Fulcrum cap for spinal constructs
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorsMary Louise Fowler, Thomas J. Runco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for manipulating a spinal construct are provided herein. In general, the system includes first and second sleeves extending from vertebrae and a fulcrum that can be releasably coupled to the sleeves. In certain aspects, the fulcrum can receive a portion of the sleeves therein and can allow the sleeves to pivot about the fulcrum in response to an applied force. The fulcrum can releasably couple to the sleeves in a variety of ways, and a position of the fulcrum relative to the sleeves can vary depending on whether there is an applied distracting, compressing, and/or derotating force. In some embodiments, user can manipulate the first and second sleeves relative to the fulcrum, using one hand, to distract, compress, and/or derotate the vertebrae.
Claims17
A spinal instrumentation kit, comprising:
- a first bone anchor configured to be implanted in a first vertebra;
- a first elongate body configured to couple to the first bone anchor;
- a second bone anchor configured to be implanted in a second vertebra;
- a second elongate body configured to couple to the second bone anchor;
- and
- a connector having a ring-shaped member and a U-shaped extension, the ring-shaped member being configured to slidably receive one of the first and second elongate bodies and to prevent the one of the first and second elongate bodies from rotating relative to the ring-shaped member, and the U-shaped extension having first and second arms each having a free end, the free ends forming an open end of the U-shaped extension that faces away from the ring-shaped member, the U-shaped extension allowing the other one of the first and second elongate bodies to rotate and pivot freely toward and away from the ring-shaped member;
- wherein when the first and second bone anchors are implanted in first and second vertebrae and the first and second elongate bodies are coupled to the first and second bone anchors, the connector is configured to function as a fulcrum to allow pivotal movement of the first and second elongate bodies about the fulcrum to thereby compress or distract the first and second vertebrae relative to one another.
A spinal instrumentation kit, comprising:
- a first bone anchor configured to be implanted in a first vertebra;
- a first sleeve configured to couple to the first bone anchor;
- a second bone anchor configured to be implanted in a second vertebra;
- a second sleeve configured to couple to the second bone anchor;
- and
- a connector having a ring-shaped member configured to slidably receive a first end of the first sleeve and to prevent the first sleeve from rotating relative thereto and a hemi-cylindrical shaped extension configured to seat a first end of the second sleeve and to allow the first end of the second sleeve to rotate and pivot relative thereto, a superior surface of the ring-shaped member being flush with a superior surface of the hemi-cylindrical shaped extension;
- wherein when the first and second bone anchors are implanted in first and second vertebrae and the first and second elongate sleeves are coupled to the first and second bone anchors, the connector is configured to function as a fulcrum to allow the first and second elongate sleeves to pivot about the fulcrum to thereby compress, distract, or derotate the first and second vertebrae relative to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.