Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly for securing an elongate rod to patient bone includes a shank having a head and an anchor portion, a receiver having an axial bore and a channel for receiving the elongate rod, a collet insert top loaded into a first position within the axial bore and having a collet pocket for receiving the shank head, and a pressure ring uploadable into the collet pocket prior to the shank head and having an upper surface for engaging the rod. After receiving the shank head within the collet pocket, the collet insert and pressure ring are downwardly deployable with the shank head into a second position to capture the shank head in the assembly, the pressure ring being operable to transfer pressure from the elongate rod in the channel to the shank head to lock an angular position of the shank relative to the receiver.

Abstract: A pivotal spinal fixation system includes bone anchors comprising capture portions having a partial spherical shape with flat side surfaces, multi-planar receivers with continuous interior circumferential engagement surfaces proximate their bottom openings, and uni-planar receivers with non-continuous interior circumferential engagement surface proximate their bottom openings. The system also includes circular retainers, each having a non-continuous outer circumferential surface configured for non-pivotal engagement with the interior circumferential engagement surfaces of both the multi-planar receivers and the uni-planar receivers, and an inner surface configured to expand and contract around the capture portion and flat side surfaces of a bone anchor so as to capture the bone anchor within a multi-planar or uni-planar receiver.

Abstract: Open implant closure structures include a helically wound guide and advancement flange form having splay control surfaces. Multi-start closures and closures with inner set screws have splay control contours for interlocking with cooperating flange forms of bone anchor receivers. Flange form heights, thicknesses and other geometry, such as splay control ramp angle may be varied.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a receiver comprising a base defining a central opening and upright arms defining an open channel for receiving a rod and including tool engaging structures for releasable overlapping engagement with an insert compressing tool. The assembly further includes a bone anchor comprising a capture head pivotably positionable within the central opening of the base and an anchor portion for fixation to the bone, and a compression insert positionable within the central opening above the capture head and comprising an upper surface engageable with the rod, a center through-bore, and upward-facing tool engagement surfaces located radially outward from the center through-bore.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a shank with a head, an anchor portion, and a neck extending between the head and the anchor portion, and a receiver with upright arms defining a channel for receiving a rod and a central bore extending downward to a lower portion of the receiver. The assembly also includes a retaining structure rotatably coupled with the receiver with an internal seating structure pivotally supporting the head while providing for independent rotation of the shank prior to locking the assembly with the rod and a closure.

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 receiver of a bone anchor includes a base and a pair of upright arms extending upward from the base to define an open channel for receiving an elongate rod, with the upright arms having opposed interior surfaces with a discontinuous guide and advancement structure formed therein and side outer faces opposite the opposed interior surfaces extending downward across the base to a bottom of the receiver. A horizontally-elongated upper tool engaging groove is formed into the side outer face of each upright arm that extends to at least a front face or back face of the upright arm and that includes a downwardly-facing upper surface, an upwardly-facing lower surface, and an outwardly-facing inner surface. A vertical tool-engaging groove is also formed into the side outer face of each upright arm that extends downward from a top surface of the upright arm through to a level below the lower surface of the upper tool engaging groove.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a receiver comprising a base defining a lower portion of a central bore, a pair of receiver arms extending upward from the base to define a first channel, and a non-threaded curvate tool engagement groove extending horizontally across an outward facing surface of each receiver arm. The assembly also includes a shank comprising an anchor portion and a partially spherical-shaped head configured for positioning into the lower portion of the central bore. The assembly further includes an insert configured for positioning into the central bore above the head of the shank and having a lower body with partially-cylindrical outer surfaces and a pair of insert arms extending upward from the lower body to define a second channel alignable with the first channel and configured to receive the elongate rod, with each of the insert arms having a flared-out upper portion.

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: The disclosure describes systems and methods for implanting bone screws and a rod for spinal surgery. In one embodiment, a system may include a guide tool having an elongate body that includes a proximal end, a distal end, a channel extending longitudinally between the proximal end and the distal end and having a channel opening at the proximal end thereof. The elongate body may include an engagement structure having first and second projections disposed at the distal end. The system may also include a bone screw assembly including first and second tool engagement structures disposed thereon. Each of the first and second projections is sized and shaped to be received in a corresponding one of the first and second tool engagement structures of the bone screw assembly, for releasable attachment thereto. A method utilizing the system allows a surgeon to percutaneously implant bone screws and the rod in the patient.

