Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a receiver having a first channel for receiving a rod and a central bore with a seating surface adjacent a bottom opening with a first cut-out portion. The assembly also includes a bone anchor having an upper end portion pivotably engageable with the seating surface, an anchor portion opposite the upper end portion, and a neck extending between the upper end and anchor portions. The assembly further includes an insert positionable in the central bore with a second channel alignable with the first channel, a concave lower surface engageable with the upper end portion of the bone anchor, and a second cut-out portion alignable with the first cut-out portion. The neck and at least a portion of the upper end portion of the bone anchor are positionable into the first cut-out portion and the second cut-out portion, respectively, to provide for increased pivotal angulation of the bone anchor with respect to the receiver in the direction of the cut-out portions.

Abstract: A fail-safe release mechanism for use with patient positioning support apparati having a base structure and a patient support structure, to prevent collapse of the patient support structure during disconnection of the patient support structure from the base structure at outboard ends thereof.

Abstract: A method of assembling a pivotal bone anchor assembly includes positioning an insert and a two-part retainer into a central bore of a receiver having a seating surface proximate a bottom opening, a closure mating structure proximate a top opening, and integral engagement structures protruding inwardly between the closure mating structure and the seating surface. The insert includes an upper surface for engaging a rod and side surfaces engageable with the integral engagement structures to restrict motion of the insert with the central bore. The retainer includes two separable retainer parts together defining outer retainer surfaces engageable with the seating surface and inner retainer surfaces.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a receiver having a base defining a cavity for receiving the capture portion of a shank and a first pair of upright arms defining a first channel for receiving an elongate rod, and a pressure insert with a second pair of upright arms defining a second channel.

Abstract: A receiver assembly for securing an elongate rod to a bone anchor including a receiver and a threaded plug. The receiver including an upper portion defining a channel to receive the elongate rod, an interior surface having helically wound receiver thread, and an exterior surface having in some embodiments first and second horizontal curvate extending instrument engaging grooves. The threaded plug including a longitudinal axis, a lower surface having a protrusion, and an external side surface having a continuous helically wound closure thread to rotatably mate with the helically wound receiver thread. The continuous helically wound closure thread including a lower leading surface and an upper trailing surface, both in some embodiments extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a cylindrical outer crest surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. When the protrusion on the threaded plug engages the elongate rod, the threaded plug does not extend overtop a top surface of the receiver.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a pre-assembled receiver assembly and a bone anchor with a capture portion uploadable into the receiver assembly through a lower opening. The receiver assembly includes a receiver defining a channel for receiving a rod and an axial bore having a recess and a spherical seating surface above the lower opening. The receiver assembly also includes a retainer operable to capture the capture portion within the axial bore with the bone anchor extending downward through the lower opening, and a pressure insert having an upper surface operable to engage the elongate rod and a lower surface operable to engage the capture portion. The receiver assembly further includes a pair of opposed, semicircular-shaped shaped biasing members in overlapping engagement with the pressure insert and configured to bias the pressure insert against the capture portion to provide a pre-lock friction fit for the pivotal bone anchor assembly.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.

Abstract: A method of assembling a pivotal bone anchor assembly includes loading an insert into a central bore of a receiver, with the receiver having the central bore extending upward from a bottom opening to and through a first channel for receiving a rod, and the insert having an upper portion defining a second channel, opposite lateral protrusions extending outwardly in a direction transverse to the second channel, a lower collet portion, and a center opening. The method also includes positioning the insert into the central bore with the opposite lateral protrusions located adjacent to and above interference abutment surfaces formed into the central bore, and positioning a load ring within the center opening of the insert.

Abstract: A patient-positioning system and method of using same are provided. The patient-positioning system can be used to manipulate the patient prior to, during, and after surgery to globally or regionally articulate the patient's body to facilitate stabilization of the patient's spine, and the surgical methods using the patient-positioning system can be used in improving patient health outcomes.

Abstract: A surgical table for prone and lateral positioning of a patient, where the table includes a base and a patient support structure. The base may include a head and a foot end support structure. The patient support structure may include an upper body support structure cantilevered off of the head end support structure at a first end and a lower body support structure cantilevered off of the foot end support structure at a second end. The upper body support structure may include a chest pad. The lower body support structure may include a lower body translation and rotation structure and at least one pelvic pad supported thereon.

Abstract: A patient-positioning system, and surgical componentry are provided. The patient-positioning system can be used to manipulate the patient prior to, during, and after surgery to globally or regionally articulate the patient's body to facilitate stabilization of the patient's spine. And the surgical componentry can be used to locally articulate the patient's body and/or the stabilize patient's spine. Surgical methods of using the patient-positioning system, and the surgical componentry for improving patient health outcomes are also provided.

