Device to assist in fixing a surgical implant after its placement.

Abstract

Title: Device for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant after its placement. The invention relates to a device for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant after its placement, wherein the implant (2) is intended to be introduced into a bone cavity, fixed therein by means of at least one screw or similar device by passing through the bone material before reaching said implant (2) and penetrating an orifice (20) in the implant, and then screwed into the bone material. It comprises, in association with implant (2) retention means (31) designed to maintain the implant (2) while it is positioned in said bone cavity, drilling guidance means (42) fixedly connected to the retention means (31) by means of conformable connecting means (40, 41) so that the drilling axis (X) is aligned with said orifice (20). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Device for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant after its placement.

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant after its placement, and more particularly of an intervertebral cage type cage, and preferably but not limited to a cage intended to be used at the level of a facet joint.

[0002] In the field of orthopedic surgery, certain implants, including but not limited to cage-type implants, require immobilization by means of one or more screws. Inserting a screw sometimes requires prior drilling, which must of course be carried out not only in the correct location but also along a precise axis.

[0003] When the screw is intended to first pass through the implant and then be screwed into the bone, it is common to use drilling templates, placed in the space intended to receive the implant, to serve as a guide for drilling.

[0004] When the screw has to be screwed into the bone material and then into the implant and then back into the bone material, it is not possible to use a template, and it is common to resort to X-ray images, with the disadvantage of having to take several and therefore, in addition to a probable lengthening of the duration of the intervention, a risk of overexposure to radiation for the patient, and even for the medical staff.

[0005] The present invention aims to remedy this drawback by providing a device to assist in fixing a surgical implant after its placement.

[0006] The device for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant after its placement, where said implant is intended to be introduced into a bone cavity, to be fixed therein by means of at least one screw or similar by passing through the bone material before reaching said implant and penetrating an orifice of said implant, and then being screwed into the bone material, is characterized in that it comprises, in association with means for retaining said implant designed capable of retaining said implant while it is disposed in said bone cavity, drilling guidance means, fixedly connected to said retaining means through conformable connecting means so that the drilling axis is aligned with said orifice.

[0007] The assistance device according to the invention can thus be intended to be used with existing implant carriers, and for this purpose the connecting means are designed to allow the orientation and positioning of the implant relative to the drilling axis.

[0008] It is also possible to use an implant carrier specifically dedicated to the type implant, not requiring prior adjustments.

[0009] Thus, according to a particular embodiment of the assistance device according to the invention, it incorporates an implant-bearing part which includes means for retaining the implant, and which cooperates with a aiming part, which includes means for receiving and securing said implant-bearing part.

[0010] According to another additional feature of the assistance device according to the invention, the implant-carrying part is in the form of a bar which has on one end means for retaining the implant, and on the other end indexing means for securing it to the aiming part.

[0011] According to another additional feature of the assistance device according to the invention, the aiming part is in the form of a bar having at one end means for cooperation with a drilling tool, and at its other end means for receiving the implant-carrying part.

[0012] According to another additional feature of the assistance device according to the invention, the receiving means consist of a sleeve whose characteristics allow a portion of the implant-carrying part to be introduced into it, while a screw passes through the wall of said sleeve so that it can be screwed into the implant-carrying part, in a tapped hole forming an indexing means.

[0013] According to another additional feature of the assistance device according to the invention, the implant-bearing part is shaped, in bending and / or torsion, according to the characteristics of the implant and the conditions of its insertion, while the aiming part is shaped, in particular by the choice of the directions of the axis of attachment of the implant-bearing part and of the drilling axis, to take into account the particular shape of said implant-bearing part.

[0014] It is indeed important that the implant carrier does not constitute an obstacle to the visualization of the site by the surgeon, it must therefore offer sufficient clearance within the limits of possibilities, whether it is straight or curved, it is therefore taken into account the characteristics of this conformation of the implant carrier part at the level of the different axes of the aiming part.

[0015] According to another additional feature of the assistance device according to the invention, the means for retaining the implant consist of screwing means.

[0016] According to another additional feature of the assistance device according to the invention, the means for retaining the implant consist of pinching means.

[0017] The advantages and characteristics of the assistance device according to the invention will become clearer from the following description, which relates to the attached drawing, which represents a non-limiting embodiment thereof.

[0018] In the attached drawing:

[0019] [Fig. 1] represents a schematic perspective view of a device for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant after its placement and according to the invention,

[0020] [Fig. 2] represents a plan view of a part of the same device,

[0021] [Fig.3] represents a perspective view of the same part.

[0022] With reference to [Fig.1], according to the invention, a device 1 for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant 2 after its placement can be seen.

[0023] In this case, the implant 2 consists, not limited to but preferably, of a cage intended for use at the level of a facet joint. The cage must be inserted into a cavity and fixed therein by means of at least one screw, not shown, which must be inserted into a hole, then into an orifice 20 of the implant, and finally screwed into the bone. The assistance device 1 according to the invention is intended to allow drilling into the bone without visualizing the orifice 20.

