SPINAL STABILIZATION SYSTEM
The present invention is directed to a spinal implant system that incorporates unique snap, or spring loaded, features to assist the surgeon in the placement of screws, rods, hooks and transverse connectors. The poly-axial movement also uses a more direct loading lower saddle into the bone screw to improve locking of the construct.
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/198,447 entitled “Spinal Stabilization System,” filed Mar. 5, 2014, and further claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/875,239 entitled “Spinal Stabilization System,” filed Sep. 9, 2013, the disclosures of which are both incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates to devices and methods for assembling and adjusting orthopedic constructs connected to bony anatomy of a patient. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved devices and methods for pedicle screw and rod-based fixation assembly systems that utilize monoaxial and/or polyaxial bone screws, such as spinal fixation systems and associated components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA wide variety of surgical techniques and associated instrumentation systems have been developed for correcting degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal deformities, or other spinal conditions through minimally invasive or invasive spinal surgery. Spinal correction during surgery may be performed by a variety of methodologies that may frequently require stabilizing a portion of the spine to allow bone or other tissue growth between vertebral bodies such that a portion of the spine is stabilized into a solitary unit and/or specified shape.
Numerous surgical instrumentation systems have been developed and commercialized for stabilizing and correcting spinal conditions and/or deformities. In one of the most popular types of spinal stabilization systems, pedicle screw and rods systems, two or more screw assemblies are secured into bony structures of the a patient's vertebrae, and a rod or other device is connected between the screw assemblies, typically disposed longitudinally along the length of the spinal segment to anchor the two or more vertebral bodies relative to each other. The rod can be arranged in a variety of positions and/or configurations (including the use of multiple rods and/or cross-bars, where desired) according to the patient's anatomy and/or the correction desired. In many cases, the patient's anatomy and/or the desired surgical correction required can require aligning one or more rods and associated pedicle screws at various multi-axial angles and/or orientations along the length of the portion of the spinal segment.
Unfortunately, existing pedicle screw systems are typically rather large and bulky, and the modularity and/or flexibility designed into the components in many of these systems can render the systems difficult for a surgeon to use effectively. For example, the various feature that facilitate the assembly of different size and/or shape rod and screw constructs, and eventual “locking” of the components together (i.e., the pedicle screw assembly and the rod) to specified orientations, shapes and/or multi-axial angles (prior to fixation) can be difficult and/or impossible to assemble within a wound. Moreover, where components have been preassembled, such as where a pedicle screw subassembly includes a tulip head pre-connected with a mono-axially and/or poly-axially adjustable bone screw shank, the tulip head will desirably move relative to the shank. In many such instances, however, manufacturing and/or assembly of the tulip head, relevant inserts and/or the shank itself can result in a subassembly where the shank/head is loose and can “flop” around, making it extremely difficult for the surgeon to assemble the construct and/or tighten the remaining components together. Alternatively, the tulip head may be too tight relative to the shank, rending it difficult and/or impossible for the surgeon to adjust the assembly by hand (prior to fixation).
Assembly difficulties can also be experienced when positioning and/or connecting one or more of the rods to the implanted pedicle screws. Because patient anatomy is unique, which can often be compounded by significant preoperative deformity, rarely do the implanted pedicle screw heads conveniently “line up” in a uniform manner. In fact, implanted screws can often be significantly displaced from adjacent screws. Also, when the surgeon places a rod into pedicle screws, the rod may slide to an undesired position or otherwise be displaced or moved before the surgeon is ready for tightening the remaining components together. This may inconvenience the surgeon and might require surgical assistants, technicians or staff members to properly orient the pedicle screw assembly and maintain the rod position while the surgeon fully tightens all of the components together. In many cases, the proper fixation of the stabilization system particularly depends on the surgeon and/or staff to properly assemble the rod and the pedicle system, orient the pedicle screw system, and/or position the rod properly to effectively lock the components together with the set screw, otherwise no amount of tightening the set screw will fully or effectively lock the pedicle screw assembly together—i.e., the floppiness remains and the rod may move axially to an undesired position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne aspect of the present invention includes a recognition of a need for spinal stabilization systems that can be partially and/or fully “assembled” within the surgical wound in an “unlocked” (or “partially-unlocked”) configuration, which allows for adjustment of the various components prior to final securement and “locking” of the construct. Moreover, various embodiments described herein include audible and/or tactile indicators or “assurances” to the surgeon and/or staff that a “temporary” and/or “provisional” connection between various modular components has been initiated, with these “temporary” and/or “provisional” connections not requiring removal and/or modification before the pedicle screw system and associated rods can be securely locked into a desired axial position, angle, and/or orientation. The disclosure is also directed to several alternative designs, materials and methods of assembling polyaxial bone anchor structures and assemblies.
