# US 11,998,244 B2 · Minimally invasive surgery add on screw system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,244 B2 - Document ID: US11998244B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/717,069 - Filed: 2022-04-09 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-09 - Assignees: SNJ Patents, LLC - Applicants: SNJ Patents, LLC - Inventors: Charles Theofilos - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998244B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/7032: {Screws or hooks with U-shaped head or back through which longitudinal rods pass} - A61B 17/7049: {Connectors, not bearing on the vertebrae, for linking longitudinal elements together (A61B17/7055, A61B17/7053, A61B17/7019 take precedence)} - A61B 17/705: {for linking adjacent ends of longitudinal elements} - A61B 17/8685: {comprising multiple separate parts} - A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)} - A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors - A61B 17/7058: {Plates mounted on top of bone anchor heads or shoulders} - A61B 17/7074: {Tools specially adapted for spinal fixation operations other than for bone removal or filler handling (A61B17/7062, A61B17/808, A61B17/8858 take precedence; for spinal image producing devices A61B90/36, A61B34/20; markers A61B90/39)} - A61B 17/7082: {for driving, i.e. rotating, screws or screw parts specially adapted for spinal fixation, e.g. for driving polyaxial or tulip-headed screws} - A61B 17/7091: {for applying, tightening or removing longitudinal element-to-bone anchor locking elements, e.g. caps, set screws, nuts or wedges} - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A system, medical devices, and methods for use in surgical procedures, such as spinal surgeries. The system, medical devices, and methods are designed to provide a surgeon the ability to add a screw connector, or screw head such as a tulip, to pre-existing implanted bone, such as pedicle, facet, lateral mass, etc., screw system without having to remove the previously implanted screws and/or rods already existing in a patient. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An add on surgical screw system for use in surgical procedures, comprising: a side to side bone screw connector constructed and arranged to engage with and secure to a preexisting implanted bone screw system having a preexisting screw head attached to an anatomical structure without having to remove any components of said preexisting implanted bone screw system, said side to side bone screw connector comprising a vertical body having a flange member at an upper end extending away from said vertical body, said flange member having an opening for receiving a top locking screw, and a preexisting screw head engaging member extending from said vertical body in the same direction as said flange member, said vertical body separating said flange member and said preexisting screw head engaging member by a distance to form a first space, said first space defining a preexisting implanted bone screw system receiving channel sized and shaped to receive and partially enclose therein said preexisting screw head of said preexisting implanted bone screw system, said preexisting screw head engaging member defined by a first member extending away from said vertical body in the same direction as said flange member and a second member extending away from said vertical body in the same direction as said first member, said second member separated from said first member by a second space, said vertical body having a length which positions said first member and said second member underneath said preexisting screw head when said side to side bone screw connector engages with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head; a secondary screw head support member comprising a horizontal body extending from said vertical body in a direction opposite of said first member and said second member of said preexisting screw head engaging member; a secondary screw head constructed and arranged to receive a secondary surgical rod, said secondary screw head secured to or formed from said secondary screw head support member horizontal body and having two threaded surfaces for receiving a set screw, and a base separating said two threaded surfaces, said base sized and shaped to receive said secondary surgical rod, wherein when said side to side bone screw connector engages or secures to said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head, said secondary screw head is positioned in a side-by-side orientation with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head; and a locking screw constructed and arranged to fit within said flange member opening and secure to or engage with a preexisting set screw associated with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The add on surgical screw system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein said preexisting implanted bone screw system further includes a tulip, a spinal rod, one or more set screws, a threaded screw, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The add on surgical screw system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein said secondary screw head support member horizontal body comprises an opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The add on surgical screw system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein said flange member further comprises one or more additional openings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The add on surgical screw system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein said secondary screw head supports a pedicle screw, a facet screw, or a lateral mass screw. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The add on surgical screw system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein said secondary screw head is a tulip head supporting a polyaxial screw. