To replace costal cartilage that has been surgically removed, a surgeon can implant a flexible element to connect a rib to the sternum. In some examples, the flexible element can be formed from a material having a selected durometer (e.g., a measure of material stiffness or hardness), and can be shaped to have a selected geometry (e.g., cross-sectional size and shape), to match the flexibility (e.g. resistance to bending) of the natural costal cartilage. The flexible element can connect to the rib via a rib bracket, which can be rigid, and can attach to a sternal end of the rib via one or more fasteners. The flexible element can connect to the sternum via a sternum bracket, which can also be rigid, and can also attach to the sternum via one or more fasteners. The fasteners can be screws, nails, staples, or others.

Disclosed herein is an implant for bone fixation comprising an elongated member configured to be wound around bone parts that are to be fixed, an engagement member coupled to the elongated member and configured to engage a portion of the elongated member so as to secure the implant in a loop around the bone parts, and a fastening member arranged between and coupled to the elongated member and the engagement member. The fastening member comprises at least two separate pieces each comprising one opening for receiving a bone fastener, wherein the separate pieces are coupled to each other by a material having a lower material strength than a material from which the separate pieces are made.

A system including a bone punch tool and a needle guide. The bone punch tool can include a support arm having a support arm proximal portion and a support arm distal portion, a pivot arm having a pivot arm proximal portion and a pivot arm distal portion, and an arcuate punch configured to punch through bone. The pivot arm distal portion can be pivotably coupled to the support arm distal portion, such that the pivot arm proximal portion is configured to be moved away from the support arm proximal portion to extend the arcuate punch into a punch position to punch an arcuate hole through bone. The needle guide can be configured to guide a needle through the arcuate hole.

An implant for bone fixation is presented. The implant comprises an elongated member configured to be wound around bone parts that are to be fixed. Further, an engagement feature is provided that is coupled to the elongated member and configured to engage a portion of the elongated member so as to secure the implant in a loop around the bone parts. A fastening member is arranged between and coupled to the elongated member and the engagement member. The fastening member comprises at least one opening for receiving a bone fastener. In one variant, at least one visual indicator indicating a region of the fastening member to be severed in order to detach the implant is provided. In another variant, at least one of the engagement member and the elongated member are coupled to the fastening member by injection molding.

A fixation assembly for securing parts of a sternum has a first section having a first attachment structure for securing the first section to a first sternum part. The fixation assembly includes a second section having a second attachment structure for securing the second section to a second sternum part. A mating arrangement is provided defining a mating direction and a predetermined relative position between the first and second sections in a plane perpendicular to the mating direction. At least one holding member is provided for detachably holding the first and second sections in an abutting relationship in the predetermined relative position. This may be achieved in one variant by simultaneous engagement of the first and second sections substantially along the mating direction.

Cable and crimp assembly kits for fixing bone fractures include long-nose crimp pliers that have a pair of operating handles and connected opposed long jaws. The long jaws are designed to hold and crush a wire crimp. The jaws are long and narrow enough to be able to insert and crush a crimp through a small incision, such as used by a known wire passer tool, at a deeply located bone without spreading or opening wider the small incision. The long-nosed pliers can be used with a crimp alone or with a crimp and an intermediate part that provisionally holds a tension applied to an associated cable or wire.

An implant is provided that is operable to be disposed between and fuse two sections of a bone. The implant includes a material that is operable to abut against the two sections of the bone. The material is porous and/or fibrous and is operable to receive at least one cellular growth factor.

A system for repairing separated body tissues includes a tensioning device comprising two proximal handles for grasping, a pair of movable distal tensioning tips, a pivot between the proximal handle and distal tensioning tips, and suture holding clamps proximal to the tensioning tips. The tensioning device is used in conjunction with a buckle with lock bars and a tensioning tab for securing and tensioning suture. The tensioning tab is provided to secure the lock bar in its first position until tension on the suture exceeds a predetermined level.

An apparatus and technique for infernally securing a plurality of bone segments together. The device incorporates a plate-like structure stabilizing the fracture and integrated fasteners to attach straps circumscribing the bone segments.

A plating system is described that uses various configurations of bone fixation implants that are configured to attach to one or more portions of a bone. An exemplary bone fixation implant includes a two-dimensional structure comprising a bone-engaging surface and a tissue-engaging surface. A plurality of openings is defined in the two-dimensional structure, and arranged across a length and a width of the bone fixation implant. At least some of openings are configured to receive an attachment member for securing the bone fixation implant to an underlying bone structure. The tissue-engaging surface is configured to engage an overlying tissue structure for encouraging incorporation of the tissue structure into the bone fixation implant to promote stabilization of the underlying bone structure during healing. In certain embodiments, at least 50% of the area defined by and/or between the length and the width of the two-dimensional structure is an opening.