Apparatus instrumentation, and method for spinal fixation

A method for affixing a spinal fixation device, having a staple comprising of a top member with a plurality of downwardly depending projections and an aperture therebetween, to the vertebral bodies of the vertebrae adjacent to a spinal implant surgically implanted in the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said method comprising the steps of:

• attaching to said spinal implant an alignment rod having an end portion capable of engaging the spinal implant;
• aligning said spinal fixation device with respect to said spinal implant by passing said alignment rod through the aperture of said staple, at least one of each of said plurality of projections contacting one of each of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the spinal implant;
• engaging said alignment rod to a driving instrument having a hollow shaft for receiving said alignment rod, said shaft terminating at one end to a bottom member and terminating at its other end to a top portion, said bottom member having means for removably engaging the spinal fixation device, said top portion having an outer surface for receiving an impaction force applied thereto;
• driving said spinal fixation device to insert said plurality of projections into the vertebral bodies of the vertebrae with said driving instrument by applying an impaction force to said driving instrument;
• disengaging said driving instrument from said alignment rod;
• removing said alignment rod from the spinal implant;
• and
• fixing said spinal fixation device to the spinal implant with means for lockably securing said spinal fixation device to the spinal implant.

A multi-segmental spinal alignment apparatus for aligning one or more segments of the spine, each segment having a disc space and two vertebrae adjacent the disc space, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of spinal fixation devices for stabilizing the spine inserted into the vertebrae of the spine, each of said plurality of spinal fixation devices comprising:
• a staple member having a top member of sufficient length to span the disc space between the two adjacent vertebrae;
• at least two projections depending downwardly from said top member, each of said projections capable of being inserted into one of the two adjacent vertebrae;
• coupling means for coupling said staple member to a spinal implant surgically implanted in the disc space between the two adjacent vertebrae;
• (b) connecting means for connecting said plurality of spinal fixation devices;
• (c) alignment means for aligning said plurality of spinal fixation devices;
• and
• (d) a plurality of spinal implants surgically implanted in the disc spaces between a plurality of adjacent vertebrae, at least one of said plurality of spiral implants having upper and lower surfaces for bearing upon, supporting, and spacing apart two adjacent vertebrae, each of said plurality of spinal implants having a receiving means for receiving said connecting means for connecting said plurality of spinal fixation devices.

A spinal fixation apparatus for stabilizing a segment of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:

• an interbody spinal fusion implant made of a material other than bone and adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the vertebral bodies of two adjacent vertebrae, said spinal implant having upper and lower surfaces for bearing upon, supporting, aligning, and spacing apart each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said implant having at least one opening through each of said upper and lower surfaces to allow bone growth from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant sufficient to permit spinal fusion;
• and
• a spinal fixation device comprising:
• at least a first projection member capable of being inserted into a first of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, at least a second projection member capable of being inserted into a second of the two adjacent vertebral bodies;
• a top member of sufficient length to span the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies but not greater than the distance along a spinal segment defined by the two adjacent vertebral bodies and the disc space, said top member having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface adapted for placement in close proximity to the spine, said lower surface of said top member having contact portions adapted to be in contact with the two adjacent vertebral bodies, and said top member having means for engaging said projection member;
• and
• means for coupling said top member to said spinal implant, said spinal implant having means for cooperatively engaging said coupling means.

A spinal fixation device for stabilizing a portion of a human spine for use in combination with an interbody spinal fusion implant adapted to be placed at least in part across a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies, said spinal fixation device comprising:

• at least a first projection member capable of being inserted into the vertebral body of a first of two adjacent vertebrae, at least a second projection member capable of being inserted into the vertebral body of a second of the two adjacent vertebrae;
• a top member of sufficient length to span the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies but not greater than the distance along a spinal segment defined by the two adjacent vertebral bodies and the disc space, said top member having means for engaging said projection members, and a bottom surface for contacting the adjacent vertebrae, said bottom surface having means for interdigitating said top member with the spinal implant, said interdigitating means located between said first and second projection members;
• and
• means for coupling said top member to a spinal implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies.

A spinal fixation device for stabilizing a portion of a human spine, comprising:

• a top member of sufficient length to span the disc space between the vertebral bodies of two adjacent vertebrae;
• at least a first projection and a second projection fixedly depending downwardly from said top member, said first projection for insertion with an impaction force into a first of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, said second projection for insertion with an impaction force into a second of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, said first and second projections having means for forcing and compressing the bone of the adjacent vertebral bodies toward a spinal implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies when said first and second projections are inserted into the two adjacent vertebral bodies;
• and
• means for coupling said top member to the spinal implant.

A spinal fixation apparatus for stabilizing a portion of a human spine, said spinal fixation apparatus comprising:

• an interbody spinal fusion implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the vertebral bodies of two adjacent vertebrae, said spinal implant having upper and lower surfaces for bearing upon, supporting, aligning, and spacing apart each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said implant having at least one opening through each of said upper and lower surfaces to allow bone growth from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant sufficient to permit spinal fusion;
• and
• a spinal fixation device for engaging said spinal implant, comprising:
• at least a first projection member capable of being inserted into a first of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, and at least a second projection member capable of being inserted into a second of the adjacent vertebral bodies;
• a top member of sufficient length to span the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies but not greater than the distance along a spinal segment defined by the two adjacent vertebral bodies and the disc space, said top member having means for engaging said projection members;
• and
• a fixed engagement member fixedly attached to and depending downwardly from said top member for engaging said spinal implant, said engagement member being interposed between said first and second projections.

A spinal fixation apparatus for stabilizing a portion of a human spine, comprising:

• an interbody spinal fusion implant adapted to be surgically implanted within the disc space between the vertebral bodies of two adjacent vertebrae and in contact with the two adjacent vertebral bodies, said spinal implant having upper and lower surfaces for bearing upon, supporting, aligning, and spacing apart each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said implant having at least one opening through each of said upper and lower surfaces to allow bone growth from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant sufficient to permit spinal fusion;
• and
• a spinal fixation device for engaging said spinal implant, comprising:
• at least a first projection member capable of being inserted into a first of two adjacent vertebral bodies, at least a second projection member capable of being inserted into a second of the two adjacent vertebral bodies;
• a top member of sufficient length to span the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies but not greater than the distance along a spinal segment defined by the two adjacent vertebral bodies and the disc space;
• means for engaging said projection members to said top member;
• and
• said top member including means for cooperatively engaging said top member to said spinal implant, said cooperatively engaging means interposed between said first and second projection members.

A spinal fixation device for stabilizing a portion of a human spine in combination with an artificial interbody spinal fusion implant, comprising:

• a top member having a lower surface for placement facing the spine, said top member generally conforming to the surface of a segment of the spine spanning the vertebral bodies of two adjacent vertebrae to which said spinal fixation device is to be applied but not greater than the distance along a spinal segment defined by the two adjacent vertebral bodies and the disc space;
• at least a first and a second projection fixedly depending downwardly from said top member, said first projection for insertion with an impaction force into a first of two adjacent vertebral bodies, said second projection for insertion with an impaction force into a second of the two adjacent vertebral bodies;
• said artificial spinal implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies, said spinal implant having upper and lower surfaces for bearing upon, supporting, aligning, and spacing apart each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said implant having at least one opening through each of said upper and lower surfaces to allow bone growth from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant sufficient to permit spinal fusion;
• and
• said top member having means for interdigitating said spinal fixation device to said artificial spinal implant, said interdigitating means being interposed between said first and said second projections.