Various embodiments described herein disclose screw (and/or other fixation element types such as hook, pins and/or loops) and rod fixation systems incorporating components (including modular and/or interchangeable components and/or subcomponents) that can be adjusted in-situ and that provide a strong, effective and secure locking of the screws, rods and/or other fixation elements in a desired configuration, position, orientation and/or angle when desired by a surgeon. In addition, the various embodiments significantly reduce the size and/or number of components to provide for simpler, more effective, more durable and/or less cumbersome devices for fixation of anatomical structures.
In one exemplary embodiment, a spinal stabilization construct can comprise a tulip body, a bone screw, a lower saddle or insert, a support rod, and a set screw. The tulip body may include arms defining a slot and/or channel therebetween (sized for receiving the support rod), a base portion defining an opening to receive a shank portion of the bone screw and a surface adjacent the opening for supporting the head of the bone screw, a pocket to receive the lower saddle insert and internal threading to accommodate the set screw. The lower saddle insert may include one or more locking features that secure the insert into the tulip body, and can further include various detent, “snap-fit” and/or frictional coupling features operable between the support rod and the insert (within the tulip body) as well as between the bone screw and the insert (within the tulip body), while allowing relative movement and/or adjustability between the various modular components (even when anchored to the vertebral bodies) prior to ultimate fixation and/or “immobilization” of the spinal stabilization construct.
In another embodiment, the spinal stabilization system may comprise a monoaxial hook pedicle screw system. The monoaxial hook pedicle screw system may include a tulip body having one or more hooked shaped projections, a support rod, a lower saddle insert, and a set screw. The hook tulip body may include arms defining a slot and/or channel therebetween sized for receiving the support rod, a base portion defining an opening to receive a targeted bone segment, and at least one pocket to receive tabs from the lower saddle insert. Alternatively, the hook tulip body may contain an offset base portion, where the base portion may be axially distanced away or adjacent to the arms that define a slot and/or channel therebetween. Furthermore, the lower saddle insert may contain a plurality of frictional or other components that can operate to “lock” the insert to the support rod and the hook tulip body.
In another embodiment, the spinal stabilization system may comprise a polyaxial hook pedicle screw system. The polyaxial hook pedicle screw system may include a bifurcated and/or clevised tulip body, a support rod, a lower saddle insert, a pivotal hook portion, and a set screw. The hook tulip body may include arms defining a slot and/or channel therebetween sized for receiving the support rod, a bifurcated and/or clevised base portion defining an opening to receive a pivotal bone hook, and at least one pocket to receive tabs from the lower saddle insert. The lower saddle insert may contain a plurality of frictional or other components that will operate to “lock” the insert to the support rod and the hook tulip body. Furthermore, the pivotal hook may include a pivot base portion that may be removably connected to the opening of the bifurcated and/or clevised tulip body, and a hook base portion that may be removably connected to a targeted bone segment. The pivot base portion may be designed with multiple shape configurations and surfaces to allow desired polyaxial orientation and preciseness (i.e., round, arched, smooth surface, and/or ratcheted surface, etc).
In another alternative embodiment, the spinal stabilization system may comprise a multi-level transverse connector system. The multi-level transverse connector system may include a plurality of transversely-positioned pedicle screw systems that facilitate anchoring of one or more pedicle screw constructs to various targeted bone segment configurations. Exemplary transverse pedicle screw system components may include a connector body, pivot clamp, rod clamp, clamp screw, spring shaft and/or connector rod. The connector rods may be supplied in different lengths, shapes and/or sizes to accommodate various orientations, spinal anatomy and desired correction.
