Hybrid pedicle screw and spine rod assemblies

A spine fixation assembly, comprising in combination:

• a pedicle screw portion;
• a spine rod portion;
• said pedicle screw portion having an elongate threaded shaft extending along a rotational axis away from a head, said head having a torque receiving structure associated therewith;
• said head including a truncated plane of swivel located lateral to said rotational axis of said pedicle screw portion, at least where said plane of swivel is adjacent to said head of said pedicle screw;
• a junction on a proximal end of said spine rod portion, said junction having a face adjacent to said plane of swivel;
• a swivel post extending perpendicular to said plane of swivel and joining said junction of said spine rod portion to said head of said pedicle screw portion, with rotation of said junction of said spine rod portion relative to said head of said pedicle screw portion about said swivel post;
• a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said head of said pedicle screw portion to said junction of said spine rod portion against swivel of said spine rod portion relative to said pedicle screw portion;
• wherein a donut collar surrounds at least a portion of a central driving head portion of said head of said pedicle screw portion, said donut collar having said truncated plane of swivel thereon and said swivel post coupled thereto, said donut collar rotatable relative to said driving head of said pedicle screw portion, and with a threaded fastener selectively locking said donut collar to said driving head of said pedicle screw portion;
• wherein said lock includes a swivel set screw on said donut, said swivel set screw rotatable to selectively lock said donut collar of said pedicle screw portion to said junction of said spine rod portion;
• and
• wherein said lock includes said swivel set screw having a conical tip which engages a beveled end of a sliding lock pin, said sliding lock pin oriented to engage said junction across said plane of swivel, and with said swivel set screw on a side of said plane of swivel opposite said junction.

A spine fixation assembly, comprising in combination:

• a pedicle screw portion;
• a spine rod portion;
• said pedicle screw portion having an elongate threaded shaft extending along a rotational axis away from a head, said head having a torque receiving structure associated therewith;
• said head including a truncated plane of swivel located lateral to said rotational axis of said pedicle screw portion, at least where said plane of swivel is adjacent to said head of said pedicle screw;
• a junction on a proximal end of said spine rod portion, said junction having a face adjacent to said plane of swivel;
• a swivel post extending perpendicular to said plane of swivel and joining said junction of said spine rod portion to said head of said pedicle screw portion, with rotation of said junction of said spine rod portion relative to said head of said pedicle screw portion about said swivel post;
• a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said head of said pedicle screw portion to said junction of said spine rod portion against swivel of said spine rod portion relative to said pedicle screw portion;
• wherein a threaded bore is located extending down into said head along said rotational axis of said pedicle screw portion;
• wherein said threaded bore is located within said torque receiving structure;
• and
• wherein said torque receiving structure is a recess extending into an upper surface of said head, said recess having faceted lateral sides with which a torque applying tool can engage, for rotation of said pedicle screw portion about said rotational axis and engagement of said threaded shaft of said pedicle screw portion with a pedicle of a vertebra.

A spine fixation assembly, comprising in combination:

• a pedicle screw portion;
• a spine rod portion;
• said pedicle screw portion having an elongate threaded shaft extending along a rotational axis away from a head, said head having a torque receiving structure associated therewith;
• said head including a truncated plane of swivel located lateral to said rotational axis of said pedicle screw portion, at least where said plane of swivel is adjacent to said head of said pedicle screw;
• a junction on a proximal end of said spine rod portion, said junction having a face adjacent to said plane of swivel;
• a swivel post extending perpendicular to said plane of swivel and joining said junction of said spine rod portion to said head of said pedicle screw portion, with rotation of said junction of said spine rod portion relative to said head of said pedicle screw portion about said swivel post;
• a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said head of said pedicle screw portion to said junction of said spine rod portion against swivel of said spine rod portion relative to said pedicle screw portion;
• wherein a threaded bore is located extending down into said head along said rotational axis of said pedicle screw portion;
• and
• wherein a turndown screw having a body with a threaded shaft extending therefrom is threaded into said threaded bore of said head, with a tulip head at least partially interposed between said turn down screw and said head and with portions of said tulip head extending to a side of said turndown screw opposite said head, said tulip head configured to receive and hold a spine rod therein.

A spine fixation assembly, comprising in combination:

• a pedicle screw portion;
• a spine rod portion;
• said pedicle screw portion having an elongate threaded shaft extending along a rotational axis away from a head, said head having a torque receiving structure associated therewith;
• said head including a truncated plane of swivel located lateral to said rotational axis of said pedicle screw portion, at least where said plane of swivel is adjacent to said head of said pedicle screw;
• a junction on a proximal end of said spine rod portion, said junction having a face adjacent to said plane of swivel;
• a swivel post extending perpendicular to said plane of swivel and joining said junction of said spine rod portion to said head of said pedicle screw portion, with rotation of said junction of said spine rod portion relative to said head of said pedicle screw portion about said swivel post;
• a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said head of said pedicle screw portion to said junction of said spine rod portion against swivel of said spine rod portion relative to said pedicle screw portion;
• and
• wherein said spine rod includes a distal portion opposite said junction which is selectively capturable adjacent to a tulip head, said tulip head coupled to a double tulip head assembly including a bar with at least two lateral heads thereon and one central head, said central head including a torque receiving structure aligned with a rotational access thereof, and with a threaded shaft extending alongside said rotational axis on a side of said bar opposite said torque receiving structure, and with said lateral heads each including threaded bores extending into said bar on a side of said bar opposite said threaded shaft, each of said threaded bores having a turndown screw attached thereto, with a tulip head at least partially captured between said turndown screw and said bar of said double tulip head assembly, said spine rod captured to one of said tulip heads and with another of said tulip heads available to capture a separate spine rod.