US 2007/0191841 A1 · Spinal rods having different flexural rigidities about different axes and methods of use

Abstract

A vertebral rod has an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis. The rod also includes a cavity extending the length of the body. Either the body or the cavity may have an asymmetrical shape about a centroid in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Alternatively, both may have the symmetrical shape about the centroid. The body of the rod may be bounded by an exterior surface and the cavity. The body has a first bending axis that is perpendicular to longitudinal axis. The body also has a second bending axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and to the first bending axis. The body of the rod may be distributed asymmetrically about the first and second bending axes. Also, the rod may have a different bending stiffness about the first and second bending axes.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A vertebral rod comprising:

a body extending along a first axis and having a length along the first axis between a first end and a second end;
a cavity extending the length of the body;
at least one of the body and the cavity having an asymmetrical shape about a centroid in a plane perpendicular to the first axis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Spinal rods having different flexural rigidities about different axes and methods of use

Life of this patent

Spinal rods having different flexural rigidities about different axes and methods of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24