Adjustable jacking implant
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorJoe W. Ferguson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable jacking implant useful in orthopedic surgery and associated methods are disclosed. The implant may be used to adjust the position of bones or other structures with respect to one another. In one embodiment, the implant may include a jack base, a jacking segment and a compressible spacer or sleeve. The implant may be inserted through a single stab or puncture entry. Jack base is placed in a first portion of a vertebra via a hole in an adjacent vertebra, in one embodiment, and the jacking segment is placed in the adjacent vertebra and connected to the base. After being connected, the depth of the adjustable portion of jacking segment in its vertebra determines the spacing between portions of the adjacent vertebrae.
Claims22
An adjustable medical implant for use between portions of adjacent vertebrae comprising:
- a jack base including an externally threaded anchoring portion and a central longitudinal aperture, said anchoring portion adapted for insertion into at least a portion of a first vertebra;
- and
- a jacking segment including a body portion and a shaft portion, said body portion having an externally threaded portion for insertion into at least a portion of a second vertebra adjacent said first vertebra so that said shaft portion is at least partially within said aperture of said base;
- wherein said jacking segment can rotate independently of said jack base;
- and
- wherein turning said jacking segment relative to said base operates to alter a distance between the first and second vertebrae.
An adjustable implant for use between portions of adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
- a jack base having an externally threaded anchoring portion adapted to engage at least a portion of a first vertebra;
- a jacking segment having a body portion and a shaft portion, said body being externally threaded for engaging at least a portion of a second vertebra and having an internal driving print;
- and
- a sleeve member having a first end and a second end;
- wherein said base has a head surface abutting said sleeve member, and wherein said shaft portion of said jacking segment extends through said sleeve.
A method of inserting an adjustable implant between first and second adjacent vertebrae comprising:
- accessing a patient's spine via a stab or puncture entry;
- making a hole in and through a portion the first and second vertebrae via said entry;
- inserting a jack base having an aperture through said hole in said first vertebra and into said hole in said second vertebra, so that said base is attached only to said second vertebra;
- inserting a jacking segment including an externally threaded body portion and a shaft portion into at least a portion of said hole in said first vertebra so that said shaft portion enters said aperture in said base and contacts a portion of said base;
- and
- turning said jacking segment with respect to said base, thereby changing the spacing between at least a portion of said vertebrae.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.