# US 12,599,483 B2 · System and method for joining boney structures

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- Number: US 12,599,483 B2
- Document ID: US12599483B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/485,363
- Filed: 2023-10-12
- Published: 2024-04-11
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-21
- Assignees: Randall F. Lee
- Applicants: Randall F. Lee
- Inventors: Randall F. Lee; Daniel S. Savage; Alan W. Rorke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12599483B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/30749: {Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body}
- A61B 17/1728: {for holes for bone plates or plate screws}
- A61B 17/8004: {with means for distracting or compressing the bone or bones}
- A61B 17/8014: {the extension or compression force being caused by interaction of the plate hole and the screws}
- A61B 17/8076: {for the ribs or the sternum}
- A61B 17/808: {Instruments for holding or positioning bone plates, or for adjusting screw-to-plate locking mechanisms}
- A61B 17/8095: {Wedge osteotomy devices}
- A61B 17/844: {with expandable anchors or anchors having movable parts}
- A61B 17/8866: {for gripping or pushing bones, e.g. approximators (joint distractors A61B17/025)}
- A61B 17/92: Impactors or extractors, e.g. for removing intramedullary devices {(insertion or extraction of artificial joints A61F2/4603)}
- A61F 2/4603: {for insertion or extraction of endoprosthetic joints or of accessories thereof}
- A61B 17/846: {Nails or pins, i.e. anchors without movable parts, holding by friction only, with or without structured surface (A61B17/72, A61B17/86 take precedence)}
- A61B 2017/564: {Methods for bone or joint treatment}
- A61B 2017/681: {Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms}
- A61F 2/4202: {for ankles}
- A61F 2/442: {Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455)}
- A61F 2/4455: {for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages (intervertebral discs A61F2/442)}
- A61F 2002/30622: {Implant for fusing a joint or bone material}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Disclosed are system and methods that use at least one non-threaded anchor and an implant with at least one aperture to join boney structures, where the interaction of the head of the anchor with the implant aperture causes the anchor to move transversely with respect to an initial trajectory. This movement causes compression or distraction of the boney structures which are coupled to the anchors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An implant system for joining boney structures comprising:
a first non-threaded anchor including,
a first non-threaded elongated body having a center axis,
a first non-threaded head coupled to a distal end of the elongated body, the first head including a first portion of the first head that is substantially concentric to the center axis and a second portion of the first head that is offset from the center axis;
a second non-threaded anchor including,
a second non-threaded elongated body having a center axis,
a second non-threaded head coupled to a distal end of the elongated body, the second head including a second portion of the second head that is substantially concentric to the center axis and a second portion of the second head that is offset from the center axis;
an implant including,
a first bone engaging surface and a second bone engaging surface;
a first aperture defined within the implant, the first aperture having a first proximal portion and a first distal portion exiting through the first bone engaging surface,
the first distal portion sized and to allow passage of the first elongated body along a first trajectory,
the first proximal portion sized and shaped to accept the first head only upon an occurrence of transverse movement of the first head with respect to the first trajectory;
a second aperture defined within the implant, the second aperture having a second proximal portion and a second distal portion exiting through the second bone engaging surface,
the second distal portion sized and to allow passage of the second elongated body along a second trajectory, and
the second proximal portion sized and shaped to accept the second head only upon an occurrence of transverse movement of the second head with respect to the second trajectory.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a third non-threaded anchor including,
a third non-threaded elongated body having a center axis,
a third non-threaded head coupled to a distal end of the elongated body, the third head including a third portion of the third head that is substantially concentric to the center axis and a third portion of the third head that is offset from the center axis;
wherein the implant also includes,
a third aperture defined within the implant, the third aperture having a third distal portion and a third proximal portion,
the third distal portion sized and to allow passage of the third elongated body along a third trajectory, and
the third proximal portion sized and shaped to accept the third head only upon an occurrence of transverse movement of the third head with respect to the third trajectory.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first aperture includes a first force applying surface sized and shaped to assert a transverse force on the second portion of the first head as the second portion of the first head slidingly engages the first force applying surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first aperture is curved in a first direction with respect to a center axis of the implant and the second aperture is curved in a second direction with respect to the center axis of the implant.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the aperture includes a force applying surface sized and shaped to assert a transverse force on the second portion of the head as the second portion of the head slidingly engages the force applying surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the aperture is curved in a first direction with respect to a center axis of the implant.

### Claim 7

An implant system for joining boney structures comprising:
a non-threaded anchor including,
a non-threaded elongated body having a center axis,
a non-threaded head coupled to a distal end of the elongated body, the head including a first portion of the head that is substantially concentric to the center axis and a second portion of the head that is offset from the center axis;
an interbody implant including,
a first bone engaging surface and a second bone engaging surface;
an aperture defined within the implant, the aperture having
a proximal portion and a distal portion exiting through the first bone engaging surface,
the distal portion sized and to allow passage of the elongated body along a trajectory,
the proximal portion sized and shaped to accept the head only upon an occurrence of transverse movement of the head with respect to the trajectory.