Percutaneous spinal cross link system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9827020-B2
Application number	US-201414201213-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A percutaneous spinal cross link system for interconnecting a spinal fusion construct on one side of the longitudinal axis of the spine with a spinal fusion construct on the other side of the longitudinal axis may include a cross bar connected at each end by a respective connector to a respective spinal fusion rod of each of the spinal fusion constructs. The connector may include a rod receiving portion adapted to receive one of the spinal fusion rods and a cross bar receiving portion adapted receive the cross bar in an orientation generally perpendicular to the spinal fusion rod. A cannula defined by two spaced apart blades may be connected to the connector for defining a minimally invasive pathway through body tissue for introduction of the cross bar to the connector. Other tools for use with the system are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for securing a cross bar to a spinal fusion construct, comprising:
a connector having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends of the connector, the connector having a rod receiving portion and a cross bar receiving portion, the rod receiving portion being adapted to receive a spinal fusion rod of a spinal fusion construct therein in an orientation generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector, and the cross bar receiving portion having a receptacle adapted to receive the cross bar therein in an orientation generally perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis of the connector and to the spinal fusion rod when the spinal fusion rod is received within the rod receiving portion;
a cannula having a proximal end and a distal end; and
a drill having an elongated extender, the extender having a proximal end and a distal end and being adapted to be received within the cannula while the distal end of the cannula is connected to the proximal end of the connector and while the spinal fusion rod of the spinal fusion construct is received within the rod receiving portion of the connector, such that a portion of the drill at the distal end of the extender is received within the connector, the distal end of the extender being connected to a drill bit such that the drill bit extends generally perpendicularly to the extender so as to be structured to drill a hole through a spinous process located laterally of the connector.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cross bar receiving portion includes a first arm and a second arm defining the receptacle therebetween.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second arms include threads facing inwardly towards one another along at least a portion of the receptacle, the receptacle being adapted to receive a threaded blocker therein in engagement with the threads.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rod receiving portion of the connector includes a first arm and a second arm defining a slot therebetween, the slot being adapted to receive the spinal fusion rod therethrough.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second arms are adapted to deflect relative to one another upon the spinal fusion rod being inserted into the slot.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cannula is defined by a plurality of blades, each of the blades having a distal end detachably connected to the cross bar receiving portion of the connector.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each of the blades are integrally formed with the cross bar receiving portion of the connector, the distal ends of each of the blades being detachably connected to the cross bar receiving portion at a frangible portion.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cannula includes threads on an inner surface thereof along at least a portion of the cannula proximate its distal end, the threads being adapted to engage a threaded blocker.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dilator adapted to define a pathway between the incision in the skin and the spinal fusion rod of the spinal fusion construct implanted in the spine, the pathway being adapted to receive the connector and the cannula therethrough.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a connector inserter having a shaft extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being adapted to engage the cross bar receiving portion of the connector while the shaft is received within the cannula.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the connector comprises a plurality of connectors; and
the cannula comprises a plurality of cannulas;
further comprising a linkage adapted to simultaneously connect to the proximal end of each cannula while the spinal fusion rod is received within the rod receiving portions and the spinal fusion construct is implanted in the spine of the body.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cross bar inserter having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a connection structure being operable to selectively secure and release the cross bar thereto.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a persuader including a tubular member adapted to receive the cannula therein.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cannula is defined by a plurality of blades, each of the blades being integrally formed with the cross bar receiving portion of the connector, and each of the blades having a distal end being detachably connected to the cross bar receiving portion of the connector at a frangible portion; further comprising a blade remover having a channel adapted to receive one of the blades therein.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the drill at the distal end of the extender is structured to be received within the receptacle of the cross bar receiving portion.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drill bit is detachably connected to the distal end of the extender.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the extender of the drill includes one or more holes along its length.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the extender includes a drive shaft rotatably received within it.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a means for transmitting rotary motion of the drive shaft from the drive shaft to the drill bit through a right-angle bend.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drill further includes a handle along the extender between its proximal and distal ends, the handle extending laterally from the extender.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cross bar receiving portion is located towards the proximal end of the connector relative to the rod receiving portion.

Assignees

• Stryker European Holdings I Llc

Inventors

• Reitblat Abram
• Talijan David
• Dombrowski Lori
• Bush Jr Charles L

Classifications

• A61B17/162

  Chucks or tool parts which are to be held in a chuck · CPC title

• A61B17/0218

  for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/8863

  Apparatus for shaping or cutting osteosynthesis equipment by medical personnel · CPC title

• A61B17/7049 Primary

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

• A61B2090/037

  with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter · CPC title