the present invention relates to an apparatus and surgical methods for repair of toe deformities using a bioabsorbable pin by arthroplasty or fusion of proximal , middle and distal phalanx of the toe . the term “ bioabsorbable ,” as used herein , refers to materials which are absorbed by the body ( human or animal ) after chemical degradation , thus removing the need to surgically remove them from the body . such materials include poly ( p - dioxanone ), polylactide ( pla ), poly l - lactide ( plla ), polyglycolic acid ( pga ), polyglycolides , polycaprolactone , polyhydroxybutyrate ( phb ), poly ( orthoesters ) and trimethylene carbonate polymer and the like , as well as copolymers , mixtures and / or blends of the same . the bioabsorbable materials may exhibit favorable degradation characteristics which ensure a high time zero strength that is maintained during the critical 12 - week healing stage . referring to fig1 a , the present invention is carried out using a pin 100 having dimensions of 2 . 0 mm × 100 mm , for example , a predrill 200 , a bone tamp 300 , a cutter ( not shown ) and a forceps ( not shown ). the cutter may preferably be a ar - 4160hc hot loop cutter , and the forceps may preferably be a ar - 1367f bone cutting forceps , sold by arthrex , inc . of naples , fla . referring to fig1 b , the pin 100 has a proximal portion 103 and a distal portion 102 . the proximal portion 103 of the pin 100 is made of a bioabsorbable material . the distal portion 102 of the pin 100 is made of a material capable of penetrating bone , for example , metal and the distal portion 102 may be removed once the pin 100 is in place in a body ( human / animal ). the distal portion 102 of the pin 100 is preferably about 25 mm long and is graduated with laser markings , preferably every 5 mm , to aid in measuring the drilling depth . the proximal portion 103 has a v - shaped notch 104 , which allows the proximal portion 103 of the pin 100 to separate from the distal portion 102 . the distal and proximal portions 102 , 103 preferably have uniform cross sections along their lengths and are connected to each other by screws or any other securing means known in the art . a trocar tip 101 , i . e ., a three - sided tip with a long bevel , is attached to a distal end of the distal portion 102 of the pin 100 . the trocar tip 101 is preferably made of a material such as stainless steel , titanium , cobalt - chromium - molybdenum , implant grade metal alloys , zirconia , aluminum oxide , carbon / carbon composites or the like . the trocar tip 101 is preferably fixed to the distal end of the distal portion 102 of the pin 100 by screws or any other securing means known in the art . by using a standard quick connect pin driver 105 ( fig2 a ), the surgeon can drill and place the pin 100 in one step . the proximal portion 103 of the pin 100 is seated in the pin driver 105 ( fig2 a ) during the drilling phase . the distal portion 102 is drilled past the far cortex and cut off with the bone cutting forceps or hot loop cutter . in cases with hard bone stock , a metal “ predrill ” pin k - wire is used to create a pilot hole . the graduated bone tamp is used to countersink the pin below the skin and bone surface . fig2 a - 2h show the surgical procedure for one type of bunionectomy . an incision is made over a first metatarsal phalangeal ( mtp ) joint and the soft tissues are released . the bump of the bone , i . e ., the bunion , is removed from the side of the first metatarsal head . referring to fig2 a , using a predrill 200 , a pilot hole is created by drilling to a laser line in the first metatarsal by drilling below a dorsal medial surface of the first metatarsal head and directing it at a lateral and plantar declination of about 25 degrees . a proximal portion of a first pin 100 is seated in the pin driver 105 . the first pin 100 is seated in the pin driver 105 about 1 cm past the trocar tip of the first pin 100 , as shown in fig2 b . the pin driver 105 should accept a pin , preferably a 2 mm pin . a “ jacobs chuck ” connection should not be used . referring to fig2 c - 2d , the first pin 100 is advanced gradually , carefully reseating the first pin 100 in the pin driver 105 as the first pin 100 advances through the bone . the weight of the pin driver 105 is used to slowly