Cord for Vertebral Fixation Having Multiple Stiffness Phases
AssigneeZimmer, Inc.
InventorsBen Alcock, Thomas Nydegger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dynamic stabilization system for stabilizing a vertebral segment of a spine. The system includes a first vertebral anchor, a second vertebral anchor and a cord. The system may also include a spacer positioned between the first and second vertebral anchor through which the cord extends. The first vertebral anchor is configured to be secured to a first vertebra and the second vertebral anchor is configured to be secured to a second vertebra. The cord is extendable from the first vertebral anchor to the second vertebral anchor. The cord has a variable stiffness through a range of displacement, wherein the stiffness of the cord increases as an applied tensile force on the cord is increased.
Claims26
A dynamic stabilization system for stabilizing a vertebral segment of a spine, the system comprising:
- a first vertebral anchor configured to be secured to a first vertebra;
- a second vertebral anchor configured to be secured to a second vertebra;
- and
- a cord extendable from the first vertebral anchor to the second vertebral anchor;
- the cord having a variable stiffness through a range of displacement, wherein the stiffness of the cord increases as an applied tensile force on the cord is increased.
A dynamic stabilization system for stabilizing a vertebral segment of a spine, the system comprising:
- a first vertebral anchor configured to be secured to a first vertebra;
- a second vertebral anchor configured to be secured to a second vertebra;
- a cord extendable between the first vertebral anchor and the second vertebral anchor;
- wherein the cord has a first phase of stiffness when subjected to a first range of tensile loading, a second phase of stiffness when subjected to a second range of tensile loading greater than the first range of tensile loading, and a third phase of stiffness when subjected to a third range of tensile loading greater than the second range of tensile loading.
A dynamic stabilization system for stabilizing a vertebral segment of a spine, the system comprising:
- a first vertebral anchor configured to be secured to a first vertebra;
- a second vertebral anchor configured to be secured to a second vertebra;
- a spacer positionable between the first vertebral anchor and the second vertebral anchor;
- and
- a cord sized for insertion through the spacer;
- wherein the cord includes a means for varying the stiffness of the cord dependent of a tensile load applied to the cord.
A method of stabilizing a vertebral segment of a spine, the method comprising:
- providing a first vertebral anchor secured to a first vertebra, a second vertebral anchor secured to a second vertebra, and a cord extending between the first vertebral anchor and the second vertebral anchor;
- elongating the cord to a first elongated length, wherein at the first elongated length the cord has a first stiffness;
- and
- elongating the cord to a second elongated length greater than the first elongated length, wherein at the second elongated length the cord has a second stiffness different from the first stiffness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.