Spine stabilization systems, devices and methods

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating a spinal stabilization procedure is provided. A tapered guide member is positioned adjacent to or in juxtaposition with the head of a pedicle screw, and the associated components are thus guided into alignment therewith. A component, e.g., a spherical element, may be advanced onto a collet that extends upwardly from the head of the pedicle screw. A guidewire may also be employed to guide components to the pedicle screw and/or to guide the guidewire into position. Thus, a conical guide member may be slid down a guidewire into alignment with a pedicle screw, and subsequently advanced components may be guided into alignment with the pedicle screw. The tapered guide member may include registration feature(s) and may facilitate alignment with off-axis locations. The facilitating system may be employed with a dynamic spinal stabilization system that provides clinically efficacious results at least in part based upon inclusion of dynamic stabilizing member(s).

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims the benefit of the following co-pending applications: (i) a non-provisional patent application entitled “Dynamic Spine Stabilization,” filed on Apr. 30, 2004 and assigned Ser. No. 10 / 835,109; and (ii) a provisional application entitled “Dynamic Spine Stabilization,” filed on Jun. 23, 2004 and assigned Ser. No. 60 / 581,716. The above-noted non-provisional patent application claimed the benefit of two provisional patent applications, i.e., a first provisional application entitled “Dynamic Spine Stabilization,” filed on May 2, 2003 and assigned Ser. No. 60 / 467,414, and a second provisional application entitled “Dynamic Spine Stabilization,” filed on Sep. 30, 2003 and assigned Ser. No. 60 / 506,724. The present application also claims the benefit of each of these first and second provisional applications. In addition, each of the four (4) foregoing patent applications is incorporated in its entirety herein by ref...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] According to the present disclosure, advantageous devices, systems and methods for spinal stabilization are provided. According to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, the disclosed devices, systems and methods provide dynamic stabilization to the spine so as to provide clin

Problems solved by technology

Low back pain is one of the most expensive diseases afflicting industrialized societies.

While fusion is effective about seventy percent of the time, there are consequences even to these successful procedures, including a reduced range of motion and an increased load transfer to adjacent levels of the spine, which may accelerate degeneration at

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