advance the first pin 100 toward a long axis of the first metatarsal shaft and inferior and distal portion of the first metatarsal . the first pin 100 is advanced through the plantar soft tissues and the proximal portion of the first pin is cut with a cutter , as shown in fig2 e . alternatively , the trocar tip 101 is advanced past the plantar cortex and the distal portion of the pin is cut using either a bone - cutting forceps or a cutter 500 , as shown in fig2 f . referring to fig2 g , the first pin 100 is drilled retrograde until it rests flush with the plantar cortex of the metatarsal head . the proximal portion of the first pin 100 is cut flush with a bone - cutting forceps or a cutter 500 . to improve the stability of the construct , a second pin 100 a is placed perpendicular to the first pin 100 , as shown in fig2 h , by drilling the second pin 100 a in a plantar to dorsal direction from a lateral and distal portion of the first metatarsal . the exit wound is sutured at the mtp joint . in yet another surgical procedure for bunionectomy , an incision , for example , a v - cut , is made over a first metatarsal phalangeal ( mtp ) joint in a lateral plane , the distal end of the incision preferably being about 5 mm from the articular surface , with the dorsal arm being longer than the plantar arm . the angle of the v - cut is preferably about 35 degrees to about 60 degrees . the bump of the bone , i . e ., the bunion , is removed from the side of the first metatarsal head . a pilot hole is created in the first metatarsal in a medial to lateral direction using a predrill . a proximal portion of a pin is seated in a pin driver . the pin is driven through the pilot hole until a distal portion of the pin exits just past the plantar cortex . the distal portion of the pin is cut flush to the bone using a cutter . the pin is drilled retrograde until the pin rests flush with the plantar cortex of the first metatarsal head . the proximal portion of the pin is cut flush with a cutter . the exit wound is sutured at the mtp joint . fig3 a - 3f show a surgical procedure for proximal interphalangeal joint resection . referring to fig3 a , after resecting the joint with an oscillating saw or rongeur , a proximal portion 103 ( fig1 b ) of a pin 100 is seated in a pin driver 105 , no further than 1 cm past the back of the trocar tip 101 . the pin 100 is gradually advanced through the proximal phalanx 301 . the pin driver 105 is advanced slowly , reseating the pin 100 every 10 - 15 mm . the depth of the hole created by the pin 100 is measured using a distal portion 102 ( fig1 b ) of the pin 100 . the pin 100 is advanced in the proximal phalanx 301 stopping just prior to a proximal cortical wall 301 a , as shown in fig3 b . the pin 100 is removed from the proximal phalanx 301 . a hole is drilled in a middle phalanx / phalange 302 ( fig3 c ) until the pin 100 meets with resistance at a dip cortex . the depth of the drilled hole is measured in the middle phalanx 302 ( fig3 c ) using the distal portion 102 ( fig1 b ) of the pin 100 . the pin 100 is removed from the middle phalanx 302 ( fig3 c ). the length of the proximal portion 103 ( fig1 b ) of the pin 100 is set to be the sum of the values of the proximal phalanx depth and the middle phalanx depth and the distal portion 102 ( fig1 b ) is cut off . the pin 100 is placed in the proximal and middle phalanxes 301 , 302 ( fig3 a , 3c ) to join the phalanxes . the exit wound is sutured at the pip joint . in yet another surgical procedure for proximal interphalangeal joint , a hole is drilled in the proximal phalanx 301 using the pin driver 105 , as explained above . referring to fig3 c , with the pin 100 still seated in the pin driver 105 , the tip of the toe is drilled through the middle and distal phalanxes / phalanges 302 , 303 . the distal portion of the pin 100 should be exposed by at least 15 mm . without removing the pin 100 from the toe , the pin length from the notch away from the trocar tip is measured using a ruler and the excess portion of the pin is cut off with a cutter . the pin 100 is reversed in the pin driver 105 and the trocar tip 101 ( fig1 b ) is seated inside the pin driver 105 . the pin 100 is gradually drilled retrograde with the proximal portion of the pin 100 traversing the distal , middle and