Growing rod for treating spinal deformities and method for using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11986219-B2
Application number	US-202217569588-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2022
Priority date	Oct 5, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

An implantable growing rod assembly adapted to be secured along a length of a spine for treating deformities of the spine. The assembly includes a housing, a fixed rod extending along a longitudinal axis away from the housing, and an expansion rod extendible from the housing along the longitudinal axis. A driver assembly is fixed to the housing and adapted to translate the expansion rod along the longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An implantable growing rod assembly comprising:
a housing;
an internally threaded expansion tube mounted inside of the housing;
a fixed rod extending along a longitudinal axis away from the housing;
an expansion rod extendible from the housing along the longitudinal axis; and
a bevel gear assembly disposed in the housing and adapted to translate the expansion rod along the longitudinal axis, wherein the bevel gear assembly comprises:
a bevel pinion gear having a first set of teeth at an upper end and a first set of ratcheting teeth at a bottom end,
a lock gear disposed below and coaxial to the bevel pinion gear, wherein the lock gear includes a second set of teeth at a bottom end and a second set of ratcheting teeth at an upper end, the second set of ratcheting teeth configured to mesh with the first set of ratcheting teeth; and
a bevel output gear perpendicular to the bevel pinion gear and the lock gear, wherein the bevel output gear includes a third set of teeth that mesh with the first set of teeth of the bevel pinion gear such that rotation of the bevel pinion gear causes rotation of the bevel output gear, and
wherein rotation of the bevel pinion gear and lock gear is prevented when the lock gear is in the first position.

2. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the expansion rod comprises a threaded proximal end threadingly engaged with the internally threaded expansion tube.

3. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the expansion rod comprises a distal end adapted to extend outwardly from the housing.

4. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bevel gear assembly is located in a housing cap between the housing and the fixed rod.

5. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a first pinion bushing disposed between the bevel pinion gear and the housing; and
a second pinion bushing disposed between the lock gear and the housing.

6. The implantable growing rod assembly of claim 5 , wherein the internally threaded expansion tube is formed of PEEK.

7. The implantable growing rod assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
a wave washer disposed between the housing and the second pinion bushing and configured to exert an upward force on the lock gear bias the lock gear towards the first position.

8. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a keyed bushing disposed in the housing and wherein the expansion rod comprises a mating key located in the keyed bushing such that, as the expansion rod extends from the housing, the keyed bushing prevents the expansion rod from rotating.

9. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the keyed bushing includes four recesses, wherein the expansion rod includes four lobes configured to be disposed in corresponding ones of the four recesses to prevent rotation of the expansion rod relative to the keyed bushing, and wherein an outer surface of the keyed bushing includes a square shape to prevent rotation of the keyed bushing with respect to the housing.

10. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the keyed bushing includes an opening having a first dual-lobe shape, wherein the expansion rod includes two lobes corresponding to the first dual-lobe shape of the opening to prevent rotation of the expansion rod relative to the keyed bushing, and wherein an outer surface of the keyed bushing includes a second dual-lobe shape to prevent rotation of the keyed bushing with respect to the housing.

11. An implantable growing rod assembly comprising:
a housing;
an internally threaded expansion tube mounted inside of the housing, wherein the internally threaded expansion tube is formed of PEEK;
a fixed rod extending along a longitudinal axis away from the housing;
an expansion rod extendible from the housing along the longitudinal axis; and
a bevel gear assembly disposed in the housing and adapted to translate the expansion rod along the longitudinal axis, wherein the bevel gear assembly comprises:
a bevel pinion gear having a first set of teeth at an upper end and a first set of ratcheting teeth at a bottom end,
a lock gear disposed below and coaxial to the bevel pinion gear, wherein the lock gear includes a second set of teeth at a bottom end and a second set of ratcheting teeth at an upper end, the second set of ratcheting teeth configured to mesh with the first set of ratcheting teeth;
a bevel output gear adjacent to the bevel pinion gear and the lock gear, wherein the bevel output gear includes a third set of teeth that mesh with the first set of teeth of the bevel pinion gear such that rotation of the bevel pinion gear causes rotation of the bevel output gear;
a first pinion bushing disposed between the bevel pinion gear and the housing;
a second pinion bushing disposed between the lock gear and the housing; and
wherein the lock gear is moveable between a first position and a second position, and
wherein rotation of the bevel pinion gear and lock gear is prevented when the lock gear is in the first position.

12. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the expansion rod comprises a threaded proximal end threadingly engaged with the internally threaded expansion tube.

13. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the expansion rod comprises a distal end adapted to extend outwardly from the housing.

14. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the bevel gear assembly is located in a housing cap between the housing and the fixed rod.

15. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a keyed bushing located in the housing and wherein the expansion rod comprises a mating key located in the keyed bushing such that, as the expansion rod extends from the housing, the keyed bushing prevents the expansion rod from rotating.

16. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the keyed bushing includes four recesses, wherein the expansion rod includes four lobes configured to be disposed in corresponding ones of the four recesses to prevent rotation of the expansion rod relative to the keyed bushing, and wherein an outer surface of the keyed bushing includes a square shape to prevent rotation of the keyed bushing with respect to the housing.

17. The implantable growing rod assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the keyed bushing includes an opening having a first dual-lobe shape, wherein the expansion rod includes two lobes corresponding to the first dual-lobe shape of the opening to prevent rotation of the expansion rod relative to the keyed bushing, and wherein an outer surface of the keyed bushing includes a second dual-lobe shape to prevent rotation of the keyed bushing with respect to the housing.

Assignees

• Globus Medical Inc

Inventors

• Charest Joshua
• Meccariello Michael
• Torrente Francis
• Bingaman Derrick
• Gordon Jeffrey David
• Nichols Jeff

Classifications

• A61B17/7025 Primary

  with a sliding joint · CPC title

• A61B2017/00367

  Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like · CPC title

• A61B17/7014 Primary

  with means for adjusting the distance between two screws or hooks · CPC title

• A61B17/7016

  electric or electromagnetic means · CPC title

• A61B2017/00407

  Ratchet means · CPC title