Devices and Methods for Inter-Vertebral Orthopedic Device Placement

A device for stabilization of a spinal segment that includes at least three vertebral bodies and two intervening discs, comprising:

• a first component attachable to a first vertebral body;
• a second component attachable to a second vertebral body and movably connected to the first component across a first disc, wherein the first component and second component are adapted to reversibly move from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion and are further adapted to substantially return to the first relative position upon dissipation of the applied force secondary to the action of a force produced by the device so as to support vertebral motion across a first disc;
• and
• a third component attachable to a third vertebral body and connected to the second component across a second disc, wherein the second component and third component are adapted to promote fusion by rigidly affixing the second and third vertebral bodies.

A device for spinal stabilization of at least two vertebral bodies that are adapted to rotate relative to one another about a radius defined by a center of rotation, comprising:

• a first component attachable to a first vertebral body;
• a second component attachable to a second vertebral body;
• and
• at least one pair of complementary bearing surfaces connecting the first and second components across a first disc, the bearing surfaces adapted to movably interact upon a curvilinear path defined by the radius centered about a point of rotation.

A device for spinal stabilization, comprising:

• a first component that anchors to a first vertebral body;
• a second component that anchors to a second vertebral body;
• and
• an intervening member adapted to provide interaction between the first and second components without a direct bearing surface between the first and second components, wherein the intervening member contains at least one bearing surface that is adapted to articulate with at least one of the components anchored to a vertebral body and further comprising at least one bearing surface between the intervening member and an anchored component that is adapted to reversibly move from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion and is further adapted to substantially return to the first relative position upon dissipation of the applied force secondary in response to a force produced by the device so as to support vertebral motion across a disc space.

A device for stabilization of a spinal segment, comprising:

• a first component attachable to a first vertebral body;
• a second component attachable to a second vertebral body;
• a malleable member connecting the first and second components, the malleable member adapted to provide movement between the first and second components from a first position to a second position in reaction to an applied force producing vertebral motion and to substantially return the first and second components to the first position when force of motion has dissipated;
• and
• a biocompatible membrane that at least partially surrounds the malleable member so as to at least partially separate the malleable member from the surrounding environment when the device is attached to the spinal segment;
• wherein the device does not reside within a disc space but is anchored to a side of the spinal segment using a plurality of bone fasteners.

A device for stabilization of a spinal segment that includes at least three vertebral bodies and two intervening discs, comprising:

• a first component attachable to a first vertebral body;
• a second component attachable to a second vertebral body and connected to the first component across a first disc, wherein the first component and second component are adapted to move toward one another from a first position to a second position in reaction to an applied force producing vertebral motion of the first vertebral body toward the second vertebral body but not to return to the first position upon dissipation of the applied force so as to promote spinal fusion across the first disc;
• and
• at least one bearing component connected to the second component, the bearing component adapted to extend into a second disc between the second vertebral body and a third vertebral body, the bearing component adapted to support defined vertebral motion across the second disc.

A device for dynamic spinal stabilization of at least two vertebral bodies, comprising:

• a first component attachable to an anterior surface of a first vertebral body;
• a second component attachable to an anterior surface of a second vertebral body;
• and
• at least one complementary bearing surface between the first and second components, wherein the bearing surface is adapted to provide movement between the two attachable components from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion and is further adapted to substantially return the two attachable components to the first relative position upon dissipation of the applied force secondary to the action of a force produced by the device.

A device for stabilization of a spinal segment that includes at least three vertebral bodies and two intervening discs, comprising:

• a first component attachable to a first vertebral body;
• a second component attachable to a second vertebral body and movably connected to the first component across a first disc, wherein the first component and second component are adapted to reversibly move from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion and are further adapted to substantially return to the first relative position upon dissipation of the applied force secondary to the action of a force produced by the device so as to support vertebral motion across a first disc;
• and
• a fourth component attachable to a third vertebral body and connected to a third component across a second disc, wherein the second component and third component are modularly attached to one another and wherein the third and fourth components are further adapted to move from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion but, upon dissipation of the initial applied force, the device produces no motive force onto the vertebral bodies and there is no device-generated vertebral motion so as to accommodate fusion across a second disc.

A device for stabilization of a spinal segment that includes at least three vertebral bodies and two intervening discs, comprising:

• a first component attachable to a first vertebral body;
• a second component attachable to a second vertebral body and movably connected to the first component across a first disc, wherein the first component and second component are adapted to reversibly move from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion and are further adapted to substantially return to the first relative position upon dissipation of the applied force secondary to the action of a force produced by the device so as to support vertebral motion across a first disc;
• and
• a fourth component attachable to a third vertebral body and connected to a third component across a second disc, wherein the second component and third component are modularly attached to one another and wherein the third and fourth components are further adapted to promote fusion by rigidly affixing the second and third vertebral bodies.

A method for stabilization of a spinal segment that includes at least three vertebral bodies and two intervening discs, comprising:

• attaching a first component to a first vertebral body;
• attaching a second component to a second vertebral body such that the second component is movably connected to the first component across a first disc, wherein the first component and second component are adapted to reversibly move from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion and are further adapted to substantially return to the first relative position upon dissipation of the applied force secondary to the action of a force produced by the device so as to support vertebral motion across a first disc;
• and
• attaching a third component to a third vertebral body such that the third component is connected to the second component across a second disc, wherein the second component and third component are adapted to move from a first relative position to a second relative position in reaction to an applied force that produces vertebral motion but, upon dissipation of the initial applied force, the device produces no motive force onto the vertebral bodies and there is no device-generated vertebral motion so as to accommodate fusion across a second disc.