Polyaxial bone screw assembly

A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising:

• a) a shank having an upper portion and a body for fixation to a bone, the upper portion having a first cylindrical surface with a first helical thread, a second surface projecting radially beyond the first cylindrical surfaced and an upper surface substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the shank;
• the shank upper portion including a radially outward extending stop that is sized and shaped to pass through the receiver bottom opening;
• b) a receiver defining an upper channel communicating with a bore defined in part by a lower opening, the shank upper portion being uploadable in the receiver through the lower opening and the shank being swivelable with respect to the receiver;
• c) an independent retaining and articulating structure having a top surface that is substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the retaining and articulating structure, with an inner surface defining a bore, the inner surface having a second helical thread mateable with the first helical thread of the shank upper portion;
• the shank stop operably positioning the retaining and articulating structure on the shank and having a lower surface that cooperates with a lower surface of the retaining and articulating structure to slidably engage the receiver;
• d) a compression structure insertable in the receiver and pressable against the retaining and articulating structure;
• and
• e) the shank including an upper tool receiving recess for operably rotating the shank during installation;
• the tool receiving recess being accessible to the tool during installation of implant into a patient's bone after previously joining of the shank and the retaining and articulating structure within the receiver.

In a polyaxial bone screw assembly having a shank pivotable with respect to a receiver, the improvement comprising:

• a) the shank having an upper portion and a body for fixation to a bone, the upper portion having an upper surface and a tool receiving structure and a cylindrical outer surface with a helical thread having a first outer radius, the upper portion uploadable in the receiver;
• b) a projection extending from the shank upper portion, the projection being a radially outward extending stop that is sized and shaped to pass through the receiver bottom opening;
• the projection having a second radius, the second radius being one of equal to and greater than the helical thread first radius;
• c) a partially spherical retainer securable to the shank upper portion;
• the shank stop operably positioning the retainer on the shank and having a lower surface that cooperates with a lower surface of the retainer to slidably engage the receiver;
• and
• d) the shank and the receiver being joinable as a unit and pivotal with respect to one another prior to installation of the shank in a patient's bone, the tool engagement structure of the shank being accessible to the tool after the shank and the receiver are joined and the shank thereafter being rotatable relative to the patient's bone during installation of the shank into such a bone.

A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising:

• a) a receiver with a base and a pair of upstanding arms forming a channel therebetween sized and shaped to receive a rod;
• the base having an axially positioned bore communicating with the channel at an upper end and terminating in an aperture that opens externally at a lower end;
• b) a shank having a lower portion and an upper portion terminating in an upper surface;
• the upper portion being bottom loaded into the bore;
• the shank upper portion having a tool engagement structure in the upper portion that is sized and shaped to receive a tool to rotate the shank during implantation of the shank in a bone;
• the shank upper portion including a radially outward extending stop that is sized and shaped to pass through the receiver bottom opening;
• c) a retaining structure for holding the shank upper end in the receiver and allowing articulation of the shank relative to the receiver during positioning;
• the shank stop operably positioning the retaining structure on the shank and having a lower surface that cooperates with a lower surface of the retaining structure to slidably engage the receiver;
• d) a compression structure positioned in the receiver bore and operable pressing against the retaining structure when the assembly is fully assembled;
• and wherein the channel is located directly above the shank upper portion when the assembly is fully assembled;
• and
• e) the receiver, the shank and the retaining structure being joinable as a unit prior to installation in a patient;
• the tool engagement structure being positioned so as to be accessible by the tool after assembly of the receiver, the shank and the retaining structure to allow implantation of the receiver, the shank and the retaining structure simultaneously.

A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising:

• a) a receiver having a lower portion with a bottom opening and pair of spaced arms projecting upwardly from the lower portion, the arms defining a rod-receiving channel;
• b) a shank having an integral upper portion sized and shaped for uploading into the receiver through the bottom opening;
• the shank upper portion including a radially outward extending stop that is sized and shaped to pass through the receiver bottom opening;
• c) a non-integral partially spherical retainer loaded separately into the receiver from the shank upper portion and having a bore sized and shaped to rotatingly mate with the shank upper portion while in the receiver;
• the shank stop operably positioning the retainer on the shank and having a lower surface that cooperates with a lower surface of the retainer to slidably engage the receiver;
• and
• d) a pressure insert sized and shaped to be downloaded into the receiver and to apply a locking force to only the retainer.

A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising:

• a) a receiver having an interior cavity that opens externally through a bottom opening;
• the cavity having a lower partially spherically shaped surface;
• b) a shank having a lower threaded portion for implanting in a bone and an upper portion;
• the upper portion being sized and shaped to be received through the receiver bottom opening and into the receiver cavity;
• the shank upper portion having a radially outward extending stop located at a lower end of the shank upper portion;
• the stop having a curved lower surface;
• c) a retainer that is non-integral with respect to the shank and loaded into the receiver cavity separate from the shank;
• the retainer being securable to the shank within the cavity so as to polyaxially rotate with respect to the shank relative to the receiver in a positioning configuration;
• the retainer having a maximum width larger than the receiver bottom opening so as to retain the shank upper portion in the cavity when the shank and retainer are joined;
• the retainer having a lower partially spherical surface that cooperates with the shank upper portion curved lower surface to form an engagement surface that is matingly received on the cavity surface so as to allow polyaxial rotation of the shank and retainer together relative to the receiver when the shank and retainer are joined in the receiver in the positioning configuration;
• the engagement surface and cavity lower surface frictionally engaging and locking in position relative to each other when pressure is exerted downward on the joined shank and retainer in a locked configuration.

