US 10,441,325 B2 · Minimally invasive fixation system

Abstract

A minimally invasive fixation system and method for providing access to a surgical site. The fixation system may include a holding assembly, the holding assembling preferably including a lateral implant holder which may be attached to a pedicle screw and a sleeve positioned in connection with the lateral implant holder to prevent the lateral implant holder from separating from the pedicle screw. The sleeve may further include a tissue protection portion to keep the tissue out of the surgical site. A holding sleeve may be operably connected to the holding assembly and pedicle screw and may be used to insert the pedicle screw into the body. Multiple constructs may be inserted into the body so that a portion of the holding assembly extends from the body and provides access to and visualization of the surgical site. A rod holder may also be used to insert a rod into the head of the screw. The rod may be held by the rod holder so that the rod may be angulated as the rod is inserted into the screw heads. Once the rod is positioned in the screw heads, locking caps and/or set screws may be positioned over the rod and engage the screw heads so that the position of the rod may be fixed with respect to the screws. In some embodiments, a movement mechanism may be used to move the screws relative to each other to compress and/or distract the vertebrae.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A minimally invasive fixation system, comprising:

a holder defining a longitudinal axis, the holder having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along the longitudinal axis, the holder defining an engagement portion at the distal end, the engagement portion configured to engage a portion of a bone anchor;
a sleeve attachable to the holder, the sleeve defining a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a direction that is parallel with the longitudinal axis, the sleeve including a tissue protection portion that is curved so as to define a passageway between the sleeve and the tissue protection portion, the passageway elongated along the direction, wherein the tissue protection portion defines a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end in the direction, the passageway defines a central axis that is parallel with the direction, and the distal end of the tissue protection portion extends about the central axis to a greater extent than the proximal end of the tissue protection portion extends about the central axis, and wherein the tissue protection portion comprises a curved wall having an outer curved surface and a top edge extending helically around the longitudinal axis in the direction.

A minimally invasive fixation system, comprising:

an implant holder elongate along a longitudinal axis, the implant holder having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along the longitudinal axis in a distal direction, the holder including at least two engagement features at the distal end, the at least two engagement features curved to engage a head structure of a bone screw, wherein the at least two engagement features are biased towards one another so as to retain the head structure of the bone screw into engagement with the at least two engagement features;
and
a sleeve attachable to the implant holder, the sleeve defining a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along the distal direction, the sleeve including an elongate member and a tissue protection portion that is curved so as to define a passageway between the elongate member and the tissue protection portion, the passageway elongated along the distal direction, wherein the tissue protection portion comprises a curved wall having an outer curved surface and a top edge extending helically around the longitudinal axis in the distal direction.

A minimally invasive fixation device, comprising:

a tissue protection portion configured to be mounted to a bone anchor, the tissue protection portion defining a longitudinal axis, the tissue protection portion comprising a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a direction that is parallel with the longitudinal axis, and a wall that extends along the direction, the wall defining an edge and an outer perimeter contiguous with the edge, the outer perimeter extending about the longitudinal axis, the edge extending from a first longitudinal location to a second longitudinal location with respect to the longitudinal axis, the second longitudinal location spaced from the first longitudinal location along the direction, the edge extending helically around the longitudinal axis from the first longitudinal location to the second longitudinal location,
wherein 1) at the first longitudinal location, the outer perimeter extends about the longitudinal axis a first angle, and 2) at the second longitudinal location, the outer perimeter extends about the longitudinal axis a second angle of between about 250 and about 300 degrees, wherein the second angle and is substantially greater than the first angle.

A minimally invasive fixation system, comprising:

a first bone anchor having a first U-shaped channel, the first bone anchor being sized and configured to be selectively insertable into bone;
a second bone anchor having a second U-shaped channel, the second bone anchor being sized and configured to be selectively insertable into bone;
a first implant holder defining a first longitudinal axis, the first implant holder having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a first direction that is parallel with the longitudinal axis, the distal end sized and configured to selectively receive the first bone anchor, the first implant holder having a first tissue protection portion that includes a first wall having a first edge extending helically around the first longitudinal axis so as to define a first passageway located radially inward of the first wall, wherein an angle about which the first edge extends around the longitudinal axis increases in the first direction;
and
a second implant holder defining a second longitudinal axis, the second implant holder having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end of the second implant holder along a second direction that is parallel with the second longitudinal axis, the distal end of the second implant holder sized and configured to selectively receive the second bone anchor, the second implant holder having a second tissue protection portion that includes a second wall having a second edge extending helically around the second longitudinal axis so as to define a second passageway located radially inward of the second wall, wherein an angle about which the second edge extends around the second longitudinal axis increases in the second direction,
wherein the first and second tissue protection portions are sized and configured to be positioned relative to one another such that the first and second passageways form an opening configured to enable a rod to be inserted through the opening and into the first and second U-shaped channels of the first and second bone anchors, respectively.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Minimally invasive fixation system

Life of this patent

Minimally invasive fixation system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27