Abstract: A bone anchor assembly includes a bone anchor with a capture portion having a horizontal capture recess and an anchor portion opposite the capture portion, and a receiver with a central bore having a seat surface proximate a bottom opening and a channel for receiving a rod. The assembly also includes a ring retainer with a center aperture having a lower internal recess and an upper internal recess, an open sweep ring in the lower internal recess for sweeping the capture recess of bone debris when the capture portion is uploaded into the center aperture of the ring retainer, and an open capture ring in the upper internal recess for snapping into the swept capture recess of the bone anchor to capture and hold the capture portion of the bone anchor to the ring retainer. The ring retainer is positionable within the central bore of the receiver with its outer surface in frictional engagement with the seat surface to secure the captured bone anchor to the receiver.

Abstract: A patient support system includes independently adjustable end columns supporting a centrally hinged, jointed or breaking patient support structure. At least one column includes a powered rotation assembly. The patient support includes at least two sections. A coordinated drive system provides for both upwardly and downwardly breaking or jointed orientations of the two sections in various inclined and tilted positions. Cable, cantilevered and pull-rod systems are included.

Abstract: A receiver assembly includes a receiver having a first channel for receiving a rod and a central bore extending upward from a bottom opening through the first channel that includes a closure mating structure adjacent the top of the receiver, upper and lower grooves beneath the closure mating structure, and cylindrical engagement surfaces between the upper and lower grooves. The assembly also includes an insert having a second channel for receiving the rod and opposite side structures protruding laterally outward and spaced below the top of the insert. The insert is loadable into the receiver with the first and second channels misaligned, and then rotated into alignment with the opposite side structures also rotating into an overlapping arrangement within the upper groove.

Abstract: A pivotal hone screw assembly includes a shank having a capture portion and an anchor portion, and a receiver assembly in a pre-assembled configuration that includes a receiver, a retainer, and a separate pressure insert. The receiver has a central bore with a lower chamber, with the retainer being pre-assembled and contained within a wider portion of the lower chamber prior to uploading the capture portion of the hone anchor through a bottom opening, and with the insert being pre-assembled into the receiver above the retainer. The pre-assembled insert and retainer have an overlapping engagement with each other prior to and during the uploading of the capture portion through the bottom opening, with the retainer configured to expand to receive the capture portion and then to close around and retain the capture portion within the lower chamber while providing for pivotal motion of the shank relative to the receiver.

Abstract: A method of assembling a bone anchor assembly includes positioning either a rod-engaging insert or a capture portion-engaging retainer into the central bore of a receiver to form a pivoting or a non-pivoting receiver sub-assembly, respectively, with the receiver having a channel for receiving a rod and a central bore extending upwardly from a bottom opening through the channel to the top of the receiver.

Abstract: A surgical table for supporting a patient over a floor and including a base assembly, a support column assembly and a patient support structure. The base assembly supported on the floor and including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a member extending along a base longitudinal axis between the first and second ends. The support column assembly moveably coupled with the base assembly and configured to translate between the first and second ends of the base assembly along the member extending therebetween, the support column assembly being the only support column assembly coupled with the base assembly. The patient support structure including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends, the second end of the patient support structure supported off of the support column assembly in a cantilevered fashion.

Abstract: Open implant closure structures include a helically wound thread form having splay control surfaces with reverse angle and horizontal linear load flanks. The thread form includes a crest height slightly less than or equal to a base height and a thread depth substantially equal to the crest height for a stronger more balanced thread form.

Abstract: A method of assembling a pivotal bone screw assembly includes applying tooling to a receiver assembly comprising a receiver with a channel for receiving a rod and a cavity with an interior support surface adjacent a lower opening, a retaining structure located in the cavity and engageable with the interior support surface, and an insert held in a first position above the retaining structure via a first interference engagement between the insert and the receiver. The method further includes uploading a capture portion of a shank through the lower opening until the capture portion is captured by the retaining structure, and then directly contacting the insert with the tooling to drive the insert downward to a second position to establish a biased overlapping engagement between the outer surface of the insert and the interior surface in the receiver that inhibits the insert from moving back up within the receiver to the first position.

Abstract: A receiver assembly includes a receiver with a base defining a central bore for receiving the head of a bone anchor and upright arms defining a channel for receiving a rod, with the central bore having through apertures extending outwardly to outer side surfaces of the receiver and the upright arms having top surfaces, opposite front and back surfaces, vertical tool-engaging slots extending downward from the top surfaces to the through apertures for slidably receiving an insert compression tool, and horizontal tool-engaging grooves on either side of the vertical slots that extend laterally to a front or back surface of the upright arm. The assembly also includes an insert positionable within the central bore with an upward-facing outer engagement surface located within a through aperture and aligned with a vertical tool-engaging slot, and which is configured for compressive engagement by the insert compressing tool to independently lock a position of the receiver with respect to the bone anchor.