Abstract: A tubular interbody fusion device having flat upper and lower surfaces including multiple parallel ratcheted blade ridges having opposing orientations, concave exterior side walls, an interior axial bore having inwardly directed ratcheted ridges, and a plurality of through holes extending from the upper and lower surfaces into the interior bore, from the sides into the interior bore, and from the upper and lower surfaces through the side walls.

Abstract: A rod, screw, rod securing member, and staple assembly for use in conjunction with anterior or lateral spinal rod implant apparatus includes a vertebral body screw and rod coupling member which are loosely coupled by virtue of the head of the screw being held within a contractible volume in the base of the rod coupling member. The volume of the rod coupling member is contractible by virtue of a series of slots formed in the base, which also has a tapered exterior surface. The staple includes a flat portion which has a hole through it and several barbs extending downward from it for gripping the surface of the vertebral bone. The hole in the staple has a rim which is upwardly extending and a tapered interior side wall designed to engage the tapered exterior wall of the rod coupling member such that advancement of the staple relative to the coupling member causes the interior volume to compression lock to the head of the screw.

Abstract: A rod, screw, rod receiving member, and staple assembly for use in conjunction with anterior or lateral spinal rod implant apparatus includes a vertebral body screw, staple, and rod receiving member which are initially loosely coupled together such that they may each rotate about a common axis. They are held together by virtue of the head of the screw being held within a tapered axial bore of the rod receiving member and the staple being loosely mounted around the rod receiving member. The lower portion of the rod coupling member is expandable by virtue of a series of slots formed in its lower portion. The screw seats within the axial bore of the rod receiving member such that a rod inserted in the channel of the member seats on the head of the screw. With the rod coupling element and staple combination mounted to the screw, it is driven into the vertebral bone. The member is then rotated into position to receive the rod, which seats on the head of the screw.

Abstract: The present invention is an acetabular cup having at least one polyaxial locking screw for anchoring the cup in the desired bone site. The assembly includes an acetabular cup having at least one through hole having both threaded and tapered portions, into which holes a two-piece interlocking coupling element and a bone screw having a semi-spherical head may be inserted. The two-piece coupling element, including slideably joined socket and cap portions, is mounted about the semi-spherical head of the bone screw, which is inserted into the through hole and into the bone. The head of the screw is polyaxially mounted in the socket portions and as such may be inserted into the bone at a variety of angles. The socket portion of the coupling element has slots which permits crush locking of the head of the screw once the socket seats and is forceably driven into the tapered portion of the hole.

Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a screw having a curvate head, a two-piece interlocking coupling element which mounts about the curvate head, and a rod receiving cylindrical body member having a tapered socket into which both the screw and the interlocking coupling element are securely nested. The interlocking coupling element includes a socket portion which is slotted and tapered so that when it is radially compressed by being driven downwardly into the tapered socket in the cylindrical body it crush locks to the screw. The securing of the rod in the body member provides the necessary downward force onto the socket portion through a contact force on the top of the cap portion. Prior to the rod being inserted, therefore, the screw head remains polyaxially free with respect to the coupling element and the body.

Abstract: A curette having a variably angled handle includes a curette member which has a disc shaped end. The disc shaped end has a hole through its center and a series of discrete angular graduations on its edge. The disc shaped end is retained via a pin in a recess in the proximal end of a handle. The handle includes an axial bore through which a shaft extends into selective contact with the graduations on the disc shaped end of the curette member. The curette may be angularly positioned relative to the handle if the shaft is selectively disengaged from its contact with the graduations of the disc shaped end of the curette member, but not once the shaft has engaged the graduations. The shaft may be selectively engaged by a variety of different ways, including spring biasing, threading and having a selectively extendable handle.

Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a screw having a curvate head, a locking collar disposed therearound, and a coupling element having a tapered socket into which both the screw and the collar are securely nested. The locking collar is slotted and tapered, and has a semi-spherical interior volume into which the screw head is initially polyaxially held. The coupling element has an axial bore through which the screw and locking collar may be inserted, and a tapered bottom which provides a radially inward force on the locking collar when forces thereinto. This radially inward force causes the locking collar to crush lock against the head of the screw, therein locking the two at the instant angulation. In an initial disposition, however, the screw head remains polyaxially free with respect to the locking collar, and with the coupling element. The coupling element includes a transverse channel in which a rod may be disposed.