Abstract: A medical implant assembly including a receiver and a fastener. The receiver having helically wound thread extending up to a top surface thereof. The fastener having an axis of rotation and a continuously helically wound thread form. The continuously helically wound thread form having a start structure and an upper loading surface extending between a root and a crest of the continuously helically wound thread form. The start structure having a leading face extending below the upper loading surface. The leading face including a partial curvate surface extending between the root and the crest. The start structure being configured as a single lead start structure and a dual lead start structure.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a bone anchor having a capture portion with a frusto-conical outer surface and a horizontal capture recess extending circumferentially around a mid-portion thereof, a receiver having a central bore with a seating surface proximate a bottom opening, and a ring retainer having a retainer aperture with an inner surface that is slidably engageable with the frusto-conical outer surface of the capture structure and a retainer aperture recess extending circumferentially into the inner surface. The assembly further includes a snap ring positionable within the retainer aperture recess with a snap ring aperture smaller than the retainer aperture.

Abstract: A surgery table includes a patient support structure coupled to a connection assembly and a base structure coupled to the connection assembly. The connection assembly includes an arm and a locking member that engages the arm. The arm includes spaced apart first and second apertures. The locking member includes spaced apart first and second bores. A first key member and a second key member are included.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a receiver with an axial bore communicating with a bottom of the receiver through a bottom opening, a circumferential locking groove adjacent the bottom opening, a circumferential expansion groove above the locking groove with a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the locking groove, and a transition surface between the locking groove and the expansion groove. The assembly also includes an insert uploadable through the bottom opening, an open retainer ring uploadable through the bottom opening after the insert and positionable within the locking groove, and a shank having a shank head.

Abstract: A cannulated pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a shank having an anchor portion, a capture portion with a central drive structure surrounded by an upward-facing planar surface, and an axial bore extending entirely through the shank from a top of the capture portion to a bottom of the anchor portion. The cannulated pivotal bone anchor assembly also includes a head member having an internal cavity for receiving the capture portion and a channel for receiving an elongate rod and a closure top. After the shank and head member are coupled together, the cannulated pivotal bone anchor assembly is insertable along a guide wire positioned in the axial bore of the shank and implantable into a bone of a patient as a fully assembled unit, with only the elongate rod and the closure top remaining to be positioned into the channel.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a bone screw comprising a screw head and an anchor portion, and a receiver comprising a base defining a central bore and an upper portion defining a first channel, with the central bore extending upward through the first channel to a top of the receiver. The assembly also includes an open ring retainer with a gap that is uploadable into a lower portion of the central bore through a bottom opening for capturing the screw head within receiver, and an insert positionable into the central bore above the screw head with upright arms defining a second channel and opposite extensions extending radially outward into the first channel body for blocking rotation of the insert within the receiver.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a receiver having an axial bore with an internal support surface adjacent a lower opening and a channel configured to receive a fixation rod, as well as a shank having a proximal end portion configured to be pivotally supported by the internal support surface with the shank extending downward through the lower opening. The proximal end portion includes a drive socket engageable by a drive tool, an upwardly-facing planar top surface surrounding and entirely peripheral to the drive socket, and a central bore extending from the drive socket to a distal tip configured to receive a guide wire.

Abstract: A pivotal bone anchor assembly includes a receiver with an axial bore communicating with a bottom of the receiver through a lower opening, with the bottom of the receiver including an angled planar surface extending upward to define an expanded portion of the lower opening. The receiver further includes upright arms with opposed internal surfaces extending between front and back faces of the upright arms to define an open channel, side outer surfaces opposite the internal surfaces extending downward toward the bottom of the receiver, break-off extensions integrally formed with and extending upwardly from inner edge portions of top surfaces of the upright arms, and non-threaded tool engagement grooves extending horizontally and entirely across the side outer surfaces to the front and back faces of the upright arms, with each tool engagement groove being isolated from the axial bore and located below the top of the respective upright arm.

Abstract: A medical implant assembly including a receiver and a fastener. The receiver having helically wound thread extending up to a top surface thereof. The fastener having an axis of rotation and a continuously helically wound thread form. The continuously helically wound thread form having a start structure and an upper loading surface extending between a root and a crest of the continuously helically wound thread form. The start structure having a leading face extending below the upper loading surface. The leading face including a partial curvate surface extending between the root and the crest. The start structure being configured as a single lead start structure and a dual lead start structure.

Abstract: A tool set for implanting a rod in a human spine in conjunction with bone screws includes a pair of end guide tools that receive opposite ends of the rod in channels and under manipulation by a surgeon facilitate transport of the rod toward the bone screws attached to the guide tools. Each end guide tool includes a laterally extending, rigid, rod holding structure located near a bottom surface thereof. Intermediate guide tools having pass-through slots are utilized to guide the rod to the bone screws at intermediate locations. For bone screw implantation, the end guide tools and intermediate guide tools are assembled with a driver. The driver is coaxial with the respective guide tool and rotatingly mateable thereto. The driver includes a stem and a nut-type fastener, the stem receivable in the guide tool. The fastener allows for rotation of the bone screw without rotating the attached guide tool.