Transconnector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9510870-B2
Application number	US-201313896864-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2013
Priority date	Sep 25, 2007
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A transconnector for use in interconnecting a pair of longitudinal spinal rods in a spinal fixation procedure. The transconnector includes a bridge member and first and second spinal rod engaging members. The bridge member may include first and second members, wherein the first and second members are moveably associated with one another so that the distance between the first and second spinal rod engaging members can be adjusted. The first and second spinal rod engaging members include a rod receiving channel for receiving one of the spinal rods therein. The spinal rod engaging members may be articulating in, for example, the yaw and roll positions or non-articulating with respect to the bridge members. The spinal rod engaging members preferably include a spring, for example, a spring washer, to provide an opposing force so that the spinal rod engaging members can provisionally snap onto the spinal rods.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A transconnector configured to capture a spinal rod, the transconnector comprising:
a bridge member having a first end, a second end, and a bore that extends along a first bore axis through the first end; and
a rod engaging member that is configured to be supported by the first end of the bridge member in a plurality of positions relative to the bridge member, the rod engaging member including an upper clamp body, a lower clamp body, and a rod receiving channel defined by the upper and lower clamp bodies, the rod engaging member further including an actuation screw and a bore that both extends along a second bore axis and is configured to receive the actuation screw;
wherein when the rod engaging member is supported by the bridge member, the first central axis is aligned with the second central axis such that the actuation screw is configured to be received within the bore of the bridge member and the bore of the rod engaging member, such that actuation of the actuation screw: 1) changes a distance between the upper and lower clamp bodies, and 2) fixes the rod engaging member in one of the plurality of positions with respect to the bridge member.

2. The transconnector of claim 1 , wherein actuation of the actuation screw secures the spinal rod within the rod receiving channel when the spinal rod is received therein.

3. The transconnector of claim 1 , wherein the bridge member is pivotable relative to the rod engaging member about the first bore axis to move the rod engaging member from one of the plurality of positions to another of the plurality of positions with respect to the bridge member.

4. The transconnector of claim 3 , wherein the bridge member is pivotable relative to the rod engaging member about an axis perpendicular to the bore axis to move the rod engaging member from one of the plurality of positions to another of the plurality of positions with respect to the bridge member.

5. The transconnector of claim 1 , wherein the bridge member is pivotable relative to the rod engaging member about an axis perpendicular to the first bore axis to move the rod engaging member from one of the plurality of positions to another of the plurality of positions with respect to the bridge member.

6. The transconnector of claim 1 , wherein the rod engaging member is a first rod engaging member, the rod receiving channel is a first rod receiving channel, and the spinal rod is a first spinal rod, the transconnector further comprising a second rod engaging member defining a second rod receiving channel configured to receive a second spinal rod.

7. The transconnector of claim 6 , wherein the bridge member defines an adjustable length, such that adjustment of the length of the bridge member changes a distance between the first rod receiving channel and the second rod receiving channel.

8. The transconnector of claim 7 wherein the second rod engaging member is configured to be supported by the second end of the bridge member in a plurality of positions relative to the bridge member.

9. The transconnector of claim 8 wherein:
the bore of the bridge member is a first bore of the bridge member, the upper and lower clamp bodies are first upper and lower clamp bodies, the bore of the rod engaging member is a first bore of the rod engaging member, and the actuation screw is a first actuation screw;
the bridge member includes a second bore of the bridge member;
the second the second rod engaging member includes a second upper clamp body and a second lower clamp body, and the second rod receiving channel is defined by the second upper and lower clamp bodies, the second rod engaging member further including a second actuation screw and a second bore that is configured to receive the second actuation screw; and
the second actuation screw is configured to be received within the second bore of the bridge member and the second bore of the rod engaging member, such that actuation of the second actuation screw: 1) changes a distance between the second upper and lower clamp bodies, and 2) fixes the second rod engaging member in one of the plurality of positions with respect to the bridge member.

10. The transconnector of claim 9 , wherein actuation of the second actuation screw secures the second spinal rod within the second rod receiving channel when the second spinal rod is received therein.

11. A transconnector configured to interconnect first and second rods; the transconnector comprising:
an actuation screw, including a head;
a first rod engaging member and a second rod engaging member that is configured to be moveably connected to the first rod engaging member such that: (1) the first and second rod engaging members each define respective portions of a first rod receiving channel, and (2) the first and second rod engaging members each define respective portions of a second rod receiving channel, the first and second rod receiving channels configured to receive the first and second rods therein, respectively, the first and second rod engaging members each defining a bore configured to receive the actuation screw such that the actuation screw passes through the first rod engaging member and into the second rod engaging member such that actuation of the actuation screw fixes a distance between the first and second rod engaging members to secure the first and second rods within the first and second rod receiving channels; and
a spring configured to be positioned between the head and the first rod engaging member.

12. The transconnector of claim 11 , wherein the spring is positioned relative to the actuation screw and the first and second rod engaging members so as to provide an opposing force on the actuation screw and the first rod engaging member such that the first and second rods can provisionally snap into the plurality of rod receiving channels.

13. The transconnector of claim 11 , wherein the first and second rod receiving channels are substantially parallel to each other.

14. A transconnector configured to interconnect first and second rods, the transconnector comprising:
a first actuation screw;
a second actuation screw; and
a first rod engaging member and a second rod engaging member that is configured to be moveably connected to the first rod engaging member such that: (1) the first and second rod engaging members each define respective portions of a first rod receiving channel, and (2) the first and second rod engaging members each define respective portions of a second rod receiving channel, the first and second rod receiving channels configured to receive the first and second rods therein, respectively, the first and second rod engaging members each defining a first bore configured to receive the first actuation screw such that the first actuation screw passes through the first rod engaging member and into the second rod engaging member such that actuation of the first actuation screw fixes a distance between the first and second rod engaging members to secure the first and second rods within the first and second rod receiving channels,
wherein the first and second rod engaging members each define a second bore configured to receive the second actuation screw such that the second actuation screw passes through the first rod engaging member and into the second rod engaging member such that actuation of the second actuation screw decreases a distance between the first and second rod engaging members to secure the first and second rods within the first and second rod receiving channels.

15. A method for securing a transconnector to at least one spinal rod, the transconnector including a bridge member that has fi

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Rathbun David S
• Banowetz Jason
• Eames Heather

Classifications

• A61B17/7049 Primary

  Connectors, not bearing on the vertebrae, for linking longitudinal elements together (A61B17/7055, A61B17/7053, A61B17/7019 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/88

  Osteosynthesis instruments;} Methods or means for implanting or extracting internal {or external} fixation devices {(A61B17/7074 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/705

  for linking adjacent ends of longitudinal elements · CPC title

• A61B17/7052 Primary

  of variable angle or length · CPC title