Abstract: A pedicle-screw assembly has a screw extending along an axis and having a threaded shaft and a round head, an inner cap part carried on the head and swivelable on the head, and an outer cap part forming with the inner cap part a seat adapted to hold an end of a distraction/stabilizing rod. The outer cap part has formations engageable in a snap fit over the inner cap part, and an element on the outer cap part can be tightened to fix the rod in the seat. The screw head has an inner region with a part-spherical outer surface and an end face lying on a plane substantially perpendicular to the screw axis. The head is formed on the end face with a central part-spherical bump centered on the axis. In addition the outer cap part is generally U-shaped and formed with a base forming the seat and carrying the fixing means and a pair of legs projecting parallel to the axis, flanking the cap inner part, and having ends engaged around sides of the cap inner part.

Abstract: The implant includes of two end implant parts (1, 2) for positioning on the adjacent vertebrae and a center implant part (3) arranged therebetween, which is connected by a thread (4) with one of the end implant parts, whereby by turning the center implant part (3) the length of the implant can be altogether changed. The end implant parts (1, 2) form tubular sleeves (5', 5") with sleeve walls perforated by openings (6) and interengage axially with their sleeves (5', 5"), whereby they are guided on the sleeve walls to be axially slidable with respect to each other, as well as secured against mutual pivoting about the sleeve axis. The thread (4) is provided between the center implant part (3) and the end implant part (1) connected therewith by the thread and the center implant part (3) pivotable in the thread (4) is designed as an axial stop for the other end implant part (2).

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner having a motor casing (G), optionally having a connected filter chamber, and an appliance stem (St), it being possible to plug the appliance stem (St) into a plug receptacle (21) close to the motor casing (G), and a power switch (24), which is arranged in the motor casing (G), being actuated on plugging in the appliance stem (St). In order to improve such a vacuum cleaner with regard to the switching-over of the motor-casing-side power switch effected by the appliance stem, the power switch (24), which is formed as a sliding switch, has a remote-actuation extension (48), which is acted on by plugging in the appliance stem (St) with simultaneous actuation of the power switch (24).

Abstract: A spinal implant for engagement in a space left by ablation of a vertebral body between a pair of adjacent vertebrae has a tubular center element extending along an axis and a pair of end elements. The center element is formed with upper and lower screwthreads of opposite hand and with a plurality of radially throughgoing apertures. The upper and lower tubular end elements are each formed with a plurality of radially throughgoing apertures, each have a circular-section inner end threaded onto a respective one of the screwthreads, and each have an outer end adapted to bear on a respective one of the adjacent vertebrae.