proximal phalanges 301 , 302 , 303 , as shown in fig3 d . once the pin 100 meets resistance at the junction of the proximal cortex , the pin 100 is retracted distally 5 mm , as shown in fig3 e . the pin 100 is clamped using forceps at the junction of the proximal and middle phalanxes / phalanges 301 , 302 . the pin 100 is cut flush with a hot - loop cutter 304 or bone - cutting forceps ( not shown ). finally , a tamp 400 is used to countersink the pin 100 below the surface 304 of the skin , as shown in fig3 f . the exit wound is sutured at the tip of the toe and at the pip joint . fig4 a - 4f show yet another surgical procedure for proximal interphalangeal joint resection . after resecting the joint with an oscillating saw or rongeur , a proximal portion 103 ( fig1 b ) of a pin 100 is seated in a pin driver 105 , no further than 1 cm past the back of the trocar tip 101 . referring to fig4 a , the pin 100 is gradually advanced through the proximal phalanx 301 . the pin driver 105 is advanced slowly , reseating the pin 100 every 10 - 15 mm . the depth of the hole created by the pin 100 is measured using laser markings provided on a distal portion 102 ( fig1 b ) of the pin 100 . the pin 100 is advanced in the proximal phalanx 301 stopping just prior to a proximal cortical wall 301 a the pin 100 is removed from the proximal phalanx 301 . referring to fig4 b , a hole is drilled in a middle phalanx / phalange 302 but not through the dip joint 302 a . the depth of the drilled hole is measured in the middle phalanx 302 using the distal portion 102 ( fig1 b ) of the pin 100 . the length of the middle phalanx is set to the value of the measured depth . subsequent to recording the middle phalangeal depth , the pin 100 is drilled through the distal phalanx / phalange 303 , leaving the v - shaped notch 104 on the proximal portion exposed between the pip joint , as shown in fig4 c . without removing the pin 100 from the toe , the pin length away from the v - shaped notch 104 is measured using a ruler 401 and is set to the sum of the lengths of the proximal and middle phalanxes / phalanges 301 , 302 . referring to fig4 d , the excess portion of the pin &# 39 ; s proximal portion 103 is cut off with a cutter 402 leaving a tapered end for easy insertion in the proximal phalanx / phalange 301 . the tapered end of the proximal portion 103 is placed in the proximal phalange 301 . referring to fig4 e , the pin 100 in the pin driver is reversed , and the trocar tip 101 is seated inside the pin driver 105 . the pin is driven distal to proximal , traversing the distal , middle and proximal phalanxes / phalanges 301 , 302 , 303 , until the pin stops advancing due to resistance at the junction of the proximal cortex . the v - shaped notch 104 must be just proximal to the dip joint . the pin 100 is firmly held at the pip joint using a forceps 403 , as shown in fig4 f . the pin driver 105 , with the distal portion engaged in the driver , is powered but not substantially advanced to automatically separate the pin 100 at the v - shaped notch 104 . the pin driver 105 with the pin &# 39 ; s separated portion is retracted from the distal phalanx / phalange 303 . the toe is bent to its normal anatomic position and the exit wound is sutured at the pip joint . while the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications , it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto . those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications , applications , embodiments and substitution of equivalents all fall within the scope of the invention .
methods and apparatus for repair of toe deformities using a bioabsorbable pin . the apparatus is a kit of part comprising a bioabsorbable pin , a predrill , a bone tamp , a cutter and a forceps . one surgical method of repairing toe deformities includes resecting a proximal interphalangeal joint , drilling a hole in a proximal phalanx using a proximal portion of a pin , removing the pin from the proximal phalanx , drilling a tip of a toe through middle and distal phalanxes , driving the pin retrograde and traversing the distal , middle and proximal phalanxes until the pin stops advancing due to resistance at a proximal cortex , holding the pin and powering a pin driver to separate a distal portion of the pin , and suturing the wound .