Low profile connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10335206-B2
Application number	US-201514882512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Nov 6, 2012
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

Devices and methods for coupling first and second adjacent vertebrae. The device includes a first coupling element and a second coupling element. The first coupling element has a first body portion for receiving a first bone fastener and an elongate rod portion extending transversely from the first body portion. The second coupling element has a second body portion for receiving a second bone fastener and an extension portion extending transversely from the second body portion. The extension portion defines a recess sized and configured to receive the rod portion of the first coupling element. When unlocked, the rod portion is moveable in the recess to allow for rotational and translational movement of the first and second coupling elements. When locked, the relative position of the first and second coupling elements is fixed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling device for securing first and second vertebrae, the device comprising:
a first coupling element having a first body portion with an opening extending longitudinally through the first body portion;
a first locking assembly comprising a rotatable locking member, a clamp portion and a ring portion, wherein the locking member, the clamp portion and the ring portion are sized and dimensioned to be received in the opening in the first body portion, the first locking assembly is configured and dimensioned for receiving a head of a first bone fastener, and wherein the first coupling element having an elongate rod portion extending transversely from the first body portion; and
a second coupling element having a second body portion for receiving a second bone fastener and an extension portion extending transversely from the second body portion, the extension portion defining a recess sized and configured to receive the rod portion of the first coupling element,
wherein, when unlocked, the rod portion is moveable in the recess to allow for rotational and translational movement of the first and second coupling elements, and when locked, the relative position of the first and second coupling elements is fixed,
wherein the ring portion is configured to surround the rotatable locking member and a lower portion of the ring portion is configured to engage an upper portion of the clamp portion,
wherein when the locking member is rotated to a locked position, the locking member forces the ring portion and clamp portion downward to secure the first bone fastener.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the rotational and translational positions of the first and second coupling elements are locked simultaneously.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the extension portion of the second coupling element includes a locking element, and when locked, the locking element contacts the rod portion of the first coupling element.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the locking element is in the form of a set screw configured to apply a downward force on the rod portion of the first coupling element when locked.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second coupling element includes a rotatable locking member.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the clamp portion includes at least one slit extending therethrough to allow the clamp portion to be compressed around a head of the first bone fastener when the first locking assembly is locked.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one slit has an angled portion, a longitudinal portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the first or second body portion, and a perpendicular portion extending substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis which connects the angled portion to the longitudinal portion.

8. A coupling assembly for securing first and second vertebrae, the assembly comprising:
a first bone fastener having a head and a shaft extending therefrom, the shaft configured to engage the first vertebra;
a second bone fastener having a head and a shaft extending therefrom, the shaft configured to engage the second vertebra;
a first coupling element having a first body portion with an opening extending longitudinally through the first body portion, the first coupling element housing a first locking assembly and having an elongate rod portion extending transversely from the first body portion, the first locking assembly comprising a rotatable locking member, a clamp portion, and a ring portion configured to at least partially surround a portion of the clamp portion, the locking member, the clamp portion and the ring portion sized and dimensioned to be received in the opening in the first body portion, and the head of the first bone fastener is received in the clamp portion; and
a second coupling element having a second body portion housing a second locking assembly and having an extension portion extending transversely from the second body portion, the extension portion defining a recess for receiving the rod portion of the first coupling element, the second locking assembly comprising a rotatable locking member, a clamp portion, and a ring portion configured to at least partially surround a portion of the clamp portion, and the head of the second bone fastener is received in the clamp portion;
wherein, when unlocked, the rod portion is moveable in the recess to allow for rotational and translational movement of the first and second coupling elements, and when locked, the relative position of the first and second coupling elements is fixed,
wherein each locking assembly is configured such that the ring portion is configured to surround the rotatable locking member, a lower portion of the ring portion is configured to engage an upper portion of the clamp portion and when the locking member is rotated to a locked position, the locking member forces the ring portion and the clamp portion downward to secure the first bone fastener, and
wherein the head of the first fastener is generally spherical and is monolithically formed with the shaft of the first fastener.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the rotational and translational positions of the first and second coupling elements are locked simultaneously.

10. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the extension portion of the second coupling element includes a locking element.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein when locked, the locking element contacts the rod portion of the first coupling element.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the locking element is in the form of a set screw configured to apply a downward force on the rod portion of the first coupling element when locked.

13. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the clamp portion of the first or second locking assembly includes at least one slit extending therethrough to allow the clamp portion to compress around the head of the respective first or second bone fastener when the respective first or second locking assembly is locked.

14. A method for affixing a coupling device to adjacent vertebrae, the method comprising:
securing a first bone fastener to a pedicle of a first vertebra;
securing a second bone fastener to a pedicle of a second vertebra;
attaching a coupling device to the first and second bone fasteners, the coupling device comprising:
a first coupling element having a body portion with an opening extending longitudinally through the body portion;
a first locking assembly comprising a rotatable locking member, a clamp portion and a ring portion, the locking member, the clamp portion and the ring portion sized and dimensioned to be received in the opening in the body portion, the clamp portion capable of engaging a head of the first bone fastener and the first coupling element having an elongate rod portion extending transversely from the body portion; and
a second coupling element having a body portion for receiving the second bone fastener and an extension portion, the extension portion defining a recess sized and configured to receive the rod portion of the first coupling element,

moving the rod portion relative to the extension portion to allow for rotational and translational movement of the first and second coupling elements;
locking the position of the rod portion in the recess to fix the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element,
wherein the ring portion is configured to surround the rotatable locking member and a lower portion of the ring portion is configured to engage an upper portion of the clamp portion, and rotating the locking member to force the ring portion and the clamp portion downward to secure the first bone fastene

Assignees

• Globus Medical Inc

Inventors

• Nichols Jeff
• Ingalhalikar Aditya
• Pham Khiem
• Harper Michael
• Mishra Devjeet
• Martzall Derek

Classifications

• A61B17/7034

  characterised by a lateral opening · CPC title

• A61B17/705

  for linking adjacent ends of longitudinal elements · CPC title

• A61B17/7052 Primary

  of variable angle or length · CPC title

• A61B17/809

  with bone-penetrating elements, e.g. blades or prongs (bone staples A61B17/0642; intramedullary nails with a plate at an end A61B17/7233) · CPC title

• A61B17/7055

  connected to sacrum, pelvis or skull · CPC title