Bottom-loading bone anchor assemblies and methods
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorsFrank Spratt, Thibault Chandanson, Ernest Quintanilha, Shawn D. Stad, Ralf Klabunde
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Bone anchor assemblies and methods are provided having a multi-component bone anchor that is configured to allow the shank of the bone anchor to be bottom loaded into a receiver member. In one embodiment, a bone anchor assembly is provided having a shank with a distal threaded portion and a proximal head portion, a ball having a spherical exterior surface and a central lumen sized to receive the head portion of the shank, and a clip configured to be engaged between the head portion and the ball such that the clip is effective to lock the ball in engagement with the shank.
Claims19
A bone anchor assembly, comprising:
- a shank having a distal threaded portion and a proximal head portion;
- a ball having a spherical exterior surface and a central lumen sized to receive the head portion of the shank;
- and
- a clip configured to be engaged between the head portion and the ball such that the clip is effective to lock the ball in engagement with the shank.
A method of assembling a bone anchor assembly, comprising:
- engaging a clip with one of a first annular groove formed in a proximal head portion of a shank and a second annular groove formed in a central lumen of a ball having a spherical exterior surface;
- positioning the ball in a seat portion of a receiver member;
- and
- advancing the head portion of the shank proximally through an aperture formed in a distal end of the receiver member and into the central lumen of the ball until the clip engages the other of the first annular groove and the second annular groove to lock the ball in engagement with the shank and to thereby secure the shank to the receiver member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.