Method and apparatus for dynamized spinal stabilization
OwnerRobert A. Dixon, Donald J. Hackmaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved device and a method for stabilizing lumbar vertebrae in a human spine for the purpose of fixing the vertebra with respect to other vertebra and with respect to other parts of the spinal column. This device comprises a plate, bone screws, bone screw clamp portion, spacers, and rigidizing stop locks. The bone screw clamps may be clamped firmly to the plate for a fully rigid system. Alternatively the screw clamp portions s may be held apart, with clearance between them and the plate, which will allow for axial motion of the screw with respect to the plate for implant load sharing and dynamized motion.
Claims21
An improved pedicle screw-plate system and a method for stabilizing lumbar vertebrae in a human spine, wherein the system may be configured before, at the time of, or subsequent to surgery, to selectively allow one or more vertebrae to move freely toward or to be forced into compression with an adjacent vertebra or implant, for the purpose of joining, stabilizing or repositioning one or more vertebra with respect to another vertebrae, implant, or other bone/disc replacement material.
An improved pedicle screw-plate system and a method for stabilizing lumbar vertebrae in a human spine, wherein the system may be configured before, at the time of, or subsequent to surgery, to selectively allow one or more vertebrae to move freely toward or to be forced into compression with an adjacent vertebra or implant, for the purpose of joining, stabilizing or repositioning one or more vertebra with respect to another vertebrae, implant, or other bone/disc replacement material;
- said system comprises;
- (a) bone screw clamps consisting an upper clamp portion, and a lower clamp portion which will allow the bone screw to slide freely with respect to the plate slot axis after implantation and,
- (b) a spacer which may be placed between the bone screw clamp portions and,
- (c) rigidizing-stop locks which may be fixed in the plate slot to make the plate more rigid and/or to abut a bone screw clamp to allow unidirectional bone screw motion along the plate slot.
A device for stabilizing lumbar vertebrae in a human spine, for the purpose of joining, stabilizing, or repositioning one or more vertebra with another vertebra, implant or other bone/disc replacement materials, in which the device is in the form of a modification kit, to compress adjacent vertebrae or implants and where the kit comprises;
- (a) bone screw clamps consisting of an upper portion and a lower portion or a single component which will allow a bone screw to slide freely with respect to the plate axis after implantation,
- (b) a spacer which may be placed between the bone screw clamp portions or may be an integral part of the bone screw clamp assembly;
- (c) rigidizing-stop locks which may be clamped in the plate slot to make the plate more rigid and/or to abut a bone screw clamp to restrict the bone screw motion along the plate slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.