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The add on surgical screw system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein said preexisting implanted bone screw system is a pedicle screw system, a facet screw system, or a lateral mass screw system. ### Claim 8 A side to side screw head connector for engaging with or securing to a preexisting implanted bone screw system having a preexisting screw head secured to a bone structure, comprising: a vertical body comprising an upper end having a flange member having an opening for receiving a top locking screw and extending away from said vertical body, a bottom end, and a first space separating said flange member and said bottom end, said first space defining a preexisting implanted bone screw system receiving channel sized and shaped to receive and partially enclose therein said preexisting screw head of said preexisting implanted bone screw system, said vertical body separating said flange member and said bottom end; a preexisting screw head engaging member comprising a first member extending away from said vertical body, a second member extending away from said vertical body in the same direction as said first member, and a second space separating said first member from said second member, said vertical body having a length which positions said first member and said second member underneath said preexisting screw head when said side to side screw head connector engages with said preexisting implanted bone screw system; a secondary screw head support member comprising a horizontal body extending from said vertical body in a direction opposite of said first member and said second member of said preexisting screw head engaging member; and a locking screw constructed and arranged to fit within said flange member opening and secure to or engage with a preexisting set screw associated with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 8, further comprising a secondary screw head constructed and arranged to receive a secondary surgical rod, said secondary screw head comprising two threaded surfaces for receiving a set screw, and a base separating said two threaded surfaces, said base sized and shaped to receive said secondary surgical rod, wherein when said side to side bone screw connector is secured to said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head, said secondary screw head is arranged in a side-by-side orientation with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 9, wherein, said secondary screw head is secured to said secondary screw head support member body via a screw. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 9, wherein said secondary screw head supports a pedicle screw system, a facet screw system, or a lateral mass screw system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 9, wherein said secondary screw head is a tulip head supporting a polyaxial screw system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 8, wherein said flange member further comprises one or more additional openings. ### Claim 14 A side to side screw head connector for engaging with and securing to a preexisting implanted bone screw system having a preexisting screw head and a surgical rod secured to a portion of a bone structure without having to remove any components of said preexisting implanted bone screw system, comprising: a side to side screw head connector vertical body comprising a flange member having an opening for receiving a top locking screw, said flange member extending away from said vertical body at a first end, a second end having a preexisting implanted bone screw system engaging member, said vertical body separating said flange member and said preexisting implanted bone screw system engaging member by a distance to form a first space, said first space sized and shaped to receive and partially enclose therein said preexisting screw head of said preexisting implanted bone screw system, said preexisting implanted bone screw system engaging member defined by a first member extending away from said vertical member and a second member extending away from said vertical member in the same direction as said first member, said second member separated from said first member by a second space, said second space of sufficient distance to position said first member along a first side of said preexisting screw head and said second member along a second side of said preexisting screw head when said side to side screw head connector engages with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head, said vertical body having a length which positions said first member and said second member under and in contact with said preexisting surgical rod when said side to side screw head connector engages with said pre-existing implanted bone screw system screw head or surgical rod; a secondary screw head support member comprising a horizontal body extending from said vertical body in a direction opposite each member of said preexisting implanted bone screw system engaging member; and a locking screw constructed and arranged to fit within said flange member opening and secure to or engage with a preexisting set screw associated with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 14, further comprising a secondary screw head constructed and arranged to receive a secondary surgical rod, said secondary screw head comprising two threaded surfaces for receiving a set screw, and a base separating said two threaded surfaces, said base sized and shaped to receive said secondary surgical rod, wherein, when said side to side bone screw connector is secured to or engages with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head or surgical rod, said secondary screw head is arranged in a side-by-side orientation with said preexisting implanted bone screw system screw head. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 15, wherein, said secondary screw head is secured to said secondary screw head support member horizontal body via a screw. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 15, wherein said secondary screw head supports a pedicle screw system, a facet screw system, or a lateral mass screw system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 15, wherein said secondary screw head is a tulip head supporting a polyaxial screw system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 14, wherein said preexisting implanted bone screw system is a pedicle screw system, a facet screw system, or a lateral mass screw system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The side to side screw head connector according to claim 14, wherein said flange member further comprises one or more additional openings.