Spinal implant with ball and socket joint having multiple radius tear shaped geometry
AssigneeSpinal Simplicity, LLC
InventorsTimothy L. Lasswell, Parham Rasoulinejad, John B. Medley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spinal fusion clamp implant that connects two vertebra, preferably the C1 and C2 vertebra. The clamp implant includes a clamp assembly that connects to the C1 vertebra. The clamp assembly includes at least one superior jaw and at least one inferior jaw. The superior jaw and the inferior jaw are opposedly arranged and clamp onto posterior arch of the C1 vertebra. The clamp implant also includes an implant assembly that connects to the implant used in C2, and a connection system that connects the clamp assembly with said C2 implant assembly.
Claims20
A spinal implant for implanting at a spine, the spinal implant comprising:
- a clamp assembly comprising:
- a superior jaw;
- an inferior jaw opposedly positioned to the superior jaw;
- a clamp body defining a ball joint connecting the superior jaw to the inferior jaw,
- wherein the clamp body defines a socket,
- wherein the clamp assembly is configured to clamp a first vertebra;
- an implant assembly configured to fasten to a second vertebra;
- a connection system comprising:
- a rod having a head and an end,
- wherein the socket receives the head of the rod and the end of the rod couples to the implant assembly to connect the clamp assembly with the implant assembly;
- a rod screw positioned proximate the head of the rod and received within the clamp body,
- wherein rotation of the rod screw locks the head of the rod into the socket to stabilize the spinal implant;
- and
- a locking screw received within the clamp body,
- wherein the locking screw contacts an outer surface of the superior jaw and rotation of the locking screw advances the locking screw along the outer surface of the superior jaw to close the clamp assembly on the first vertebra.
A medical implant, the medical implant comprising:
- a clamp assembly comprising:
- a top jaw;
- a bottom jaw opposedly positioned to the top jaw;
- a clamp body defining a ball joint connecting the top jaw to the bottom jaw,
- wherein the clamp body defines a socket,
- an implant assembly;
- a connection system comprising:
- a polyaxial rod having a head and an end,
- wherein the socket receives the head of the polyaxial rod and the end of the polyaxial rod couples to the implant assembly to connect the clamp assembly to the implant assembly;
- a rod screw threadedly coupled to the clamp body,
- wherein rotation of the rod screw locks the head of the polyaxial rod into the socket to stabilize the medical implant;
- and
- a locking screw received within the clamp body,
- wherein the locking screw contacts an outer surface of the top jaw and rotation of the locking screw advances the locking screw along the outer surface of the top jaw to close the clamp assembly on a first vertebra.
A method of performing spinal surgery comprising:
- inserting a spinal implant into a patient at a spine, the spinal implant comprising:
- a clamp assembly comprising:
- a superior jaw;
- an inferior jaw opposedly positioned to the superior jaw;
- a clamp body defining a ball joint connecting the superior jaw to the inferior jaw,
- wherein the clamp body defines a socket;
- an implant assembly;
- and
- a connection system comprising:
- a rod having a head and an end;
- a rod screw positioned proximate the head of the rod and received within the clamp body;
- a locking screw received within the clamp body,
- wherein the locking screw contacts an outer surface of the superior jaw;
- clamping a first vertebra between the superior jaw and the inferior jaw of the clamp assembly;
- wherein clamping the first vertebra comprises rotating the locking screw to thereby advance the locking screw along an outer surface of the superior jaw;
- fastening the implant assembly to a second vertebra;
- inserting the head of the rod into the socket;
- coupling the end of the rod to the implant assembly to connect the clamp assembly with the implant assembly;
- and
- rotating the rod screw,
- wherein rotating the rod screw locks the head of the rod into the socket to stabilize the spinal implant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.