MINIMALLY INVASIVE ENDOSCOPIC SYSTEMS FOR PLACING INTRAMEDULLARY NAILS AND METHODS THEREFOR

摘要

A system for percutaneously placing intramedullary nails includes a guide wire (20) percutaneously insertable into tissue (T) for forming an opening in the tissue and engaging a cortex of a bone (FB), at least one tissue dilator (40A) slideable over an outer surface of the guide wire (20) for widening the tissue opening formed by said guide wire, and a cannula (60) slideable over an outer surface of said at least one tissue dilator (40A) for further widening the tissue opening and providing access to the cortex of the bone. The cannula (60) has an outer wall (66) extending between proximal and distal ends thereof, the outer wall having a smaller portion including a door (76) that extends between the proximal end distal ends of the cannula and a larger portion that bounds the door. The door (76) is selectively detachable from the larger portion of the outer wall (66) for opening an elongated slot (74) in the outer wall that extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the cannula.