System and Method for Polyaxially Adjustable Bone Anchorage
An implantable bone anchor assembly for fixing an elongated member such as a spinal rod may include a bone anchor, a coupling head configured to receive the bone anchor and the elongated member, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism may provide compressive force to simultaneously fix the position of the elongated member and lock out polyaxial rotation of the bone anchor relative to the coupling head. The locking mechanism may include an engagement member with an oblique surface configured to slide along an oblique surface of the coupling head into engagement with the elongated member. The bone anchor may comprise a head portion and a threaded portion which may be coupled with the coupling head and joined together during manufacture. The assembly may further include a pin and/or a collar to retain the bone anchor. The bone anchor may be side-loaded into the coupling head.
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This application claims the benefit of the following, which are incorporated herein by reference:
Pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/944,321, filed Jun. 15, 2007, which carries Applicants' docket no. REI-01 PROV, and is entitled WEDGE CLAMP POLYAXIAL PEDICLE SCREW;
Pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/029,467, filed Feb. 18, 2008, which carries Applicants' docket no. REI-2 PROV, and is entitled MODULAR POLYAXIAL PEDICLE SCREW; and
Pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/031,276, filed Feb. 25, 2008, which carries Applicants' docket no. REI-3 PROV, and is entitled SIDE LOADING POLYAXIAL PEDICLE SCREW.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to orthopaedics, and more particularly, to systems and methods for implantable bone anchor and rod assemblies to provide spinal support.
Various embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope.
The present invention relates to systems and methods for bone anchor and rod assemblies for providing spinal support. Those of skill in the art will recognize that the following description is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, which may be applied in various ways to provide many different alternative embodiments. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of this invention and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts in the appended claims.
One embodiment of the present invention includes a bone anchor having a threaded section and an at-least partially spherical head, a rod coupling member that has polyaxial adjustability with the spherical bone anchor head, a compression element, an engagement member, and a elongated member, which may be a spinal rod. A method of clamping to the spinal rod consists of a set screw located laterally in the pedicle screw assembly with respect to the implant rod, but still within the rod coupling head. This screw acts on a wedge-shaped clamping engagement member that rests on an inclined plane feature on one side of the top of the rod coupling head. The act of tightening the set screw provides a mechanically advantaged force that drives the wedge-shaped clamp into the implant rod, which in turn, transmits a force to the bone anchor head, which presses against the spherical cavity in the rod coupling head. This action secures the rod in place while also locking the position/orientation of the rod coupling head relative to the bone anchor head. Locating the clamping member/set screw laterally may greatly reduce the posterior profile of the pedicle screw implant located above the rod.
Referring to
The first and second fitting features 118, 120 are shaped to be joined by press fitting, welding, brazing, or other methods well known in the art, thus joining the independent head 114 and threaded 112 portions into a single, permanently joined piece. The bone anchor 102 may be cannulated throughout such that a lumen extends through its entire length. Advantageously, during manufacture the head portion 114 may be assembled with the coupling head 104 such that the second fitting feature 120 extends distal of the coupling head 104. The second fitting feature 120 is coupled with the first fitting feature on the threaded portion 118, and joined as described. Thus assembled the bone anchor 102 and coupling head 104 form a partial bone anchor assembly 101.
A second bore 152, independent and offset from the first bore 132, extends through the second support wall 131 of the coupling head 104. The second bore 152 may be parallel to the first bore 132 and perpendicular to the channel 130. The second bore 152 is encircled by a threaded surface 154 and is configured to receive the set screw 108. A second oblique surface 156 occupies a proximal side of the second support wall 131.
Referring to
Clamping member 106 comprises a wedge body 160 with a first body wall 162 and a second body wall 164. The body walls 162, 163 flank a recessed area 166 with a recessed surface 167. Extending distally from the recessed surface 167 is an aperture 168. Distal to the walls 162, 164 and aperture 168 is a first oblique surface 170. At the junction of the first oblique surface 170 and the walls 162, 164 is an engagement surface 172, which may be curved to fit around a portion of the spinal rod 1 10. The aperture 168 is substantially oval in shape and sized to receive the set screw 108. The first oblique surface 170 may be shaped to complement the second oblique surface 156 of the coupling head 104.
Referring also to
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a bone anchor having a threaded section and an independent at-least partially spherical head configured to be joined to the threaded section, a rod coupling head that has polyaxial adjustability with the spherical bone anchor head, a compression element, and an implant rod. During manufacture, the bone anchor is assembled with the rod coupling head such that the bone anchor head is received by the rod coupling head, and joined to the threaded section so that the threaded section extends distally of the rod coupling head. A method of clamping to the implant rod consists of a set screw located superior in the pedicle screw assembly with respect to the implant rod. This screw acts on directly on the implant rod. The act of tightening the set screw provides a mechanically advantaged force that drives the inferior set screw surface into the implant rod, which in turn, transmits a force to the bone anchor head, which presses against the spherical cavity in the rod coupling head. This action secures the rod in place while also locking the position and/or orientation of the rod coupling head relative to the bone anchor head. This assembly allows the threaded portion of the bone anchor to be bottom-loaded during manufacture and therefore the spherical head is not required to be larger in diameter than the screw threads, and accordingly, the matching spherical cavity in the rod coupling head can be smaller. This may provide substantial reduced profile advantages for the rod coupling head and overall pedicle screw assembly.
