configured so that when the clinician activates the surgical tool, a mechanical interference is generated in each of the notches and this mechanical interference not only increases stiffness throughout the articulation of the notch's range-of-motion but it also serves the dual purpose of controlling the bent “shape” of the flexible portion of the notch.