Instrument and method for reducing and securing spinal rods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9526537-B2
Application number	US-201313957218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 3, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

An instrument for reducing a fixation rod within a screw extender that attaches to a spinal implant includes first, second, and third cannulated bodies and an inserter shaft. The first cannulated body includes a proximal end that couples with the screw extender. The second cannulated body rotates within the first cannulated body and includes a proximal end with a first driving feature and a distal end with an internal threaded portion. The third cannulated body includes a proximal end that engages the internal threaded portion and a distal end with a rod pusher for engaging the fixation rod. The inserter shaft rotates within the third cannulated body and includes a proximal end with a second driving feature and a distal end with a setscrew attachment feature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An instrument for reducing a fixation rod within a screw extender that attaches to a spinal implant, comprising:
a screw extender with a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having internal threads and the distal end configured to attach to the spinal implant;
a first cannulated body with a proximal end, the proximal end of the first cannulated body having external threads that couple with the internal threads of the proximal end of the screw extender;
a second cannulated body that rotates within the first cannulated body and that includes a proximal end with a first driving feature and a distal end with an internal threaded portion;
a third cannulated body with a proximal end that engages the internal threaded portion and a distal end with a rod pusher for engaging the fixation rod; and
an inserter shaft that rotates within the third cannulated body and that includes a proximal end with a second driving feature and a distal end with a setscrew attachment feature.

2. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the second cannulated body positions the third cumulated body to reduce the fixation rod within at least one of the screw extender and the spinal implant.

3. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the setscrew attachment feature retains a setscrew rotates to engage the setscrew with the spinal implant for securing the fixation rod within the spinal implant.

4. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rod pusher includes a pair of cantilevered arms extending distally away from the third cannulated body.

5. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first driving feature attaches to a removable handle for rotating the second cannulated body.

6. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rod pusher includes a ridge for engagement with a slot within the screw extender.

7. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rod pusher includes a curved engagement surface configured to engage a curved surface of the fixation rod.

8. The instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a quick connect sleeve for coupling the first cumulated body with the screw extender.

9. The instrument of claim 8 , further comprising a handle including a first actuation feature that engages the first driving feature and a second actuation feature that engages the second driving feature.

Assignees

• Alphatec Spine Inc

Inventors

• Meyer Nathan
• Parikh Anand

Classifications

• A61B17/7091 Primary

  for applying, tightening or removing longitudinal element-to-bone anchor locking elements, e.g. caps, set screws, nuts or wedges · CPC title

• A61B17/7086 Primary

  Rod reducers, i.e. devices providing a mechanical advantage to allow a user to force a rod into or onto an anchor head other than by means of a rod-to-bone anchor locking element; rod removers · CPC title

• A61B17/7085 Primary

  for insertion of a longitudinal element down one or more hollow screw or hook extensions, i.e. at least a part of the element within an extension has a component of movement parallel to the extension's axis · CPC title