Abstract: A hook device for use with support rod implantation apparatus is disclosed which is positionable along the central axis of the posterior surface of the spine and has independently rotationally positionable blade and head portions. The head portion is engageable with a deflecting top cylindrical portion which sits above the lamina. The insertion, and subsequent locking of a rod in the rod receiving channel of the head portion causes the blade portion and the head portions to be compression locked together by virtue of an interference fit.

Abstract: A modular spinal plate assembly for use with modular polyaxial pedicle screw implant devices includes a track portion having a pair of parallel rails and a multiplicity of compressible coupling elements which are slideably mounted about the rails. The compressible coupling elements each have a through hole through which a post portion of a modular polyaxial screw may be mounted. In addition, the coupling elements include slots, oppositely oriented, on either side of the element, which slots may be compressed to effectuate the deflection and compaction of the coupling element when a compressive load is applied. This load is applied by a top locking nut being advanced along the post portion of the modular polyaxial pedicle screw, downwardly onto the coupling element. The subsequent compaction causes the coupling element to be compression locked to the rails, thereby becoming rigidly fixed at a specific position along the axial extent of the track element.

Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a screw having a curvate head, a cross bar mounting element having a socket into which the head of the screw is initially polyaxially nested. The cross bar mounting element further includes a vertical split which permits the socket to be expanded or compressed via the application of a corresponding force directed at the split. The cross bar mounting element further includes a pair of upwardly extending members which define a trough into which a cross bar element is positioned. The cross bar element includes features which permit the secure fixation of a rod thereto, as well as a selectively slideable element, such as a nut, which may be tightened to apply the compressive force necessary to compress the interior volume onto the head of the screw, thus locking the assembly in place.

Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a screw having a head, a tubular body having holes in the top, side and bottom thereof, and a rod coupling element. The head of the screw is disposed in the body with the shaft of the screw extending out the bottom hole, such that the body and the screw may initially rotate relative to one another. The rod coupling element has a ball shaped end which seats in the body with the remainder of the rod coupling element extending out of the side hole of the body, such that the rod coupling element and the body are initially polyaxially coupled relative to one another. The ball end of the rod coupling element is disposed on top of the head of the screw. A set screw is provided in the top of the body, the tightening of which causes the ball, head, and body to be crush locked together, thereby preventing further relative motion.

Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a hook or a screw having a recess which includes a lower portion and an upper portion, the up per portion is curvate. A rod receiving head having a channel formed therein, and a central bore which is curvately tapered at the inside bottom, and equivalently curvately tapered on the exterior surface, is polyaxially seated in the upper portion of the recess while a post element is inserted down through the head into the lower portion of the recess. The upper portion of the post is widened and curvate so that it seats in the curved lower interior of the bore of the head. The insertion of a rod into the head, onto the top of the post and the subsequent application of a downward force thereon by a nut causes the assembly to lock together, independent of the polyaxial angle of the head to the post and hook, or screw.

Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a screw having a bowl-shaped head and a coupling element. The coupling element has a rod receiving channel and an axial bore into which the head of the screw may be inserted. The interior surface of the bore is inwardly curvate at the lower end thereof to form a socket for polyaxially retaining the curvate head of the screw. In an initial position the screw head remains polyaxially free with respect to the coupling element. There is also a hemispherical insert which is seated on the top of the screw head, permitting it to rotate, but which may be compressed onto the head to permit the head of the screw to be locked in the bore. The rod is inserted into the channel and a top locking nut or set screw locks presses down on the rod and hemispherical insert to secure the assembly completely.

Abstract: The present invention is an acetabular cup having polyaxial locking screws for anchoring the cup in the desired bone site. The assembly includes an acetabular cup having axially tapered holes, into which holes coupling elements and bone screws may be inserted. The coupling elements each have an axial taper which matches the taper of the corresponding hole, and an interior semi-spherical concave surface in which the semi-spherical head of a corresponding bone screw may be polyaxially mounted. The bone screws are inserted through the holes until the coupling elements fully seat in the respective holes, thereby locking the screws in place and the coupling elements in the holes. In a preferred embodiment, the upper part of the holes further include annularly recessed channels in each of which a snap-ring is disposed. During the insertion of the bone screw, the advancing of the coupling element into the hole causes the snap-ring to expand.

