Spinal connectors and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724131-B2
Application number	US-201414496804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

In some embodiments, a connector can be configured to couple a first fixation element (e.g., a first rod) to a second fixation element (e.g., a second rod). One or both of the first and second fixation elements can be included with the connector, or one or both can be separately provided. In some instances, at least one of the fixation elements is previously implanted in a patient. The connector can provide one or more degrees of freedom between the first and second fixation elements. The connector can also include a locking element configured to (1) lock one or more of the fixation elements to the connector, and (2) lock one or more of the degrees of freedom between the fixation elements. The connector can be configured to snap onto or otherwise engage a fixation element in a manner that provides tactile and/or audible feedback to the surgeon.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spinal connector, comprising:
a first spinal fixation element having a mating feature that defines an opening; and
a connection assembly coupled to the mating feature such that at least a portion of the connection assembly is received within the opening of the mating feature, the connection assembly comprising:
a clamp that defines a recess configured to receive a second spinal fixation element; and
a locking element configured to selectively lock the clamp to the second spinal fixation element and to lock one or more degrees of freedom of the connection assembly,
wherein the connection assembly comprises a housing having first and second shoes slidably disposed therein, the locking element being configured to push the first shoe into engagement with the mating feature to lock an orientation of the first spinal fixation element relative to the housing and to push the second shoe into engagement with the second spinal fixation element to lock the second spinal fixation element in the clamp, and
wherein the portion of the connection assembly received within the opening of the mating feature comprises a post that extends laterally-outward from the housing, the mating feature being rotatable about the post.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the clamp is configured to provide at least one of audible and tactile feedback when a second spinal fixation element is received in the recess.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the first spinal fixation element comprises a first elongate portion, a second elongate portion that is parallel to the first elongate portion and offset from the first elongate portion in one or more dimensions, and an intermediate portion connecting the first and second elongate portions.

4. The connector of claim 3 , wherein the intermediate portion is shaped to bend around a bone anchor coupled to the second spinal fixation element when the clamp is attached to the second spinal fixation element.

5. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the mating feature comprises a ring-shaped body formed integrally with the first spinal fixation element.

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the mating feature extends longitudinally from an end portion of the first spinal fixation element.

7. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the first and second shoes are disposed in respective first and second channels formed in the housing.

8. The connector of claim 7 , wherein the first channel extends from a threaded hole in the housing in which the locking element is received to a sidewall opening formed in the post.

9. The connector of claim 7 , wherein the second channel extends from a threaded hole in the housing in which the locking element is received to the recess defined by the clamp.

10. The connector of claim 7 , wherein the first shoe is slidable within the first channel between an extended position in which the first shoe protrudes from the post to engage the mating feature of the first spinal fixation element and a retracted position in which the first shoe does not protrude from the post or protrudes from the post to a lesser extent.

11. The connector of claim 7 , wherein the second shoe is slidable within the second channel between an extended position in which the second shoe protrudes into the recess defined by the clamp and a retracted position in which the second shoe does not protrude into the recess or protrudes into the recess to a lesser extent.

12. The connector of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining cap threadably engaged with the post to retain the mating feature on the post.

13. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the first and second spinal fixation elements are elongate spinal rods.

14. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the recess defined by the clamp has a longitudinal axis that extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the opening of the mating feature.

15. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking element comprises a set screw.

16. A spinal connector, comprising:
a first spinal fixation element having a mating feature that defines an opening; and
a connection assembly coupled to the mating feature such that at least a portion of the connection assembly is received within the opening of the mating feature, the connection assembly comprising:
a clamp that defines a recess configured to receive a second spinal fixation element; and
a locking element configured to selectively lock the clamp to the second spinal fixation element and to lock one or more degrees of freedom of the connection assembly,
wherein the connection assembly comprises a housing having first and second shoes slidably disposed therein, the locking element being configured to push the first shoe into engagement with the mating feature to lock an orientation of the first spinal fixation element relative to the housing and to push the second shoe into engagement with the second spinal fixation element to lock the second spinal fixation element in the clamp, and
wherein the first shoe includes a concave surface that bears against a convex surface of the locking element.

17. A spinal connector, comprising:
a first spinal fixation element having a mating feature that defines an opening; and
a connection assembly coupled to the mating feature such that at least a portion of the connection assembly is received within the opening of the mating feature, the connection assembly comprising:
a clamp that defines a recess configured to receive a second spinal fixation element; and
a locking element configured to selectively lock the clamp to the second spinal fixation element and to lock one or more degrees of freedom of the connection assembly,
wherein the connection assembly comprises a housing having first and second shoes slidably disposed therein, the locking element being configured to push the first shoe into engagement with the mating feature to lock an orientation of the first spinal fixation element relative to the housing and to push the second shoe into engagement with the second spinal fixation element to lock the second spinal fixation element in the clamp, and
wherein the second shoe includes a concave surface that bears against a convex surface of the locking element.

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Bootwala Zoher
• Gorhan Michael
• Laware Adam

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

• A61B17/705

  for linking adjacent ends of longitudinal elements · CPC title

• A61B17/7011

  Longitudinal element being non-straight, e.g. curved, angled or branched (adjustable length longitudinal elements A61B17/7014; A61B17/7019 takes precedence, e.g. coil springs) · CPC title