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US 7,744,634 B2Granted
Spinal rod system
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorRobert A. Farris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spinal rod system includes a first rod and a second rod engaged to one another in end-to-end fashion. The first and second rods include rod portions with differing characteristics, and a coupling mechanism allows the spinal rod system to be assembled with rod portions having the desired characteristics while minimizing the footprint of the coupling arrangement between the first and second rods.
Claims27
A spinal rod system, comprising:
- a first elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said first rod including a first rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a first characteristic corresponding at least to a first cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said first rod portion;
- a second elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said second rod including a second rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a second characteristic corresponding at least to a second cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said second rod portion;
- and
- a coupling mechanism for releasably coupling said first ends of said first and second rods in end-to-end fashion and said opposite sides of each of said first and second rod portions aligned with one another and extending from said coupling mechanism in opposite directions from one another, wherein one of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions is less than the other of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions, wherein one of said first and second rods includes a coupling member at an end thereof, said coupling member including an external thread pattern interrupted by a flattened surface portion extending along said coupling member.
1 more element
A spinal rod system, comprising:
- a first elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said first rod including a first rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a first characteristic corresponding at least to a first cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said first rod portion;
- a second elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said second rod including a second rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a second characteristic corresponding at least to a second cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said second rod portion;
- a coupling mechanism for releasably coupling said first ends of said first and second rods in end-to-end fashion and said opposite sides of each of said first and second rod portions aligned with one another and extending from said coupling mechanism in opposite directions from one another, wherein one of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions is less than the other of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions, wherein:
- said coupling mechanism includes a coupling body adjacent one of said first ends and a coupling member adjacent the other of said first ends, said coupling member being releasably engageable to said coupling body to couple said first ends to one another in end-to-end fashion;
- said coupling body includes an internally threaded first bore and said coupling member is externally threaded for removable engagement in said first bore;
- and
- said externally threaded coupling member includes a partially cylindrical body with a flattened surface on at least one side thereof along said external threads.
4 more elements
A spinal rod system, comprising:
- a first elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said first rod including a first rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a first characteristic corresponding at least to a first cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said first rod portion;
- a second elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said second rod including a second rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a second characteristic corresponding at least to a second cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said second rod portion;
- a coupling mechanism for releasably coupling said first ends of said first and second rods in end-to-end fashion and said opposite sides of each of said first and second rod portions aligned with one another and extending from said coupling mechanism in opposite directions from one another, wherein one of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions is less than the other of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions, wherein:
- said coupling mechanism includes a coupling body adjacent one of said first ends and a coupling member adjacent the other of said first ends, said coupling member being releasably engageable to said coupling body to couple said first ends to one another in end-to-end fashion;
- and
- said coupling body includes an internal bore flared toward said respective adjacent first end, and said coupling member includes an outer surface tapering toward said respective other adjacent first end, said flared bore receiving said tapered body in frictional engagement to releasably couple said first and second rods in end-to-end fashion.
3 more elements
A spinal rod system, comprising:
- a first elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said first rod including a first rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a first characteristic corresponding at least to a first cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said first rod portion;
- a second elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said second rod including a second rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae and a second characteristic corresponding at least to a second cross-sectional dimension between opposite sides of said second rod portion;
- a coupling mechanism for releasably coupling said first ends of said first and second rods in end-to-end fashion and said opposite sides of each of said first and second rod portions aligned with one another and extending from said coupling mechanism in opposite directions from one another, wherein one of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions is less than the other of said aligned first and second cross-sectional dimensions, wherein:
- said coupling mechanism includes a coupling body adjacent one of said first ends and a coupling member adjacent the other of said first ends, said coupling member being releasably engageable to said coupling body to couple said first ends to one another in end-to-end fashion;
- and
- each of said coupling body and said coupling member includes a flange extending radially about the respective rod portion of the first and second rods.
3 more elements
A spinal rod system, comprising:
- a first elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said first rod including a rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae of the spinal column and a first characteristic and a coupling member at said first end;
- and
- a second elongated rod extending along said longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said second rod including a rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae of the spinal column and a second characteristic and a coupling body at said first end, said coupling body including a bore extending along said longitudinal axis, wherein said first and second rods are releasably engageable to one another in end-to-end fashion with said coupling member received in and axially fixed relative to said coupling body by engagement with said coupling body in said bore of said coupling body and said first and second rod portions extending from said coupling member and said coupling body in opposite directions from one another, wherein said first bore of said coupling body is internally threaded and said coupling member is externally threaded for engagement in said first bore and said externally threaded coupling member includes a flattened portion extending along said threads.
A spinal rod system, comprising:
- a first elongated rod extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said first rod including a rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae of the spinal column and a first characteristic and a coupling member at said first end;
- and
- a second elongated rod extending along said longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said second rod including a rod portion with a length sized for attachment between vertebrae of the spinal column and a second characteristic and a coupling body at said first end, said coupling body including a bore extending along said longitudinal axis, wherein said first and second rods are releasably engageable to one another in end-to-end fashion with said coupling member received in and axially fixed relative to said coupling body by engagement with said coupling body in said bore of said coupling body and said first and second rod portions extending from said coupling member and said coupling body in opposite directions from one another, wherein said coupling body includes an internal bore flared toward said respective first end, and said coupling member includes a tapered outer surface tapering toward said respective first end, said flared bore receiving said tapered body in frictional engagement to releasably couple said first and second rods in end-to-end fashion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.