Transverse connector
AssigneePioneer Surgical Technology, Inc.
InventorDavid T. Hawkes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crosslink or connecting assembly is provided to secure multiple spinal rods in relation to each other. The connecting assembly is disposed transversely between two spinal rods and has moveable components for rotating, pivoting, and extending portions of the connecting device in order to accommodate the positioning of the spinal rods.
Claims32
A connecting assembly for interconnecting spinal rods secured to spinal vertebrae, the connecting assembly comprising:
- an elongate cross rod having a first cross rod end and a second cross rod end and a longitudinal axis extending between the first cross rod end and second cross rod end;
- a first rod receiving device and a second rod receiving device each configured to receive a cross rod end and a spinal rod, the first rod receiving device configured to allow the first cross rod end received thereby to pivot with respect to the first rod receiving device, and the second rod receiving device configured to adjustably receive the second cross rod end so that an axial adjustable distance between the first rod receiving device and the second rod receiving device can be selected by axial adjustment of the cross rod therebetween;
- a first rotatable actuator and a second rotatable actuator each associated with one of the first rod receiving device and the second rod receiving device, with the first rotatable actuator rotated to secure the first cross rod end to the first rod receiving device against pivoting relative thereto and the second rotatable actuator rotated to secure the second cross rod end to the second rod receiving device against axial shifting relative thereto so that the axial adjustable distance between the first rod receiving device and the second rod receiving device is fixed;
- wherein the second rod receiving device includes an axially extending bore and a clamping mechanism located therein, the clamping mechanism operated by rotation of the second actuator to clamp the second cross rod end against axial movement;
- the clamping mechanism comprising an elongate clamping sleeve that extends axially in the axially extending bore, with the second cross rod end and the axial bore being sized to allow the second cross rod end to be adjusted to different axial positions within the elongate clamping sleeve so that operation of the second rotatable actuator causes clamping of the second cross rod end against axial movement to fix the axial distance between the rod receiving devices to a selected axial distance therebetween.
A connecting assembly for interconnecting spinal rods secured to spinal vertebrae, the connecting assembly comprising:
- a first rod receiving device for receiving a first spinal rod, the first rod receiving device having an opening for receiving a first end of a cross rod and a first non-threaded actuator member rotatable about a first axis of rotation and having a predetermined locking position;
- a second rod receiving device for receiving a second spinal rod, the second rod receiving device having an opening for receiving a second end of the cross rod and a second non-threaded actuator member rotatable about a second axis of rotation and having a predetermined locking position;
- the cross rod pivotably connected to at least one of the rod receiving devices and slidably received in at least one of the rod receiving devices;
- and
- the first non-threaded actuator member configured to apply a locking force in a direction orthogonal to the first axis of rotation of the first non-threaded actuator member for shifting the first spinal rod in the same direction as the locking force is applied toward the first end of the cross rod in order to fix the first end of the cross rod within the first rod receiving device;
- and the second non-threaded actuator member configured to apply a locking force in a direction orthogonal to the second axis of rotation of the second non-threaded actuator member for shifting the second spinal rod in the same direction as the locking force is applied toward the second end of the cross rod in order to operate a clamping mechanism that fixes the second end of the cross rod against axial shifting within the second rod receiving device.
A method for interconnecting a first spinal rod that is secured to a spinal vertebra with a second spinal rod that is secured to the spinal vertebra, the method comprising:
- seating the first spinal rod in a first rod receiving device;
- seating the second spinal rod in a second rod receiving device;
- connecting the rod receiving devices with a cross rod;
- adjusting a distance between the first rod receiving device and the second rod receiving device by shifting the cross rod within at least one of the devices;
- shifting the first spinal rod and the second spinal rod toward each other in locking directions by rotating actuator members about axes that are transverse to the locking directions in which the first and second spinal rods are to be shifted in order to apply locking forces upon the spinal rods in the locking directions;
- and
- fully locking the first spinal rod, second spinal rod, and the cross rod via only rotation of the actuators that shift the first spinal rod and second spinal rod toward each other to substantially fix the spinal rods and cross rod against linear, rotational, and pivotal movement with respect to the first and second rod receiving devices.
A connecting assembly for interconnecting spinal rods comprising two rod receiving devices connected by an adjustable cross rod, wherein the rod receiving devices each include a seat for receiving a spinal rod and a non-helical actuator member located adjacent the seat, wherein the non-helical actuator member has an axis of rotation and is asymmetrical about the axis of rotation, and wherein the non-helical actuator is rotatable into engagement with one of the spinal rods without movement along the axis of rotation to shift one of the spinal rods toward the cross rod in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation for generating a locking force that fixes the cross rod against movement relative to the associated rod receiving device in a predetermined direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.