A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising:

• a) a receiver defining a central bore and having a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion defining a first recess communicating with the central bore and having a bottom opening, the bottom opening having a diameter;
• b) a shank having an upper portion and a lower portion for fixation to a bone, the upper portion having an upper surface and a maximum width smaller than the receiver bottom opening diameter;
• the shank upper portion having a second recess on the upper surface thereof that is sized and shaped to receive a tool for operably rotating the shank for installation and removal;
• c) the shank upper portion has a cylindrical outer surface with a helical thread having a first outer radius and a projection extending radially from the shank upper portion, the projection having a second radius, the second radius being equal to the thread first radius;
• d) an independent retaining and articulating structure mateable with the shank upper portion, the retaining and articulating structure having a contact surface configured for slidable engagement with the receiver at the bottom portion defining the recess;
• the retaining and articulating structure having a top surface;
• e) a compression structure insertable in the receiver and pressable exclusively against the retaining and articulating structure;
• and
• f) the shank, the retaining and articulating structure and the receiver being joinable into a pre installation unit prior to installation into a patient wherein, after the shank and the retaining and articulating structure are joined in the receiver, the shank upper surface is flush with the top surface of the retaining and articulating structure and the tool receiving second recess on the shank is accessible to such a tool to allow implantation of the shank into a patient's bone while the shank is part of the unit.

A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising:

• a) a shank having an upper portion and a body for fixation to a bone, the upper portion having a first cylindrical surface with a first helical thread, a second surface projecting radially beyond the first cylindrical surfaced and an upper surface substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the shank;
• b) the shank first helical thread has a first outer radius and the shank second surface has a second outer radius, the second outer radius being equal to the first outer radius;
• c) a receiver defining an upper channel communicating with a bore defined in part by a lower opening, the shank upper portion being uploadable in the receiver through the lower opening and the shank being swivelable with respect to the receiver;
• d) an independent retaining and articulating structure having a top surface that is substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the retaining and articulating structure, with an inner surface defining a bore, the inner surface having a second helical thread mateable with the first helical thread of the shank upper portion, the shank second surface providing a lower stop for the retaining and articulating structure and the retaining and articulating structure top surface being flush with the shank upper surface;
• e) a compression structure insertable in the receiver and pressable against the retaining and articulating structure;
• and
• f) the shank including an upper tool receiving recess for operably rotating the shank during installation;
• the tool receiving recess being accessible to the tool during installation of implant into a patient's bone after previously joining of the shank and the retaining and articulating structure within the receiver.

In a polyaxial bone screw assembly having a shank pivotable with respect to a receiver, the improvement comprising:

• a) the shank having an upper portion and a body for fixation to a bone, the upper portion having an upper surface and an internal tool receiving recess accessible through an opening in the upper surface and a cylindrical outer surface with a helical thread having a first outer radius, the upper portion uploadable in the receiver;
• b) a projection extending radially from the shank upper portion, the projection having a second radius, the projection second radius being equal to the helical thread first radius;
• c) a partially spherical retainer securable to the shank upper portion and having a top surface that is substantially flush with the shank upper surface when the shank upper portion is secured to the retainer within the receiver;
• and
• d) the shank and the receiver being joinable as a unit and pivotal with respect to one another prior to installation of the shank in a patient's bone, the recess of the shank being accessible to the tool after the shank and the receiver are joined and the shank thereafter being rotatable relative to the patient's bone during installation of the shank into such a bone.

In a polyaxial bone screw assembly having a shank pivotable with respect to a receiver, the improvement comprising:

• a) the shank having an upper portion and a body for fixation to a bone, the upper portion having an upper surface and an internal tool receiving recess accessible through an opening in the upper surface and a cylindrical outer surface with a helical thread having a first outer radius, the upper portion uploadable in the receiver;
• b) a projection extending radially from the shank upper portion, the projection having a second radius, the second radius being one of equal to and greater than the helical thread first radius;
• wherein the helical thread first radius and the projection second radius are both smaller than a third radius measured at a lower opening of the receiver;
• c) a partially spherical retainer securable to the shank upper portion and having a top surface that is substantially flush with the shank upper surface when the shank upper portion is secured to the retainer within the receiver;
• and
• d) the shank and the receiver being joinable as a unit and pivotal with respect to one another prior to installation of the shank in a patient's bone, the recess of the shank being accessible to the tool after the shank and the receiver are joined and the shank thereafter being rotatable relative to the patient's bone during installation of the shank into such a bone.

A polyaxial bone screw assembly comprising:

• a) a receiver having an interior cavity that opens externally through a bottom opening;
• the cavity having a lower partially spherically shaped surface;
• b) a shank having a lower threaded portion for implanting in a bone and an upper portion;
• the upper portion being sized and shaped to be received through the receiver bottom opening and into the receiver cavity;
• the shank upper portion having a radially outward extending stop located at a lower end of the shank upper portion;
• the stop having a curved lower surface;
• c) a retainer that is non-integral with respect to the shank and loaded into the receiver cavity separate from the shank;
• the retainer being securable to the shank within the cavity so as to polyaxially rotate with respect to the shank relative to the receiver in a positioning configuration;
• the retainer having a maximum width larger than the receiver bottom opening so as to retain the shank upper portion in the cavity when the shank and retainer are joined;
• the retainer having a lower partially spherical surface that cooperates with the shank upper portion lower surface to form an engagement surface that is matingly received on the cavity surface so as to allow polyaxial rotation of the shank and retainer together relative to the receiver when the shank and retainer are joined in the receiver in the positioning configuration;
• the engagement surface and cavity lower surface frictionally engaging and locking in position relative to each other when pressure is exerted downward on the joined shank and retainer in a locked configuration.