Articulating implant connectors and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020170695-A1
Application number	US-202016782030-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Jun 4, 2020
Grant date	—

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

1 . A connector, comprising:
a first body that defines a first rod-receiving recess, the first body having proximal and distal ends that define a proximal-distal axis extending therebetween; a second body that defines a second rod-receiving recess, the second body having proximal and distal ends that define a proximal-distal axis extending therebetween; a hinge pin that couples the first body to the second body, a central longitudinal axis of the hinge pin defining a rotation axis about which the first and second bodies rotate relative to one another; and a fastener movable with respect to at least one of the first and second bodies 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.

2 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the fastener secures a rod to one of the first and second rod-receiving recesses.

3 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a first fastener configured to secure a first rod within the first rod-receiving recess and wherein the connector further comprises a second fastener configured to secure a second rod in the second rod-receiving recess.

4 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin is formed integrally with the first body.

5 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin is rotatable relative to both of the first and second bodies.

6 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the first and second bodies include respective bearing surfaces configured to bear against one another to lock relative rotation of the first and second bodies about the rotation axis.

7 . The connector of claim 6 , wherein the bearing surfaces are defined by complementary male and female structures of the first and second bodies.

8 . The connector of claim 6 , wherein the first body includes a conical male projection, an outer surface of which defines the bearing surface of the first body, and the second body includes a conical female recess, an inner surface of which defines the bearing surface of the second body.

9 . The connector of claim 6 , wherein the bearing surfaces each include teeth or splines.

10 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin is received within a cavity formed in the first body or the second body.

11 . The connector of claim 10 , wherein the hinge pin translates longitudinally within the cavity as the fastener is moved relative to said at least one of the first and second bodies.

12 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the proximal-distal axes of the first and second bodies are obliquely angled with respect to one another.

13 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein a force applied by the fastener is transferred to the hinge pin through a saddle.

14 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein the saddle includes a conical surface that engages and bears against a corresponding conical surface of the hinge pin to pull the first and second bodies towards one another.

15 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein the saddle includes a keel extending distally therefrom, the keel being received within a slot formed in the hinge pin and having a bearing surface that engages and bears against a corresponding bearing surface of the slot to pull the first and second bodies towards one another.

16 . The connector of claim 15 , wherein the bearing surfaces of the keel and the slot lie in planes that are obliquely angled with respect to the rotation axis.

17 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein the saddle includes first and second keels defining a space therebetween in which a central rib of the hinge pin is received, the first and second keels having bearing surfaces that engage and bear against corresponding bearing surface of the hinge pin.

18 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin includes a rod seat formed therein, the rod seat being configured such that urging a rod against the rod seat causes the hinge pin to translate relative to at least one of the first and second bodies along the rotation axis.

19 . The connector of claim 18 , wherein the rod seat is positioned relative to the first rod-receiving recess such that a lateral sidewall of the rod seat interferes with a rod as the rod is seated in the first rod-receiving recess.

20 . The connector of claim 18 , wherein the rod seat is curved in multiple planes.

21 . A connector, comprising:
a first body that defines a first rod-receiving recess; a hinge pin formed integrally with the first body and extending laterally therefrom to a free end; a second body that defines a second rod-receiving recess, the second body having a cavity in which the free end of the hinge pin is received to couple the second body to the first body such that the first and second bodies rotate relative to one another about a rotation axis; a first fastener configured to secure a first rod within the first rod-receiving recess; and a second fastener configured to secure a second rod within the second rod-receiving recess and to urge the first and second bodies towards one another along the rotation axis to lock relative rotation of the first and second bodies about the rotation axis.

22 . The connector of claim 21 , wherein the second fastener is configured to bear against a saddle disposed within the second rod-receiving recess to urge a bearing surface of the saddle against a bearing surface of the hinge pin to move the first and second bodies towards one another.

23 . The connector of claim 21 , wherein the second fastener is configured to bear against a rod disposed within the second rod-receiving recess to urge the rod against a rod seat of the hinge pin to move the first and second bodies towards one another.

24 . A surgical method, comprising:
inserting a first rod into a first rod-receiving recess of a first body of a connector; inserting a second rod into a second rod-receiving recess of a second body of the connector, the second body being coupled to the first body by a hinge pin; rotating the first body relative to the second body about a rotation axis defined by the hinge pin; moving a fastener with respect to at least one of the first and second bodies 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; and securing the first and second rods to an anatomy of a patient.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the first rod is secured to a cervical spine of the patient by one or more bone anchors and the second rod is secured to a thoracic spine of the patient by one or more bone anchors.

26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein rotating the first body relative to the second body causes the first and second rods to be obliquely angled with respect to one another.

27 . The method of claim 24 , wherein moving the fastener is effective both to secure one of the first and second rods to the connector and to lock rotation of the connector.

Assignees

• Medos Int Sarl

Inventors

• Lee Kevin
• Ramsay Christopher
• Amaral Francisco
• Livorsi Carl

Classifications

• A61B17/705 Primary

  for linking adjacent ends of longitudinal elements · CPC title

• A61B17/7052

  of variable angle or length · CPC title

• A61B17/8615 Primary

  at the central region of the screw head · CPC title