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Another embodiment of the present invention includes a bone anchor having a threaded section and an at-least partially spherical head, a rod coupling head that has polyaxial adjustability with the spherical bone anchor head, a compression element, and a spinal rod. A collar or ring component may be used to further strengthen the rod coupling head after assembly with the bone anchor and can be fixed via a press fit, weld, threads or any other means well known in the art. The rod coupling head may include a keyhole-shaped slot which allows the bone anchor to be side-loaded into the rod coupling head. The method of clamping to the spinal rod consists of a set screw located superior in the pedicle screw assembly with respect to the implant rod. This screw acts on directly on the implant rod. The act of tightening the set screw provides a mechanically advantaged force that drives the inferior set screw surface into the implant rod, which in turn, transmits a force to the bone anchor head, which presses against the spherical cavity in the rod coupling head. This action secures the rod in place while also locking the position/orientation of the rod coupling head relative to the bone anchor head. Using a side-loaded bone anchor element does not require the spherical head to be larger in diameter than the screw threads, and accordingly, the matching spherical cavity in the rod coupling head can be smaller. This may provide substantial reduced profile advantages for the rod coupling head and overall pedicle screw assembly.
Referring to
Coupling head 304 is shown in greater detail in
A bore 330 extends through the base portion 312, lined by a bore wall 332. A ridge 334 protruding from the bore wall defines a minimum diameter of the bore 330. Proximal to the ridge 334, a semispherical seat 336 encircles the bore, and is sized to retain a head portion of the bone anchor 302. A spherical cavity 338 sized and shaped to receive the head portion of the bone anchor is proximal to the semispherical seat 336. The slot 324 is in a transverse position relative to the bore 330, allowing side-loading of the bone anchor 302 into the bore.
Referring to
Because the bone anchor 302 may be side-loaded into the coupling head 304 and need not be top-loaded, a maximum diameter of the head portion 342 may be less than a maximum diameter of the threaded portion 340. Similarly, the maximum diameter of the threaded portion 340 may be greater than a minimum diameter of the bore 330. The maximum diameter of the head portion 342 may be greater than the minimum diameter of the bore 330. Also, a maximum diameter of the spherical cavity 338 may be less than the maximum diameter of the threaded portion 340.
Once the bone anchor 302 has been loaded into the coupling head 304, the collar 306 may be coupled to the base portion 312 of the coupling head 304, to further retain the bone anchor 302. The collar may be further secured by press-fitting, threads, welding, or other means. The collar 306 is only one of many different retention members that may be used to keep the bone anchor 302 in place. If desired, such retention members may have features designed to interlock with or otherwise engage corresponding features of the coupling head 304. The collar 306 has a shape that generally complements that of the coupling head 304 to complete the interior wall of the bore 330.
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Bone anchor assemblies 400, 500, 600 and 700 may be assembled and implanted similarly to the method described for bone anchor assembly 300. In all four assemblies, the bone anchor may be side loaded into the coupling head. A collar and/or pin may be secured to the coupling head to prevent withdrawal of the bone anchor. The bone anchor may be anchored into a bone, and the coupling head and bone anchor polyaxially rotated relative to one another to a preferred orientation. A spinal rod may be loaded into the channel of the coupling head in a preferred position, and the set screw fastened into the coupling head. As the set screw is actuated, it presses on the spinal rod, which in turn presses on the head of the bone anchor, seating the bone anchor head against the coupling head at the preferred orientation. The position of the spinal rod and the position and orientation of the bone anchor relative to the coupling head are thus locked down.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. For example, above are described various alternative examples of pedicle screw and rod coupling systems for providing spinal support. It is appreciated that various features of the above-described examples can be mixed and matched to form a variety of other alternatives. It is also appreciated that this system should not be limited creating access to the intervertebral space. This arcuate access system may be used to obtain access to any portion of the spine. As such, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Claims
1. A bone anchor assembly securable to an elongated member, the bone anchor assembly comprising:
- a bone screw comprising a threaded portion and a head portion, wherein the threaded portion and the head portion are formed as separate pieces, each of which comprises a fitting feature, wherein the fitting features mate together to facilitate joining of the head portion and the threaded portion;
- a coupling member having a channel shaped to receive the elongated member and a bore comprising a seat shaped to polyaxially adjustably receive the head portion; and
- a locking member that is actuatable to lock the elongated member in a fixed position relative to the coupling member and restrict polyaxial adjustability of the bone screw relative to the coupling member.
2. The bone anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the bore comprises a minimum diameter that is smaller than a maximum diameter of the threaded portion.
3. The bone anchor assembly of claim 2, wherein the seat comprises a concave semispherical seat, wherein the head portion comprises a complementary convex semispherical shoulder capable of resting against the concave semispherical seat in any of a plurality of relative orientations, wherein the minimum diameter of the bore is immediately distal to the seat.
