Abstract: An instrument and method for cutting a pair of bridges connecting opposing extended tabs of a spinal bone anchor yoke receiver. The instrument includes a pair of opposing movable handles pivotally coupled to each other and a pair of opposing movable legs respectively at the distal end of the handles, each leg supporting a cutting blade facing the other cutting blade. A pair of anvil surfaces is disposed between the cutting blades and spaced therefrom for receipt of a respective bridge. Movement of the handles causes each cutting blade to move toward an anvil surface and compress a respective bridge between a respective cutting blade and an anvil surface until each bridge is severed. The method includes attaching the instrument to at least one of the extended tabs, cutting the bridges, and manipulating the instrument back and forth to remove the one extended tab from the yoke receiver.

Abstract: An inserter for attaching a modular yoke to a bone screw and for providing an indication of attachment, comprises a tubular body having a central lumen, distal and proximal ends, and an attachment portion for releasable attachment to a yoke having a bottom opening for receipt of a head of said bone screw. The inserter includes an inner shaft having a distal end configured to be received into the yoke, the shaft being axially movable within the lumen from first to second axial positions in response to the introduction of the bone screw head into the yoke bottom opening. An indicator button supported by the body is movable in response to axial movement of the shaft from a first indicator position indicating the first axial position of the shaft relative to the body to a second indicator position indicating the second axial position of the shaft relative to the body.

Abstract: An inserter for attaching a modular yoke to a bone screw and for providing an indication of attachment, comprises a tubular body having a central lumen, distal and proximal ends, and an attachment portion for releasable attachment to a yoke having a bottom opening for receipt of a head of said bone screw. The inserter includes an inner shaft having a distal end configured to be received into the yoke, the shaft being axially movable within the lumen from first to second axial positions in response to the introduction of the bone screw head into the yoke bottom opening. An indicator button supported by the body is movable in response to axial movement of the shaft from a first indicator position indicating the first axial position of the shaft relative to the body to a second indicator position indicating the second axial position of the shaft relative to the body.

Abstract: An inserter for attaching a modular yoke to a bone screw and for providing an indication of attachment, comprises a tubular body having a central lumen, distal and proximal ends, and an attachment portion for releasable attachment to a yoke having a bottom opening for receipt of a head of said bone screw. The inserter includes an inner shaft having a distal end configured to be received into the yoke, the shaft being axially movable within the lumen from first to second axial positions in response to the introduction of the bone screw head into the yoke bottom opening. An indicator button supported by the body is movable in response to axial movement of the shaft from a first indicator position indicating the first axial position of the shaft relative to the body to a second indicator position indicating the second axial position of the shaft relative to the body.

Abstract: An inserter for attaching a modular yoke to a bone screw and for providing an indication of attachment, comprises a tubular body having a central lumen, distal and proximal ends, and an attachment portion for releasable attachment to a yoke having a bottom opening for receipt of a head of said bone screw. The inserter includes an inner shaft having a distal end configured to be received into the yoke, the shaft being axially movable within the lumen from first to second axial positions in response to the introduction of the bone screw head into the yoke bottom opening. An indicator button supported by the body is movable in response to axial movement of the shaft from a first indicator position indicating the first axial position of the shaft relative to the body to a second indicator position indicating the second axial position of the shaft relative to the body.

Abstract: A method according to a first aspect may include performing a first analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion using an A/D converter. Data associated with this first A/D conversion may be read using a processor. A command may then be issued from a processor when the reading of the data has started. This command may instruct the A/D converter to perform a second A/D conversion. This data may then be stored in a data structure located within a memory device while the A/D converter is performing the second A/D conversion. In addition to performing such pipelined A/D conversions, the present invention may include a system, method and software for filtering out noise in a voltage measurement after the voltage measurement has been converted to a digital signal by omitting the highest and lowest voltage values and averaging the remainder of the voltage values, thereby reducing noise in the voltage measurements.