In another alternative embodiment, the spinal stabilization systems may comprise an angled polyaxial pedicle screw systems. Angled polyaxial pedicle screw systems may include a curved and/or bent support rod in conjunction with multiple tilted and/or angled tulip bodies, associated lower saddle inserts, and/or set screws. The bent support rod facilitates the placement of pedicle screw subassemblies in bony structures adjacent to each other, such as into pedicles of adjacent vertebral bodies, to achieve a desired curvature, preciseness, and/or anchoring of the anatomy. The bent support rod may be already supplied in a desired bent angle or may be bent in-situ prior to final anchoring of the system. If desired, tilted and/or angled tulip bodies can be provided that facilitate the placement of pedicle screw subassemblies in very close proximity and/or at relative angles where traditional tulip body designs may be precluded, such as where the tulip bodies would interfere and/or overlap with each other.
In another alternative embodiment, the various spinal stabilization systems described herein could include a variety of tools and/or surgical techniques for facilitating anchoring and/or attachment of the systems to targeted bony structures and/or anatomical bone segments. Exemplary tool designs could include screw drivers, support rod cutters, support rod benders and/or drivers that may be supplied as a kit with the spinal stabilization systems or separately upon request and/or need by the surgeon.
The present invention should be better understood in conjunction with the detailed description below and the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the disclosure. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that these various embodiments are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition, for clarity purposes, not all of the routine features of the embodiments described herein may be shown or described for every alternative embodiment. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be required to achieve specific design objectives. These design objectives may vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another, and the variations thereof are contemplated and included in the present disclosure.
Various of the embodiments described herein include features that facilitate the assembly of surgical constructs, including surgical spinal fusion and/or stabilization constructs, which allow the surgeon the ability to move, reorient and/or otherwise manipulate various adjustable component features, yet maintain the various adjustable components in a desired position and/or orientation and/or connection arrangement while in an unfixed condition (i.e., a “non-tightened” assembly). In addition, various embodiments described herein facilitate the surgeon's assembly and/or adjustment of one or more assembled components within a surgical wound without fear that the components will undesirably separate or otherwise inadvertently disassemble in some manner.
It should be understood that the term “system,” when referring to various embodiment described in the present invention, can refer to a set of components which includes multiple bone stabilization components such as superior, cephalad or rostral (towards the head) components configured for implantation into a superior vertebra of a vertebral motion segment and inferior or caudal (towards the feet) components configured for implantation into an inferior vertebra of a vertebral motion segment. A pair of such component sets may include one set of components configured for implantation into and for stabilization of the left side of a vertebral segment and another set configured for the implantation into and for stabilization of the right side of a vertebral segment. Where multiple bone segments such as spinal segments or units are being treated, the term “system” may refer to two or more pairs of component sets, i.e., two or more left sets and/or two or more right sets of components. Such a multilevel system can also involve stacking of component sets in which each set includes a superior component, an inferior component, and one or more medial components therebetween, which may be interconnected and/or independent from each other.
The superior and inferior components (and any medial components therebetween), when operatively implanted, may be engaged or interface with each other in a manner that enables the treated spinal motion segment to mimic the function and movement of a healthy segment, may alter the relative movement of the various spinal structures in a desired manner and/or may simply fuse the segments such as to eliminate pain and/or promote or enhance healing. The interconnecting or interfacing systems can include one or more structures or members that enable, limit and/or otherwise selectively control spinal or other body motion. The structures may perform such functions by exerting various forces on the system components, and by extension on the target vertebrae. The manner of coupling, interfacing, engagement or interconnection between the subject system components may involve compression, distraction, rotation or torsion, or various combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the extent or degree of these forces or motions between the components may be intraoperatively selected and/or adjusted to address the condition being treated, to accommodate the particular spinal anatomy into which the system is implanted, and to achieve the desired therapeutic result.