[0024] The assistance device 1 comprises two parts, an implant carrier part 3 and a sighting part 4.

[0025] The implant-carrying part 3 is in the form of a bar 30, one end of which is provided with means 31 for retaining the implant 2, while the opposite part has a gripping portion 32, and an intermediate zone 33 is intended for securing the aiming part 4.

[0026] The aiming part 4 also has the form of a bar 40, which includes at one end means 41 for receiving and securing the implant-carrying part 3, and at its other end means 42 for cooperating with a drilling tool, not shown.

[0027] The receiving and securing means 41 are in the form of a sleeve or similar 43, having a hole 44 into which the bar 30 of the implant-carrying part 3 is inserted, and immobilized at the level of its portion 33. A screw 45 is screwed into the sleeve or similar 43 and into the portion 33, perpendicular to the axis of the implant-carrying part 3, in a non-visible tapped hole, for the purpose of indexing and immobilization.

[0028] The means 42 for cooperation with a drilling tool are configured to ensure a fixed drilling axis X.

[0029] In practice, the implant holder part 3 allows the implant 2 to be placed, its gripping portion 32 allows it to be held, then the aiming part 4 is put in place and positioned and immobilized with the screw 45, while holding the whole by the gripping portion 32, finally the drilling is carried out.

[0030] With reference to figures 2 and 3, a variant of the aiming part 4 of the assistance device 1 according to the invention can be seen.

[0031] In [Fig. 3] we can see the screw 45 protruding into the hole 44, this screw 45 being operable by means of a knob 46.

[0032] It can also be seen in these figures that, in addition to the X axis of drilling, the Y axis of insertion into the hole 44 of the implant-carrying part 3, not shown, and the Z axis of the bar 40 have been reproduced.

[0033] The implant-bearing part 3, not shown but visible in [Fig. 1], is shaped to facilitate the approach and placement of the implant, and in particular to maintain perfect visualization of the treated area during the procedure, for example the part between the area 33 and the support means 31 is curved.

[0034] Also, in order to take into account the particular conformation of the implant holder part 3, and to position the X axis optimally, angular corrections are made at the level of the aiming part 4, and as can be seen for example from [Fig.3], the drilling X axis does not intersect the Y axis due to a twist about the Z axis, while, as can be seen from [Fig.2], the X axis does not extend in a plane perpendicular to the Y axis.

[0035] To allow interventions on both sides of the spine, particularly in the case of the placement of cages intended for use at the facet joints, and to be able to use the same implant-carrying part 3, it is planned to design different aiming parts 4, with in particular symmetrical angular corrections, one for an intervention on the left and the other for an intervention on the right.

Claims

Demands

1. Device for assisting in the fixation of a surgical implant, namely an intervertebral cage, in particular a cage intended for use at the level of a facet joint, after placement thereof, wherein said implant (2) is intended to be introduced into a bone cavity, to be fixed therein by means of at least one screw or the like by passing through the bone material before reaching said implant (2) and penetrating an orifice (20) of said implant, and then being screwed into the bone material, comprises, in association with means (31) for retaining said implant (2) designed to retain said implant (2) while it is disposed in said bone cavity, drilling guidance means (42), fixedly connected to said retaining means (31) through conformable connecting means (40, 41) so that the drilling axis (X) is aligned with said orifice (20),characterized in that it incorporates an implant-bearing portion (3) which includes said means (31) for retaining the cage (2), and which cooperates with a aiming portion (4), which includes means (41) for receiving and securing said implant-bearing portion (3), said implant-bearing portion (3) being in the form of a bar (30), one end of which is provided with said means for retaining (31) the implant (2), while the opposite end includes a gripping portion (32), and an intermediate zone (33) is intended for securing said aiming portion (4).

2. Assistance device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aiming part (4) is in the form of a bar (40) having at one end means (42) for cooperation with a drilling tool, and at its other end means (41) for receiving the part.

3. An assistance device according to claim 2, characterized in that the receiving means (41) consist of a sleeve (43) whose characteristics allow a portion (33) of the implant-bearing part (3) to be inserted into it, while a screw (45) passes through the wall of said sleeve (43) so as to be screwed into the implant-bearing part (3), in a tapped hole forming an indexing means.

4. An assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the implant-bearing part (3) is shaped, in bending and / or torsion, according to the characteristics of the implant (2) and the conditions of its insertion, while the aiming part (4) is shaped, in particular by the choice of the directions of the axis (Y)

5.

6. of the subjugation of the implant-bearing part (3) and the drilling axis (X), to take into account the particular conformation of said implant-bearing part (3). Assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the means (31) for retaining the implant (2) consist of screwing means. Assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the means (31) for retaining the implant (2) consist of pinching means.

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