Spinal anchor assemblies having extended receivers
AssigneeSDGI Holdings, Inc.
InventorsJohn Pond, Anthony Melkent
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There are provided systems and methods for positioning a connecting member adjacent the spinal column that include one or more anchor assemblies having an anchor engageable to bony structure and an extended receiver having a guide portion and an implantation portion. A connecting member is movable along the guide portion from a location outside the patient to the implantation portion in the patient, where the connecting member is secured to the anchor assembly with an engaging member. The guide portion is formed as a single unit with but separable from the implantation portion to provide a modified low-profile anchor assembly after implantation of the connecting member.
Claims22
A spinal surgical system, comprising:
- a connecting member including an elongated body having a length sized to extend between at least two vertebrae;
- and
- an anchor assembly including a distal anchor engageable to bony structure and an extended receiver extending proximally from and pivotally coupled to said anchor, said extended receiver including a distal implantation portion adjacent said anchor sized and shaped to receive said connecting member therein, said extended receiver further including a proximal guide portion including a pair of removable arms extending along a central axis, said arms extending proximally from and formed as a single unit with a respective one of a pair of opposite side members of said implantation portion, said arms defining a channel extending therebetween from said implantation portion through proximal ends of said pair of arms, said channel including a thread profile along only a distal portion of said arms, and said channel being sized and shaped to receive said connecting member through said proximal end opening thereof in a transverse orientation to said central axis.
An anchor assembly for securing an elongate connecting member along the spinal column, comprising:
- a distal anchor for engaging bony structure and an extended receiver extending proximally from said anchor, said extended receiver including a distal implantation portion adjacent said anchor, said implantation portion being sized and shaped to receive the connecting member therein, said extended receiver further including a guide portion extending proximally from said implantation portion along a central axis, wherein said implantation portion includes opposite side members and said guide portion includes opposite arms defining a channel therebetween and said opposite arms each include a distal end formed as a single unit with a respective one of said side members at a break-off region, said break-off region providing a separation location for separation of said arms from said respective side member upon application of a threshold force to said arms, said separation location providing a recessed surface interrupting an internal thread profile extending along said arms and said side members.
An anchor assembly for securing an elongate connecting member along the spinal column, comprising:
- a distal anchor and an extended receiver extending proximally from said anchor, said extended receiver including a distal implantation portion adjacent said anchor, said extended receiver further including a guide portion extending proximally from said implantation portion along a central axis, wherein said implantation portion includes opposite side members and said guide portion includes opposite arms each defining a channel therebetween for receiving the connecting member therethrough, wherein each of said side members defines an internal thread profile along said implantation portion and each of said arms defines an internal thread profile adjacent a distal end thereof along only a portion of a length of said arm, said internal thread profile forming an extension of the thread profile of said side members, wherein each of said arms is joined to said respective side member as a single unit therewith at a reduced thickness region between said internal thread profiles of said arm and said side member, said reduced thickness region defining a separation location for separation of said arm from said respective side member upon application of a threshold force to said arm.
A method for securing a connecting element along a spinal column, comprising:
- engaging a first anchor assembly to a first vertebra and a second anchor assembly to a second vertebra, the first and second anchor assemblies each including an extended receiver extending proximally from the respective first and second vertebrae through the skin of the patient;
- positioning an elongate connecting member through the extended receivers in an orientation generally parallel to the spinal column;
- guiding the connecting member along proximal guide portions of the extended receivers and into distal implantation portions of the extended receivers;
- securing the connecting member in the implantation portions with engaging members positioned into respective ones of the extended receivers in engagement with the implantation portion thereof;
- and
- removing the guide portions by applying force to each of the guide portions, the force severing the guide portions from the respective implantation portion at a break-off region where the guide portion is formed as a single unit with the implantation portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.