Components
In various exemplary embodiments, a spinal fusion system (or other orthopedic construct, including spinal motion and/or dynamic stabilization constructs) may contain various combinations, sizes and configurations of the components described hereafter.
For simpler description purposes
The bone screw 120 (see
One unique feature of the bone screw of the present invention includes various features incorporated into the head of the bone screw 120, which can include a male outer spherical radius 1201 (see
Another unique feature of the present invention includes various driving features disclosed in various exemplary embodiments described herein, such as driving features 1206 and 1207 (see
When a screw driver 300 is inserted into the pedicle screw sub-assembly 101, the bifurcated tangs 3105 can travel into the clearance pockets 1109 of the tulip body (see
In
Also shown in the cross sectional view of
Once the pedicle screw sub-assembly 101 and support rod 150 are in a desired position and/or orientation, the surgeon can then thread (see
Various prior art components, including simplified versions of screw components depicted in patents by Sherman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,350), Farris (U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,491), Biedermann (U.S. Pat. No. 6,835,196), Jeon (U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,500 and Konieczynski (U.S. Pat. No. 7,087,057) are shown in
In
As best seen in
In various embodiments depicted herein, the lower saddle 132 will desirably fit into and be secured within the tulip body or housing 112. As best seen in
In various embodiment, the flexible tabs 1322 are desirably spaced apart from the flexible fingers 1329, with a gap or opening 1328 between the flexible fingers 1329 and flexible tabs 1322 which desirably allows the independent flexing and/or compression of either or both of the flexible fingers 1321 and/or the flexible tabs 1322. In one exemplary embodiment, the gap or opening 1328 may not extend as deep or as wide as depicted in
In various embodiments, the lower saddle 132 may be designed with one or more (i.e., at least two, in the various disclosed embodiments) spring arms 1325 on a lower portion, such as shown in
The resulting resistance to relative movement between the lower saddle and the head of the screw desirably prevents the tulip body 112 from “flopping around” relative to the screw head after the screw assembly is inserted into the vertebral body and the insertion tool(s) is removed. This system can allow a surgeon to adjust the orientation, movement and/or angulation of the bone screw 122 relative to the tulip body 112 and have such adjustment maintained in a desired position while the surgeon is anchoring additional bone screws 122 into the targeted bone segment and/or placing additional instrumentation onto the spinal construct.
In one exemplary embodiment, the lower saddle 132 may be retained in the tulip body 111 through the interaction of symmetrical lower saddle radial pockets 1112 and symmetrical radial surfaces 1322 (see
In various alternative embodiments, frictional and/or other forces interacting between individual elements may be designed into the system to prevent and/or inhibit the tulip body 111 from flopping around relative to the bone screw (in an uncontrolled and/or partially-controlled manner), with the various resistance forces potentially adjusted by designing different configurations of frictional arms, thin spring arms and/or friction projecting lips (or other similar features).
To initially assemble a pedicle screw subassembly incorporating various lower saddle embodiments (embodiment 905 of
In various alternative embodiments, the pedicle screw 122 and lower saddle 132 may first be assembled (i.e., by insertion of the male spherical head 1221 into the female spherical radius 1323 of the lower saddle 132), followed by insertion and securement of this subassembly into the tulip body 111 (in a manner similar to that previously described).
In various embodiments, the diameter of the pedicle screw head will typically be larger than the diameter of the lower opening 1110 of the tulip body, although in alternative embodiments the pedicle screw head may be equal to or smaller than the diameter of the tulip head lower opening (which could allow for the pedicle screw to be first inserted into the bone, without the attached tulip head and saddle, and then the tulip body and saddle body could be inserted subsequently).
