Minimally invasive fixation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10441325-B2
Application number	US-201615270575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2016
Priority date	Apr 11, 2006
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A minimally invasive fixation system and method for providing access to a surgical site. The fixation system may include a holding assembly, the holding assembling preferably including a lateral implant holder which may be attached to a pedicle screw and a sleeve positioned in connection with the lateral implant holder to prevent the lateral implant holder from separating from the pedicle screw. The sleeve may further include a tissue protection portion to keep the tissue out of the surgical site. A holding sleeve may be operably connected to the holding assembly and pedicle screw and may be used to insert the pedicle screw into the body. Multiple constructs may be inserted into the body so that a portion of the holding assembly extends from the body and provides access to and visualization of the surgical site. A rod holder may also be used to insert a rod into the head of the screw. The rod may be held by the rod holder so that the rod may be angulated as the rod is inserted into the screw heads. Once the rod is positioned in the screw heads, locking caps and/or set screws may be positioned over the rod and engage the screw heads so that the position of the rod may be fixed with respect to the screws. In some embodiments, a movement mechanism may be used to move the screws relative to each other to compress and/or distract the vertebrae.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A minimally invasive fixation system, comprising:
a holder defining a longitudinal axis, the holder having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along the longitudinal axis, the holder defining an engagement portion at the distal end, the engagement portion configured to engage a portion of a bone anchor;
a sleeve attachable to the holder, the sleeve defining a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a direction that is parallel with the longitudinal axis, the sleeve including a tissue protection portion that is curved so as to define a passageway between the sleeve and the tissue protection portion, the passageway elongated along the direction, wherein the tissue protection portion defines a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end in the direction, the passageway defines a central axis that is parallel with the direction, and the distal end of the tissue protection portion extends about the central axis to a greater extent than the proximal end of the tissue protection portion extends about the central axis, and wherein the tissue protection portion comprises a curved wall having an outer curved surface and a top edge extending helically around the longitudinal axis in the direction.

2. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 1 , wherein the engagement portion includes at least two engagement features configured to engage the portion of the bone anchor.

3. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 2 , wherein each of the at least two engagement features defines one or more protrusions that are sized and configured to engage a groove formed in the portion of the bone anchor.

4. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is movable with respect to the holder from a first position in which the distal end of the sleeve is remote from the at least two engagement features to a second position in which the distal end of the sleeve is positioned over the at least two engagement features so as to maintain the at least two engagement features into engagement with the portion of the bone anchor when the sleeve is in the second position.

5. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 4 , wherein the distal end of the sleeve biases the at least two engagement features toward one another when the sleeve is in the second position.

6. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 4 , wherein the distal end of the sleeve prevents the at least two engagement features from moving away from one another when the sleeve is in the second position.

7. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 4 , wherein the proximal end of the sleeve of located distally of the proximal end of the holder when the sleeve is in the first and second positions.

8. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 4 , wherein the sleeve defines a second passageway for receiving at least a portion of the holder therethrough.

9. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 8 , wherein the direction is a first direction, the sleeve includes a first flange extending from the sleeve in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the holder includes a second flange extending from the holder in the second direction, and the system includes a translating device operatively coupled to the first and second flanges and configured to move the first and second flanges in the first direction so as to move the sleeve with respect to the holder in the first direction.

10. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 9 , wherein the translating device includes:
a threaded rod in engagement with the first and second flanges, wherein at least one of the first and second flanges is configured to translate with respect to the threaded rod in the first direction, and
a knob received over the threaded rod, the knob defining a threaded bore extending therethrough, the threaded bore configured to engage the threaded rod such that rotation of the knob moves the at least one of the first and second flanges relative to the other of the first and second flanges along the first direction so as to move the holder relative to the sleeve along the first direction.

11. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the sleeve is spaced distally from the distal end of the tissue protection portion.

12. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the tissue protection portion extends about the central axis between about 250 degrees and about 300 degrees.

13. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 1 , wherein the bone anchor defines a head, and the distal end of the tissue protection portion is configured to at least partially surround the head when the bone anchor is engaged with the engagement portion.

14. A minimally invasive fixation system, comprising:
an implant holder elongate along a longitudinal axis, the implant holder having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along the longitudinal axis in a distal direction, the holder including at least two engagement features at the distal end, the at least two engagement features curved to engage a head structure of a bone screw, wherein the at least two engagement features are biased towards one another so as to retain the head structure of the bone screw into engagement with the at least two engagement features; and
a sleeve attachable to the implant holder, the sleeve defining a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along the distal direction, the sleeve including an elongate member and a tissue protection portion that is curved so as to define a passageway between the elongate member and the tissue protection portion, the passageway elongated along the distal direction, wherein the tissue protection portion comprises a curved wall having an outer curved surface and a top edge extending helically around the longitudinal axis in the distal direction.

15. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 14 , wherein the at least two engagement features include a first jaw member and a second jaw member spaced from the first jaw member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and each of the first and second jaw members is curved to collectively engage the head structure of the bone screw.

16. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 15 , further comprising a slot formed in the distal end of the implant holder, the first and second jaw members extending from portions of the distal end of the implant holder located on opposite sides of the slot, the slot elongated along the distal direction, wherein the slot is configured to allow the first and second jaw members to flex in relation to one another as the head structure of the bone screw moves into engagement with the first and second jaw members.

17. The minimally invasive fixation system of claim 14 , wherein the elongated body extends along the longitudinal axis, and the elongated body is curved so as to be concave toward the tissue protection portion.

18. A minimally invasive fixation device, comprising:
a tissue protection portion configured to be mounted to a bone anchor, the tissue protection portion defining a longitudinal axis, the tissue protection portion comprising a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a direction that is parallel with the longitudinal axis, and a wall that extends along the direction, the wall defining an edge and an outer perimeter contiguous with the edge, the outer perimeter extending about the longitudi

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Bankoski Brian R
• Hanson Shaun
• Solitario Jr Ralph C
• Bundra Caryn E
• Woodburn Sr William N
• Rossney Mark
• Mcdivitt Eric
• Rathbun David S

Classifications

• A61B17/7082 Primary

  for driving, i.e. rotating, screws or screw parts specially adapted for spinal fixation, e.g. for driving polyaxial or tulip-headed screws · CPC title

• A61B17/7079

  Tools requiring anchors to be already mounted on an implanted longitudinal or transverse element, e.g. where said element guides the anchor motion · CPC title

• A61B17/7076

  for driving, positioning or assembling spinal clamps or bone anchors specially adapted for spinal fixation · CPC title

• A61B17/865

  Packages or dispensers for bone screws or threaded wires · CPC title

• A61B17/00234

  for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence) · CPC title