4. The bone anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the fitting feature of the head portion comprises a shaft and the fitting feature of the threaded portion comprises an aperture sized to receive the shaft.
5. The bone anchor assembly of claim 4, wherein the aperture is sized to receive the shaft with some degree of interference to provide a press fit between the shaft and the aperture.
6. The bone anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the bone screw comprises a lumen extending through its entire length.
7. The bone anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel is flanked by a first support wall and a second support wall that cooperate to define a U-like shape of the channel, wherein each of the first and second support walls comprises interior threads that face toward the other of the first and second support walls, wherein the locking member comprises a set screw with exterior threads that engage the interior threads of the first and second support walls to enable threaded advancement of the set screw into the channel.
8. The bone anchor assembly of claim 7, wherein the channel is positioned proximal to the bore, the bone anchor assembly further comprising an elongated member comprising an attachment portion shaped to be received by the channel.
9. A bone anchor assembly securable to an elongated member, the bone anchor assembly comprising:
- a bone screw comprising a distal threaded portion shaped to engage bone and a proximal head portion;
- a coupling member having a channel shaped to receive elongated member and a bore comprising a seat shaped to polyaxially adjustably receive the head portion; and
- a locking member configured to be actuated to lock the position of the elongated member in a fixed position relative to the assembly and restrict polyaxial adjustability of the bone screw relative to the coupling member;
- wherein a minimum diameter of the bore is less than a maximum diameter of the threaded portion.
10. The bone anchor assembly of claim 9, wherein the seat comprises a concave semispherical seat, wherein the head portion comprises a complementary convex semispherical shoulder capable of resting against the concave semispherical seat in any of a plurality of relative orientations, wherein the minimum diameter of the bore is immediately distal to the seat.
11. The bone anchor assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the head portion and the threaded portion comprises a fitting feature, wherein the fitting features are matable together to provide a press fit between the head portion and the threaded portion.
12. The bone anchor assembly of claim 9, wherein the bone screw comprises a lumen extending through its entire length.
13. The bone anchor assembly of claim 9, wherein the channel is flanked by a first support wall and a second support wall that cooperate to define a U-like shape of the channel, wherein each of the first and second support walls comprises interior threads that face toward the other of the first and second support walls, wherein the locking member comprises a set screw with exterior threads that engage the interior threads of the first and second support walls to enable threaded advancement of the set screw into the channel.
14. The bone anchor assembly of claim 13, wherein the channel is positioned proximal to the bore, the bone anchor assembly further comprising an elongated member comprising an attachment portion shaped to be received by the channel.
15. A method of manufacturing a bone anchor assembly, the method comprising:
- forming a head portion of a bone screw;
- forming a threaded portion of the bone screw;
- forming a coupling member comprising a channel shaped to receive an elongated member and a bore comprising a seat shaped to polyaxially adjustably receive the head portion;
- positioning the head portion at least partially within the bore; and
- joining the threaded portion to the head portion with the head portion positioned at least partially within the bore.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the coupling member comprises forming the bore with a minimum diameter that is smaller than a maximum diameter of the threaded portion.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the seat comprises a concave semispherical seat and the head portion comprises a complementary convex semispherical shoulder, wherein positioning the head portion at least partially within the bore comprises resting the convex semispherical shoulder against the concave semispherical seat, wherein forming the bore comprises providing the minimum diameter of the bore immediately distal to the seat.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the head portion and the threaded portion comprises a fitting feature, wherein the fitting features mate together to facilitate joining of the head portion and the threaded portion.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the fitting feature of the head portion comprises a shaft and the fitting feature of the threaded portion comprises an aperture, wherein joining the threaded portion to the head portion comprises inserting the shaft into the aperture.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the aperture is sized to receive the shaft with some degree of interference such that inserting the shaft into the aperture comprises providing a press fit between the shaft and the aperture.
21. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the head portion and the threaded portion comprises providing a lumen through each of the head portion and the threaded portion such that, after joining of the threaded portion to the head portion, a lumen extends through the entire length of the bone screw.
22. The method of claim 15, wherein the channel is flanked by a first support wall and a second support wall that cooperate to define a U-like shape of the channel, wherein forming the coupling member comprises forming interior threads in each of the first and second support walls such that the interior threads of each support wall face toward the other of the first and second support walls.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising forming a set screw with exterior threads that engage the interior threads of the first and second support walls to enable threaded advancement of the set screw into the channel.
24. The method of claim 15, wherein the channel is positioned proximal to the bore, the method further comprising forming an elongated member comprising an attachment portion shaped to be received by the channel.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 12, 2008
Publication Date: Dec 18, 2008
Applicant: ROBERT REID, INC. (Tokyo)
Inventors: Joshua A. Butters (Chandler, AZ), Joseph Q. Marietta (Hyde Park, UT)
Application Number: 12/138,217
International Classification: A61B 17/70 (20060101); B23P 11/00 (20060101);