Articulating implant connectors and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11707304-B2
Application number	US-202117191667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2021
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

Articulating implant connectors and related methods are disclosed herein. Exemplary connectors can include first and second bodies that are rotatable relative to one another about a rotation axis and selectively lockable to resist or prevent such rotation. Each of the bodies can be configured to couple to a rod or other fixation component, and the connector can be used to lock first and second rods together even when the rods are obliquely angled with respect to one another.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surgical method, comprising:
inserting a hinge pin that extends laterally from a first body of a connector to a free end into a cavity formed in a second body of the connector thereby coupling the first body of the connector to the second body of the connector, the second body having a saddle disposed within a rod-receiving recess of the second body, the saddle forming a rod seat for receiving a spinal fixation element; and
orienting the first body relative to the second body such that a slot formed in the hinge pin receives a saddle protrusion extending distally from the saddle such that the saddle prevents removal of the hinge pin from the second connector body and a feature formed on the hinge pin restricts rotation of the first body relative to the second body about a rotation axis defined by a longitudinal axis of the hinge pin to a predetermined range of angles.

2. The surgical method of claim 1 , wherein the slot of the hinge pin has an angled cam surface and the saddle protrusion has a corresponding angled bearing surface.

3. The surgical method of claim 2 , further comprising moving a fastener with respect to the second body to secure a spinal fixation element within the rod receiving recess of the second body and thereby lock relative rotation of the first and second bodies about the rotation axis;
wherein moving the fastener with respect to the second body wedges the angled bearing surface of the saddle protrusion into the angled cam surface of the slot.

4. The surgical method of claim 1 , wherein orienting the first body relative to the second body further comprises rotating the first body relative to the second body about the rotation axis defined by the longitudinal axis of the hinge pin.

5. The surgical method of claim 4 , wherein moving a fastener with respect to the second body urges a bearing surface of the saddle against a corresponding bearing surface of the hinge pin and thereby causes one or more corners of the hinge pin to apply a force against the cavity of the second body.

6. The surgical method of claim 4 , wherein rotating the first body relative to the second body about the rotation axis defined by the longitudinal axis of the hinge pin comprises rotating the first body with respect to the second body such that the saddle protrusion limits a rotation of the hinge pin when a terminal end of the slot of the hinge pin engages and bears against the saddle protrusion.

7. The surgical method of claim 4 , wherein rotating the first body relative to the second body about the rotation axis defined by the longitudinal axis of the hinge pin comprises rotating the first body such that the free end of the hinge pin rotates within an opening defined in the second body of the connector, the opening having a cross sectional shape that limits rotation of the free end of the hinge pin.

8. The surgical method of claim 4 , wherein rotating the first body relative to the second body about the rotation axis defined by the longitudinal axis of the hinge pin comprises rotating the first body such that the slot of the hinge pin rotates about the saddle protrusion that extends distally from an edge of the saddle and is aligned with an edge of the rod-receiving recess in the second body.

9. The surgical method of claim 8 , further comprising moving a fastener with respect to the second body to secure a spinal fixation element within the rod receiving recess of the second body and thereby lock relative rotation of the first and second bodies about the rotation axis;
wherein moving the fastener with respect to the second body urges a bearing surface of the saddle against a corresponding bearing surface of the hinge pin for a continuous length that is greater than half the width of the second rod-receiving recess.

10. The surgical method of claim 4 , wherein the feature of the hinge pin is a sidewall of the slot and rotating the first body relative to the second body is limited by the saddle projection contacting the sidewall of the slot.

11. The surgical method of claim 4 , wherein the feature of the hinge pin is a cross sectional shape of the free end of the hinge pin and rotating the first body relative to the second body is limited by the cross sectional shape of the free end of the hinge pin.

12. The surgical method of claim 1 , further comprising moving a fastener with respect to the second body to secure a spinal fixation element within the rod receiving recess of the second body and thereby lock relative rotation of the first and second bodies about the rotation axis defined by the longitudinal axis of the hinge pin.

13. The surgical method of claim 12 , wherein the feature formed on the hinge pin is a plurality of planar surfaces that intersect to form one or more corners and the cavity of the second body is formed of a curved inner wall; and
wherein the one or more corners of the hinge pin apply a force against the cavity of the second body that locks the hinge pin in place when the fastener secures the spinal fixation element within the rod receiving recess of the second body.

14. The surgical method of claim 13 , wherein the force applied by the one or more corners of the hinge pin is transferred from a force applied by the fastener through the saddle.

15. The surgical method of claim 1 , wherein a bearing surface of the saddle adjacent to the saddle protrusion engages and bears against a corresponding bearing surface of the hinge pin adjacent to the slot.

16. The surgical method of claim 1 , wherein rotation between the first body and second body is limited symmetrically about the rotation axis.

17. The surgical method of claim 1 , wherein rotation between the first body and the second body is limited asymmetrically about the rotation axis.

18. The surgical method of claim 1 , wherein the saddle is unitary.

19. The surgical method of claim 18 , wherein the saddle protrusion extends distally along an edge of the saddle coplanar with an arm of the saddle.

20. The surgical method of claim 1 , further comprising moving a fastener with respect to the second body to urge the first and second bodies towards one another along the rotation axis and thereby lock relative rotation of the first and second bodies about the rotation axis.

21. A surgical method, comprising:
inserting a hinge pin that extends laterally from a first body of a connector to a free end into a cavity formed in a second body of the connector thereby coupling the first body of the connector to the second body of the connector, the second body having a unitary saddle disposed within a rod-receiving recess of the second body, the saddle forming a rod seat for receiving a spinal fixation element; and
orienting the first body relative to the second body such that a slot formed in the hinge pin receives a saddle protrusion extending distally from the saddle such that the saddle prevents removal of the hinge pin from the second connector body and a feature formed on the hinge pin restricts rotation of the first body relative to the second body about a rotation axis defined by the hinge pin to a predetermined range of angles.

22. A surgical method, comprising:
inserting a hinge pin that extends laterally from a first body of a connector to a free end into a cavity formed in a second body of the connector thereby coupling the first body of the connector to the second body of the connector, the second body having a saddle disposed within a rod-receiving recess of the second body, the saddle

Assignees

• Medos Int Sarl

Inventors

• Lee Kevin
• Ramsay Christopher
• Amaral Francisco
• Livorsi Carl
• Ortiz Aubrey
• Hall Mark
• Carruth Robert

Classifications

• A61B17/7052 Primary

  of variable angle or length · CPC title

• A61B17/705

  for linking adjacent ends of longitudinal elements · CPC title

• A61B17/7034

  characterised by a lateral opening · CPC title

• A61B17/7083

  Tools for guidance or insertion of tethers, rod-to-anchor connectors, rod-to-rod connectors, or longitudinal elements · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title