Surgical band clamp system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10307186-B2
Application number	US-201615368279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2016
Priority date	Dec 2, 2016
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A system for securing a spinal rod to a bone structure using a connector is provided. The connector functions by modulating friction on a band in two band channels and locking the spinal rod in a separate rod channel. An instrument is also provided for tensioning the band.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A connector for securing a spinal rod to a bone structure, the connector comprising:
a rod channel dimensioned to admit the spinal rod, the rod channel comprising a rod clamping surface and a lateral opening dimensioned to allow the spinal rod to enter the rod channel from a first side of the connector;
a locking cap channel intersecting the rod channel at a position opposite the rod clamping surface and adjacent the lateral opening, whereby the lateral opening is positioned between the locking cap channel and the rod clamping surface;
a locking cap in the locking cap channel;
a pair of band channels each having a band entrance and a band exit, wherein the pair of band channels are positioned between the rod channel and a second side of the connector, wherein the first side of the connector is opposite to the second side of the connector, wherein each band entrance is positioned on a bottom surface of the connector, wherein the bottom surface is adapted to be positioned against the bone structure; and
a clamping mechanism that modulates the width of at least a portion of each of the pair of band channels.

2. The connector of claim 1 , comprising: a rod housing section that contains the rod channel, locking cap channel, and locking cap; and a band clamp section that contains the pair of band channels and the clamping mechanism.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the rod channel does not intersect either of the pair of band channels.

4. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the pair of band channels both share the same band entrance and each have separate band exits.

5. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking cap channel comprises a channel screw thread and the locking cap comprises a cap screw thread, wherein the channel screw thread and the cap screw thread are complementary.

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the clamping mechanism comprises:
a threaded post;
a nut engaged to the threaded post and able to translate along the threaded post as it rotates;
a compressing body around the threaded post and distal to the nut, that is free to translate along the threaded post and positioned to be contacted by the nut; and
a compression surface distal to the compressing body and positioned such that the compression surface and the compressing body form the band exits of the pair of band channels.

7. The connector of claim 6 , comprising a base to which the threaded post is connected to prevent longitudinal translation of the base relative to the threaded post, and wherein the compression surface is a surface of the base.

8. The connector of claim 6 , comprising a main body that is separate from the compressing body, and wherein the rod channel, locking cap channel, base, and threaded post are parts of the main body.

9. The connector of claim 8 , wherein the compressing body is positioned between the base and the nut, such that the width of each of the band channels is decreased when the nut is tightened.

10. A method of anchoring a spinal rod housing to a bone structure using the connector of claim 1 , the method comprising:
positioning a flexible band around a bone structure to make contact between a middle portion of the band and said bone structure;
connecting a pair of terminal portions of the flexible band to the connector of claim 1 , the connector comprising the pair of band channels and the rod channel, wherein each of the pair of terminal portions is in a respective band channel;
increasing tension on the flexible band in an amount sufficient to cause contact between the connector and the bone structure and sufficient to restrict movement of the connector relative to the bone structure;
locking each of the terminal portions of the flexible band to the connector by narrowing each of the band channels to prevent release of the tension;
positioning a spinal rod within the rod channel by sliding the spinal rod into the rod channel via the lateral opening of the rod channel; and
immobilizing the spinal rod in the rod channel to prevent movement of the connector relative to the spinal rod.

11. A connector for securing a spinal rod to a bone structure, the connector comprising:
a base having a band entry channel and a band friction surface, wherein the band entry channel comprises a band entrance opening in a bottom surface of the base, wherein the bottom surface is adapted to engage against the bone structure;
a threaded post fastened to the base, such that the base cannot translate in the distal/proximal direction relative to the threaded post;
a nut on the threaded post;
an upper housing section between the nut and the base, having an upper rod channel portion; and
a lower housing section between the upper housing section and the base, having
a lower rod channel portion that forms a partially cylindrical rod channel in combination with the upper rod channel portion while providing a lateral opening in a lateral side of the partially cylindrical rod channel, and
a band friction counter-surface that forms a pair of band exit channels contiguous with the band entry channel in combination with the base,
wherein the pair of band exit channels are positioned adjacent a first side of the connector, the lower rod channel and upper rod channel are positioned adjacent a second side of the connector, and the first side is opposite to the second side;

wherein tightening the nut imparts compressive force on the upper section with a distal vector, which causes the upper section to exert compressive force on the lower section with a distal vector, which in turn causes the lower section to exert compressive force on the base with a distal vector.

12. The connector of claim 11 , wherein tightening the nut causes the upper rod channel portion to translate toward the lower rod channel portion, resulting in a decrease of a diameter of the partially cylindrical rod channel while maintaining at least a portion of the lateral opening in the lateral side of the partially cylindrical rod channel.

13. The connector of claim 11 , wherein tightening the nut causes the lower housing portion to translate toward the base, resulting in a decrease of a width of each of the pair of band exit channels.

14. A method of anchoring a spinal rod housing to a bone structure, the method comprising:
positioning a flexible band around a bone structure to make contact between a middle portion of the band and said bone structure;
connecting a pair of terminal portions of the flexible band to a connector, the connector comprising a pair of band channels and the spinal rod housing, wherein each of the pair of terminal portions is in a respective band channel, wherein the spinal rod housing comprises a spinal rod channel comprising a lateral opening therein at a first side of the connector, the pair of band channels are positioned between the spinal rod channel and a second side of the connector, and wherein the first side of the connector is an opposite side to the second side of the connector wherein each band channel comprises a band channel entrance opening positioned on a bottom surface of the connector;
increasing tension on the flexible band in an amount sufficient to cause contact between the bottom surface of the connector and the bone structure and sufficient to restrict movement of the connector relative to the bone structure;
locking each of the terminal portions of the flexible band to the connector by narrowing each of the band channels to prevent release of the tension;
positioning a spinal rod within the spinal rod channel by sliding the spinal rod into the spinal rod channel via the lateral openin

Assignees

• Nuvasive Inc

Inventors

• Schafer Andrew
• Morris Andrew
• Lipson Adam
• German Robert
• Didier Nicholas

Classifications

• A61B17/7053 Primary

  with parts attached to bones or to each other by flexible wires, straps, sutures or cables · CPC title

• A61B17/8869

  Tensioning devices · CPC title