One significant feature of the various embodiments described herein is the ability to “tighten” or immobilize the various elements of the pedicle screw subassembly once the components are in a desired position and/or orientation. Desirably, once a rod has been seated into the lower saddle 132 of an implanted screw assembly, a set screw 140 can be introduced into the tulip body and rotated/tightened. Desirably, advancement of the set screw will push the rod downward into the tulip body, which compresses the insert downward into the tulip body. In turn, the downward movement of the insert sandwiches the head of the pedicle screw between the female spherical diameter 1323 of the insert and an inner surface of the tulip body spherical radius 1101 (see
In various embodiments, the insert can comprise a variety of materials, but in at least one embodiment the insert comprises an unalloyed or commercially pure Titanium (Ti). This type of material can be particularly useful in orthopedic constructs due to its low biological reactivity. In addition, when used in an insert (such as described herein), the compressive forces induced by rotation of the set screw may be strong enough to induce some portions of the insert material to “flow” or otherwise deform to a limited degree, possibly bonding or “cold welding” various components and significantly increasing the fused strength of the subassembly construct.
Those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the number of slots 1345, number of friction surfaces 1324 or any combination of recessed surfaces 1335 or non-recessed surfaces, in various combinations, could be possible with varying degrees of effectiveness while significantly retaining the spirit of the present invention. In various alternative embodiments, the thin spring arms on the various lower saddle embodiments described herein might may be designed on opposite sides, adjacent to each other or some angle distanced apart on the circumference of the lower saddle. In additional embodiments, non-symmetrical distributions of spring arms might be utilized.
In various embodiments, a series of pedicle screw subassemblies of different sizes and/or shapes (and associated support rods and/or other components) could be assembled and provided in a kit. A surgeon could then select a desired pedicle screw subassembly, and drive the screw shank into a targeted bony feature using a surgical tool, such as the screw driver having a mating male driving feature that mates with the female driving feature 1221 on the bone screw 122, such as described herein. The surgeon may repeat this approach for additional pedicle screw subassemblies, and then the surgeon could manipulate the tulip heads of one or more subassemblies (as described herein) to align the tulip heads to receive one or more connecting rods. The connecting rod(s) could be placed, and the surgeon could further manipulate the alignment and/or orientation of the various system components. Once in a desired alignment, the surgeon could fixate the various components by placing set screws onto the tulip heads and advancing them in a known manner. If desired, the surgeon may manipulate various component of the surgical construct as desired, without fear of the various untightened components disassembling and/or separating under such manipulation. Once the entire construct is tightened and “locked” in this manner, the surgical wound can be closed and the surgery completed.
Once various pedicle screw assemblies 100 and support rods 150 have been placed in the bone of the targeted vertebra, a connecting rod 260 of an appropriate length to span two or more support rods can be chosen (see
In the disclosed embodiment, before the transverse connector assembly 200 is placed onto the support rods 150, the spring shaft 250, which can comprise a flexible super-elastic shape memory metal or other flexible material, is in a straight or unrestrained condition, such as shown in
In another embodiment of the transverse connector 22 (see
The surgeon can now take the complete transverse connector assembly 200 and snap the assembly onto the previously implanted support rods 150. This is accomplished by the presence of the support rod 150, which applies pressure to the flanges 2206 of the pivot clamp 220 and upon pressure from the surgeon's advancement of the assembly causes the pivot clamp 220 to rotate, thus flexing the spring shaft 250 as shown in
Once various components of a transverse connector sub-assembly have been preassembled (but not tightened, if desired), the surgeon can easily slide various components of the transverse connector sub-assemblies 201 into a final desired position and/or orientation. Once the transverse connector assembly 200 is in place, the surgeon can tighten the clamp screw 240 on each subassembly, and the surface 2401 (see
If desired, a shoulder 2402 of the clamp screw 240 (see
Spinal surgeons have used various hook-based systems to attach to bony elements of the spine for many years, but positioning the hooks in place and them maintaining the positioning and/or alignment of the hooks in a specific location has often been difficult, if not impossible, using prior art systems. Various features of the disclosed hook assembly system 400 can employ similar friction retention and “snap fit” techniques onto a support rod 150 as the various pedicle screw embodiments described previously. For example, the lower saddle 430 of the hook assembly 400 can include similar flexible fingers 4304 formed as part of the lower saddle or insert 130 (see 1304 on
Though not shown it is understood that the connecting rod 260 can be the same diameter as the support rod 150 to extend the system and attach additional pedicle screws.
