Implant assembly having an angled head

An implant assembly comprising:

• a tool body having an implant end and an outer end opposite the implant end, the implant end being configured to be positioned in a patient, the outer end being configured to be held by a user outside of the patient, the tool body having an inner portion at the implant end and an outer portion at the outer end with an angled section between the inner and outer portions, the angled section angling the inner and outer portions relative to one another, the tool body comprising an actuator separately manufactured from, and coupled to, the inner and outer portions of the tool body, wherein the actuator is located between the inner and outer portions, the actuator comprises a link extending between a base and a head, the base coupled to the outer portion and the head coupled to the inner portion, the link being movable with respect to the head and the base to change an angular orientation of the head with respect to the base, the actuator being configured to vary the angular orientation of the inner portion with respect to the outer portion while the tool body is located within a patient;
• an inner shaft rotatably received in the tool body, the inner shaft having a flexible joint extending through the angled section between a drive end and a second end, the flexible joint being rotatable within the angled section, the inner shaft comprising a driver extending through the outer portion of the tool body and being coupled to the drive end of the flexible joint, wherein the flexible joint is configured to transfer rotation of the driver to the second end of the flexible joint;
• and
• a handle coupled to the driver for rotating the driver within the tool body.

An implant assembly comprising:

• an implant configured to be located within a patient, the implant comprising an upper element and a lower element coaxially aligned with one another, the upper and lower elements being configured to be displaced relative to one another along a longitudinal axis of the implant;
• and
• a setting tool comprising:
• a cassette having a housing, a gear held by the housing, and a drive shaft driving the gear, the cassette holding the implant such that the gear engages the implant to displace the upper and lower elements relative to one another;
• and
• a tool body having an implant end and an outer end opposite the implant end, the implant end being configured to be implanted in a patient, the outer end being configured to be held by a user outside of the patient, the tool body having an inner portion at the implant end and an outer portion at the outer end with an angled section between the inner and outer portions, the angled section angling the inner and outer portions relative to one another, the angular orientation of the inner portion with respect to the outer portion being variable, the tool body comprising an actuator separately manufactured from, and coupled to, the inner and outer portions of the tool body, the actuator is configured to vary the angular orientation of the inner portion and cassette with respect to the outer portion while the tool body is located within a patient, the cassette being removably mounted to the inner portion of the tool body, the tool body having an outer shaft and an inner shaft, the inner shaft being rotatably received in the outer shaft, the inner shaft comprising a flexible joint between the inner and outer portions, the inner shaft driving the drive shaft of the cassette.

An implant assembly comprising:

• an outer shaft extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end;
• an actuator separately manufactured from, and coupled to the second end of the outer shaft, the actuator having a base and a head movable with respect to the base, the base being coupled to the second end, the head being configured to hold a removable cassette used for setting and distracting an implant, the head being movable with respect to the second end to change an angle of orientation of the cassette with respect to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• an inner shaft rotatably received in the outer shaft, the inner shaft comprising a driver coupled to a handle at one end of the driver and coupled to a flexible joint at the other end of the driver, the flexible joint extending through the base and head of the actuator, wherein the flexible joint is configured to transfer the rotation of the driver to the cassette for distracting the implant.