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US 10,517,647 B2Granted
Implant connectors and related methods
AssigneeMedos International Sarl
InventorsKevin Lee, Christopher Ramsay, J. Riley Hawkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Implant connectors and related methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a connector can include a low-profile portion to facilitate use of the connector in surgical applications where space is limited. In some embodiments, a connector can include a biased rod-pusher to allow the connector to “snap” onto a rod and/or to “drag” against the rod, e.g., for provisional positioning of the connector prior to locking.
Claims25
A connector, comprising:
- a body that defines first and second rod-receiving recesses, the body having proximal and distal ends that define a proximal-distal axis extending therebetween;
- a rod pusher slidably disposed within a tunnel formed in the body and configured to translate with respect to the body along a rod pusher axis;
- a bias element configured to bias the rod pusher along the rod pusher axis towards the first rod-receiving recess, the bias element comprising a spring that extends through the rod pusher;
- and
- a set screw threadably received in one of the first or second rod-receiving recesses in the body to lock a first rod within the first rod-receiving recess and to lock a second rod within the second rod-receiving recess.
2 more elements
A connector, comprising:
- a body that defines first and second rod-receiving recesses, the body having proximal and distal ends that define a proximal-distal axis extending therebetween;
- a one-piece rod pusher disposed within a tunnel formed in the body and configured to rotate with respect to the body about a pivot axis;
- and
- a set screw threadably received in the body to lock a second rod within the second rod-receiving recess;
- wherein the tightening the set screw urges the second rod distally within the second rod-receiving recess causing the rod pusher to pivot against a first rod to lock the first rod within the first rod-receiving recess.
2 more elements
A method of connecting first and second spinal rods, comprising:
- positioning a first spinal rod within a first rod-receiving recess formed in a one-piece body portion of a connector;
- positioning a second spinal rod within a second rod-receiving recess formed in the body portion of the connector;
- and
- tightening a set screw within the body to press the second rod against a rod pusher to urge the rod pusher towards first rod-receiving recess and against the first spinal rod to lock the first and second spinal rods to the connector.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.