Additional Alternative Configurations
In this embodiment, the pivot head 5113 and 5123 may be designed with smooth surfaces 5111 and 5112 (as shown in
In various alternative embodiments, the pivot head 5132 may include mechanized locking and/or “ratcheting” features to desirably control and/or limit the orientation and/or movement of the various components, such as shown in
If desired, various features of the alternative embodiments of a polyaxial hook pedicle screw system, including those shown in
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The various headings and titles used herein are for the convenience of the reader, and should not be construed to limit or constrain any of the features or disclosures thereunder to a specific embodiment or embodiments. It should be understood that various exemplary embodiments could incorporate numerous combinations of the various advantages and/or features described, all manner of combinations of which are contemplated and expressly incorporated hereunder.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., i.e., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventor for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor intends for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context
Claims
1. A spinal connecting device for coupling a first spinal rod to a second spinal rod, comprising:
- a head assembly including a first rod clamp, the first rod clamp having at least two sidewalls forming a first spinal rod receiving passage, with a clamp spacing between the at least two sidewalls at a location proximate to a distal end of the at least two sidewalls being less than a diameter of the first spinal rod; and
- a connector body including a second rod clamp, the second rod clamp including at least one fixed wall and one moveable wall forming a second spinal rod receiving passage, the moveable wall adjustable between a first position and a second position, wherein a spacing between a distal portion of the fixed wall and a distal portion of the moveable wall when the moveable wall is in the first position is less than a diameter of the second spinal rod and a spacing between a distal portion of the fixed wall and a distal portion of the moveable wall when the moveable wall is in the second position is equal to or greater than the diameter of the second spinal rod.
2. The spinal connecting device of claim 1, wherein the connector body is rotatably coupled to the head assembly.
3. The spinal connecting device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the at least two sidewalls is capable of flexing to a first flexed position, thereby increasing the clamp spacing between the at least two sidewalls at a location proximate to a distal end of the at least two sidewalls to at least the diameter of the first spinal rod, thereby permitting the first spinal rod to fit within the first spinal rod receiving passage.
4. The spinal connecting device of claim 2, wherein the at least two sidewalls provisionally engage the first spinal rod and selectively retain the first spinal rod within the first spinal rod receiving passage but allow the first spinal rod to slide along a longitudinal axis of the first spinal rod within the first spinal rod receiving passage upon application of an outside force.
5. The spinal connecting device of claim 2, wherein the first spinal rod receiving passage has a first longitudinally extending axis, and the second spinal rod receiving passage has a second longitudinally extending axis, and the connector body is capable of rotating to a plurality of orientations relative to the head assembly, at least one of the plurality of orientations being where the first and second longitudinally extending axes are substantially parallel and at least one of the plurality of orientations being where the first and second longitudinally extending axes are substantially perpendicular.
6. The spinal connecting device of claim 2, wherein displacement of the head assembly towards the connector body urges the moveable wall from the first position to the second position.
7. The spinal connecting device of claim 2, further comprising a single locking mechanism which, when actuated, fixedly secures the first spinal rod to the first rod clamp and fixedly secures the second spinal rod to the second rod clamp.
8. A connecting device for coupling a first spinal rod to a second spinal rod, comprising:
- a head assembly including a first rod clamp, the first rod clamp including a first clamping assembly to make a first provisional connection with the first spinal rod, wherein the first provisional connection engages the first spinal rod and applies sufficient frictional resistance to inhibit free movement of the first spinal rod relative to the first rod clamp but allow movement of the first spinal rod relative to the first rod clamp upon application of an outside force, and
- a connector body coupled to the head assembly, the connector body including a second rod clamp.
9. The connecting device of claim 8, wherein the second rod clamp further comprises a second clamping assembly to make a second provisional connection with the second spinal rod, wherein the second provisional connection engages the second spinal rod and applies sufficient frictional resistance to inhibit free movement of the second spinal rod relative to the second rod clamp but allow movement of the second spinal rod relative to the second rod clamp upon application of an outside force.
