Transconnector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9949768-B2
Application number	US-201615344952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2007
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

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 interconnect a first spinal rod and a second spinal rod; the transconnector comprising:
a first member having a first end and a second member having a second end, the first member and the second member defining a length measured from the first end to the second end, the first member being translatable relative to the second member so that the length is adjustable;
a first rod engaging member coupled to the first member, the first rod engaging member including a first upper clamp body and a first lower clamp body, the first upper clamp body including a first inner surface, the first rod engaging member further including a first rod receiving channel defined partially by the first inner surface, wherein the first rod engaging member is configured such that the first lower clamp body is movable in a first direction with respect to the first upper clamp body to secure the first spinal rod within the first rod receiving channel, the first rod engaging member defining a first location positioned on the first inner surface such that no other location on the first inner surface is spaced from the first location in the first direction; and
a second rod engaging member coupled to the second member, the second rod engaging member including a second upper clamp body and a second lower clamp body, the second upper clamp body including a second inner surface, the second rod engaging member further including a second rod receiving channel defined partially by the second inner surface, wherein the second rod engaging member is configured such that the second lower clamp body is movable in a second direction with respect to the second upper clamp body to secure the second spinal rod within the second rod receiving channel, the second rod engaging member defining a second location positioned on the second inner surface such that no other location on the second inner surface is spaced from the second location in the second direction,
wherein the transconnector defines a gap between a straight line from the first location to the second location and both the first member and the second member.

2. The transconnector of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism configured to fix the length such that the first member is not translatable with respect to the second member.

3. The transconnector of claim 2 , wherein the mechanism is a screw configured to be inserted through one of the first and second members and into the other of the first and second members in a third direction.

4. The transconnector of claim 3 , wherein when the screw is inserted through one of the first and second members and into the other of the first and second members a portion of the gap is aligned with the screw with respect to the third direction.

5. The transconnector of claim 3 , wherein the screw is rotatable about an axis as the screw is inserted through one of the first and second members and into the other of the first and second members, the axis is parallel to the third direction, and a portion of the gap is aligned with the axis with respect to the third direction.

6. The transconnector of claim 1 , wherein the first rod engaging member includes a spring configured to bias the first lower clamp body toward the first upper clamp body so that the first rod engaging member is configured to provisionally snap onto the first spinal rod as the first spinal rod is inserted into the first rod receiving channel.

7. The transconnector of claim 1 , wherein the first rod engaging member is configured to articulate in a yaw direction and in a roll direction with respect to the first end.

8. The transconnector of claim 1 , wherein the first rod engaging member includes an actuation screw, the first member defines a bore configured to receive the actuation screw such that the actuation screw passes through the bore and also passes through the first rod engaging member such that rotation of the actuation screw both secures the first spinal rod within the first rod receiving channel and secures a position of the first rod engaging member with respect to the first member.

9. A method of connecting a transconnector to both a first spinal rod and a second spinal rod, the transconnector including a first member having a first end and a second member having a second end, a first rod engaging member coupled to the first end, and a second rod engaging member coupled to the second end, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a portion of the first spinal rod within a first rod receiving channel of the first rod engaging member, the first rod engaging member including a first upper clamp body and a first lower clamp body that cooperate to define the first rod receiving channel;
moving the first lower clamp body relative to the first upper clamp body in a first direction until a first surface of the first upper clamp body abuts the first spinal rod and until the first spinal rod is secured within the first rod receiving channel, the first rod engaging member defining a first location positioned on the first surface such that no other location on the first surface is spaced from the first location in the first direction;
adjusting a length of the transconnector measured from the first end to the second end;
positioning a portion of the second spinal rod within a second rod receiving channel of the second rod engaging member, the second rod engaging member including a second upper clamp body and a second lower clamp body that cooperate to define the second rod receiving channel;
moving the second lower clamp body relative to the second upper clamp body until a second surface of the second upper clamp body abuts the second spinal rod and until the second spinal rod is secured within the second rod receiving channel, the second rod engaging member defining a second location positioned on the second surface such that no other location on the second surface is spaced from the second location in the second direction; and
fixing the length of the transconnector such that a gap is defined between a straight line from the first location to the second location and the both the first member and the second member.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the adjusting step includes the step of moving the first member relative to the second member.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fixing step includes the step of inserting a fixation mechanism through one of the first member and the second member, and into the other of the first member and the second member.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the inserting step includes moving the fixation mechanism in a third direction, and a portion of the gap is aligned with the fixation mechanism in the third direction.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fixation mechanism is a fixation screw, and the inserting step includes the step of rotating the fixation screw about an axis that is parallel to the third direction, and a portion of the gap is aligned with the axis in the third direction.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of positioning a portion of the first spinal rod includes the step of compressing a spring of the first rod engaging member, the spring configured to bias the first lower clamp body toward the first upper clamp body.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of moving the first lower clamp body includes the step of compressing a spring of the first rod engaging member, the spring configured to bias the first lower clamp body toward the first upper clamp body.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of articulating the first rod eng

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Rathbun David S
• Banowetz Jason
• Eames Heather

Classifications

• A61B17/705

  for linking adjacent ends of longitudinal elements · CPC title

• A61B17/88

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

• A61B17/7052 Primary

  of variable angle or length · CPC title

• A61B17/7049

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