Abstract: A modular polyaxial pedicle screw and orthopaedic rod implant device including same includes a shaft portion, a cuff, a stem portion, and a rod coupling sub-assembly. The shaft portion is designed to be inserted into the pedicle, has a hemispherical upper portion, and includes a second threading formed on the exterior surface adjacent to the hemispherical protuberance. The stem portion is a threaded post having an enlarged lower socket portion which includes a spherical recess formed at the base thereof, the recess being ideally suited to polyaxially rotate on the hemispherical upper portion of the shaft. The cuff is a cylindrical element designed to seat around the interface of the hemispherical portion of the shaft and the lower socket portion of the stem, initially so that the stem and shaft may polyaxially rotate relative to one another, and subsequently to hold the stem and shaft in final securement.

Abstract: The present invention is a selectively expandable bone fixation screw-sleeve device which provides substantially greater holding strength in human bone than other bone screw devices. The sleeve element of this invention includes several embodiments, each having at least one corresponding screw element for selectively expanding a portion of the sleeve once it has been inserted into the bone. More specifically, in several embodiments, the sleeve includes a series of vertical slots in the end, or ends, of the cylindrical body of the sleeve. The slots define, therebetween, sections which are contiguous with the remainder of the cylindrical body, and which may rotate radially outward. In these embodiments, the sections are designed having a varying thickness, for example a single or double wedge profile, such that the insertion of the screw element into the sleeve deforms the shape of the sleeve by causing the sections to flair outward.

Abstract: A variable length cross-link device for use with orthopaedic dual rod apparatuses includes a pair of elongate elements, each having a first end which mates with a rod or pedicle screw. The first element has a second end which is narrow and extending. The second element has a second end which is wide and extending, and includes a through hole. The invention further includes a post having an upper threaded portion mounted through the hole in the second element, and a passageway in the lower portion for receiving the second end of the first element. A nut is provided onto the post. Prior to tightening of the nut, the first element is slidable relative to the post and the second element, and the post element has rotational freedom within the through hole such that the first and second elements may be angulated relative to one another. Once the nut is tightened, the first and second elements are compressibly engaged, thereby crush locking the elements together.

Abstract: A compression locking variable length cross-link device having modular components, including rod and/or pedicle screw coupling elements each having a hole which may be disposed co-linearly with respect to other such holes in opposing elements such that a threaded hinge-post may be inserted therein. A nut is utilized to compress the elements together to rigidly secure the elements once they have been properly positioned relative to one another. In an additional set of embodiments, a linkage member having an elongate hole therein may be used to couple similar elements thereto in a similar flexible hinge-post manner such that the elements may be coupled to the linkage member instead of to the opposing elements directly.

Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a screw having a curvate head, a locking collar disposed therearound, and a receiving member having a linearly tapered tapered socket in which the screw and the collar are nested. The locking collar is slotted and tapered, and has a semi-spherical interior volume into which the screw head is initially polyaxially held. The receiving member has a transverse channel formed in it for receiving a rod, and an axial bore having a linearly tapered chamber in the bottom portion thereof. The collar is inserted down the bore from the top to seat in the chamber, and the screw is subsequently inserted up through the bottom of the bore and into the collar. The linear taper of the chamber provides a radially inward force on the locking collar when the collar is forced downward therein. This radially inward force causes the locking collar to crush lock against the head of the screw, therein locking the two at the given angulation.

Abstract: A hook and rod apparatus for implantation and fixation to the centerline of the spine, wherein the rod provides for immobilization of the spine via its inherent rigidity. The hook elements are designed to be mounted at the arched portion of the lamina. In a first plow shaped variation, the blade portion of the hook is an arched surface which seats under the arched surface of the lamina. In a second claw shaped variation, the blade portion includes a bifurcated conformation having a pair of offset flat extending members which are offset so as to seat under the angled portions of the lamina which are directly laterally disposed relative to the arched center of the lamina. The rod coupling features of the hooks may further be polyaxial by virtue of separate coupling elements which may be mounted to the blade portion, for example on a semi-spherical head portion thereof.