10. The connecting device of claim 9, wherein the connector body is rotatably coupled to the head assembly.
11. The connecting device of claim 10, wherein the first clamping assembly engages the first spinal rod along a first longitudinally extending rod axis, and the second clamping assembly engages the second spinal rod along a second longitudinally extending rod axis, and the rotatable coupling facilitates relative displacement of the head assembly and the connector body to a plurality of relative orientations, including a first relative orientation where the first and second longitudinally extending rod axes are parallel and a second relative orientation where the first and second longitudinally extending rod axes are transverse.
12. The connecting device of claim 8, wherein the second rod clamp further comprises a second clamping assembly that selectively engages the second spinal rod in response to movement of at least a portion of the head assembly relative to the connector body.
13. The connecting device of claim 12, wherein the connector body is rotatably coupled to the head assembly.
14. The connecting device of claim 13, wherein the first clamping assembly engages the first spinal rod along a first longitudinally extending rod axis, and the second clamping assembly engages the second spinal rod along a second longitudinally extending rod axis, and the rotatable coupling facilitates relative displacement of the head assembly and the connector body to a plurality of relative orientations, including a first relative orientation where the first and second longitudinally extending rod axes are parallel and a second relative orientation where the first and second longitudinally extending rod axes are transverse.
15. A connecting device for coupling a first surgical rod to a second surgical rod, comprising:
- a first assembly including a first surgical rod clamp, the first surgical rod clamp including a pair of flexible jaws defining a first surgical rod receiving passage for accommodating the first surgical rod, wherein a distal portion of the flexible jaws is spaced apart a distance less than a diameter of the first surgical rod and retains the first surgical rod within the first surgical rod receiving passage with sufficient frictional resistance to inhibit free movement of the first spinal rod relative to the first rod clamp but allow movement of the first surgical rod relative to the first surgical rod clamp upon application of an outside force,
- a second assembly including a second surgical rod clamp, the second surgical rod clamp including a fixed jaw and a moveable jaw, the fixed and moveable jaws defining a second surgical rod receiving passage for accommodating the second surgical rod, wherein the moveable jaw in a first position is spaced apart from the fixed jaw a first distance that is less than a diameter of the second surgical rod and the moveable jaw in a second position is spaced apart from the fixed jaw a second distance that is equal or greater than the diameter of the second surgical rod.
16. The connecting device of claim 15, wherein the first assembly is rotatably mounted on the second assembly.
17. The connecting device of claim 15, wherein displacement of the first assembly towards the second assembly translates the moveable jaw to a locked position.
18. The connecting device of claim 16, further comprising a locking mechanism which, when actuated, fixedly secures the first surgical rod to the first assembly, fixedly secures the second surgical rod to the second assembly and immobilizes the rotatable mount between the first assembly and the second assembly.
19. The connecting device of claim 16, wherein the first surgical rod receiving passage includes a first longitudinal passage axis and the second surgical rod receiving passage includes a second longitudinal passage axis, and rotation of the first assembly relative to the second assembly orients the first longitudinal passage axis at a plurality of orientations relative to the second longitudinal passage axis, at least one of the plurality of orientations including a first orientation where the first longitudinal passage axis is parallel to the second longitudinal passage axis and at least one of the plurality of orientations including a second orientation where the first longitudinal passage axis is transverse to the second longitudinal passage axis.
20. The connecting device of claim 15, further comprising a spring connected to the moveable jaw and the fixed jaw, the spring urging the moveable jaw towards the first position, wherein when the second surgical rod receiving passage accommodates the second surgical rod, the spring applies sufficient force to the moveable jaw to create a frictional resistance to inhibit free relative movement of the second surgical rod relative to the second surgical rod clamp but allow relative movement of the second surgical rod relative to the second surgical rod clamp upon application of an outside force.
Type: Application
Filed: May 7, 2014
Publication Date: Mar 12, 2015
Inventor: James A. Rinner (Franksville, WI)
Application Number: 14/271,902
International Classification: A61B 17/70 (20060101);