Non-fusion scoliosis expandable spinal rod

#Scoliosis is a medical condition where an individual's spine curves off of its anatomical shape, typically in an “S” or “C” shape, and may also be rotated about a vertical axis or a longitudinal axis of the spine. Scoliosis can be a particularly painful and dangerous condition for young persons including infants, juveniles and adolescents, who are not fully grown. Young persons with scoliosis may be treated in various manners depending upon age, severity of the curve and the likelihood of progression of the condition. Conventional options for scoliosis include observation, bracing and surgery.

#Surgery is typically indicated for juvenile scoliosis when there is a high likelihood of progression, the curve is causing significant pain and/or the curve is impacting physiological functions, such as breathing. Surgical intervention typically results in fusion of the impacted portion of the spine, which is ideally delayed until the patient is skeletally mature. However, certain severe cases of juvenile scoliosis require surgical intervention prior to skeletal maturity to prevent progression of the curve and/or to stabilize the spine. Multiple surgeries in such cases are common to gradually correct the curvature and/or modify the surgical construct to permit growth or to gradually move the curved or twisted spine.

#The present disclosure relates generally to orthopedics. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a non-fusion scoliosis construct including a magnetically actuated growing rod that permits extension of the rod, growth of the construct and extension or correction of a patient's spine without significantly invasive surgical intervention. The device includes an actively expandable rod that is mounted to a patient's spine or ribs using hooks, screws and/or other fastening mechanisms to be fixed to the posterior of the patient's spine or to nearly any other portion of the patient's spine that permits correction of an undesirable spinal curvature. The system is preferably magnetically activated from outside of the patient's body utilizing a magnetic field without further surgery for expansion. The system is typically indicated for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, early onset scoliosis and/or thoracic insufficiency syndrome, but is not so limited and may be utilized to treat nearly any type of scoliosis or may be employed in nearly any treatment where extension of a rod mounted within a patient is desirable, without the necessity for invasive surgical intervention.

#The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of several implementations of the device and methods of the present application, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the growing rod or non-fusion scoliosis expandable spinal rod of the present application, there are shown in the drawings several implementations. It should be understood, however, that the application is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

#FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of a growing rod or non-fusion scoliosis expandable spinal rod in accordance with a first implementation of the present application;

#FIG. 1A illustrates a posterior view of a spine with several of the growing rods of FIG. 1 mounted thereto;

#Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right”, “left”, “lower” and “upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” or “distally” and “outwardly” or “proximally” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the patient's body, or the geometric center of the several implementations of the non-fusion scoliosis expandable spinal rod and related parts thereof. The words, “anterior”, “posterior”, “superior,” “inferior”, “lateral” and related words and/or phrases designate preferred positions, directions and/or orientations in the human body to which reference is made and are not meant to be limiting. The terminology includes the above-listed words, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.

#Referring to FIGS. 1-6, a growing rod 10 in accordance with a first implementation of the present disclosure includes a base rod 1, a bottom housing 2 sealed and preferably laser welded to the base rod 1, a gear housing 12 preferably laser welded and sealed to the bottom housing 2, a top housing 32 sealed and preferably laser welded to the gear housing 12 and a rod 26 that extends out of the top housing 32 and is slidable relative thereto. The base rod 1 preferably includes a longitudinal slot 1a therein that receives a torque pin 34 mounted to the rod 26 to limit rotational or pivotal movement of the rod 26 relative to the base rod 1. Accordingly, when the base rod 1 is actuated, as will be described in greater detail below, the rod 26 generally translates relative to a longitudinal axis of the growing rod 10 and generally does not pivot or rotate except for the play within the tolerances of the constructs. For de-rotation of the scoliosis, it is also possible to make the longitudinal slot rotating along the axis of the construct to twist the two rods 16/26 against each other.

#A magnet 18 is rotatably mounted along the longitudinal axis generally inside the bottom housing 2 and is preferably enclosed by a bottom magnet cover 20 and a top magnet cover 22. The top and bottom magnet covers 20, 22 are preferably laser welded together to seal the magnet 18 therein and are secured to the magnet 18 for rotation therewith along the longitudinal axis. The magnet 18 is preferably diametrically magnetized including at least two polls 18a, 18b and may include multiple pairs of polls (FIG. 6). The bottom magnet cover 20 includes an eccentric end 20a spaced from an attachment end 1b of the base rod 1.