455 results about "Cone pedicle" patented technology

Surgical implants are configured for placement posteriorly to a spinal canal between vertebral bodies to distract the spine and enlarge the spinal canal. In the preferred embodiments the device permits spinal flexion while limiting spinal extension, thereby providing an effective treatment for treating spinal stenosis without the need for laminectomy. The invention may be used in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine. Numerous embodiments are disclosed, including elongated, length-adjustable components coupled to adjacent vertebral bodies using pedicle screws. The preferred embodiments, however, teach a device configured for placement between adjacent vertebral bodies and adapted to fuse to the lamina, facet, spinous process or other posterior elements of a single vertebra. Various mechanisms, including shape, porosity, tethers, and bone-growth promoting substances may be used to enhance fusion. The tether may be a wire, cable, suture, or other single or multi-filament member. Preferably, the device forms a pseudo-joint in conjunction with the non-fused vertebra. Alternatively, the device could be fused to the caudal vertebra or both the cranial and caudal vertebrae.

A minimally invasive method for stabilizing adjacent vertebrae to be fused is accomplished with a device configured to interlink the pedicles of the adjacent vertebrae and including multiple pedicle screws. Each of the pedicle screws has a screw head configured to receive a connecting rod in a position, in which the rod and the receiving pedicle screw are vertically aligned.

The present invention involves systems and related methods for performing surgical procedures and assessments, including the use of neurophysiology-based monitoring to: (a) determine nerve proximity and nerve direction to surgical instruments employed in accessing a surgical target site; (b) assess the pathology (health or status) of a nerve or nerve root before, during, or after a surgical procedure; and/or (c) assess pedicle integrity before, during or after pedicle screw placement, all in an automated, easy to use, and easy to interpret fashion so as to provide a surgeon-driven system.

A method for stabilizing a spine includes providing a coupling element having upper and lower ends, a rod receiving opening adapted to receive an elongated stabilizing rod, a bore extending through the lower end and a conical-shaped seat surrounding the bore adjacent the lower end; providing a fastener having upper and lower ends, a head having a radial surface, and at least one anchoring element between the lower end of the fastener and the head; assembling the fastener with the coupling element so that the lower end of the fastener passes through the bore of the coupling element and the radial surface of the head engages the conical-shaped seat. The method also includes anchoring the fastener to bone; moving the coupling element relative to the fastener for capturing the elongated stabilizing rod in the rod receiving opening; and urging the captured stabilizing rod toward the head of the fastener so that the rod contacts the head and forces the radial surface of the head against the conical-shaped seat of the coupling element for locking the coupling element from further movement relative to the fastener.

Disclosed is a multi-axial spinal pedicle screw engaged with a spinal rod and inserted into and fixed to a pedicle. The multi-axial spinal pedicle screw includes: a screw rod in which a spherical articulation is integrally formed at an upper portion thereof, the screw rod being inserted into and fixed to the pedicle through a screw thread formed on the outer surface of a lower portion thereof; a spherical chuck having a plurality of claws, for surrounding and fixing the spherical articulation; a head section in which a receiving hole for receiving the spherical chuck fixing the spherical articulation is formed at a lower portion thereof so as to penetrate the lower portion, a rod receiving channel for receiving the spinal rod is opened upward, and an engagement screw root is formed on the inner surface of the rod receiving channel; and a tightening screw in which an engagement screw thread corresponding to the engagement screw root is formed on the outer surface thereof, the tightening screw being engaged with the head section through the rod receiving channel to fix the spinal rod.

A pedicle screw system includes a pedicle screw and a tulip assembly. A rod is inserted and fixed in the pedicle screw system to surgically connect vertebral bodies. The pedicle screw includes a head portion and a threaded shaft. In one embodiment, the tulip assembly includes a tulip body, a rod-support member, a collar member, a cap, and a fastening member. The tulip body has an upper portion and a lower portion, these portions being displaceable in opposite directions relative to an intermediate web. The tulip body can be intra-operatively coupled to the pedicle screw after the screw has been inserted into the bone. The cap engages with the tulip body to lock the tulip body onto the pedicle screw and thus fix the tulip body at a desired angle relative to the pedicle screw.

A polyaxial body is selectively removable from a pedicle screw in a spinal fixation system without disruption of the screw's placement in the patient's spine. The polyaxial body according to various embodiments of this invention may be locked relative to the screw head and coupled to the spine rod without deformation of the screw or body components while still allowing for subsequent removal of the body from the screw head. The head of the pedicle screw is threadably engaged with a retainer ring on the polyaxial body thereby permitting selective removal of the body from the screw head without disrupting the placement of the screw in the spine. This allows for the pedicle screw to remain in the spine as the fixation system is adjusted as required by the surgeon for subsequent and reliable reanimation.

A spinal screw assembly providing an adjustable securement of a fixation rod across at least two vertebrae. The assembly includes a pedicle screw having a spherical head portion, a threaded shaft portion and a tool engagement surface in the head portion for use in driving the screw into a vertebrae. The head portion of the screw is positioned in a body member adjacent a curvilinear surface disposed about an aperture in the end of the body member such that the shaft portion of the screw extends therethrough and the curvilinear inner surface abuts and mates with the head portion of the screw so as to define a ball joint therewith. The body member additionally defines a pair of opposed parallel slots therein adapted to receive a portion of the fixation rod and a locking cap bears against the fixation rod to releasably secure the rod within the assembly.

The present invention relates to a system and methods generally aimed at monitoring the trajectory of surgical instruments and especially for monitoring the trajectory of surgical instrument used during pedicle fixation to ensure the proper placement of pedicle screws.

The present invention is directed to one piece connector for connecting angularly misaligned implanted pedicle screws to transverse spinal rods in spinal fixation systems. The body portion includes a bore having an inside diameter and a longitudinal axis, with the longitudinal axis of the bore being positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the leg portion. The leg portion includes a slot placed through a section of the leg portion, along the transverse axis of the leg portion and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the leg portion. The slot intersects the bore of the body portion perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bore. The slot allows the one piece connector to be securely clamped around a longitudinal spinal rod when a pedicle screw is implanted at variable distances from the longitudinal spinal rod. The one piece connector allows for angular misalignment of an implanted pedicle screw in relation to a longitudinal spinal rod and the one piece connector, and for the attachment of the one piece connector to both the longitudinal spinal rod and to the implanted pedicle screw with a single locking mechanism when the one piece connector is used in a spinal fixation system.

Systems and methods for determining a desired trajectory and/or monitoring the trajectory of surgical instruments and/or implants in any number of surgical procedures, such as (but not limited to) spinal surgery, including (but not limited to) ensuring proper placement of pedicle screws during pedicle fixation procedures and ensuring proper trajectory during the establishment of an operative corridor to a spinal target site.

A pedicle screw assembly includes pedicle screw having a plurality of spaced-apart posts. A ball collet having a ball collet bore is seated on the pedicle screw between the posts and a rod is gripped by an inner surface of the ball collet bore. The assembly also includes a cap that is coupled to the posts, the cap applying a compressive force to the ball collet against a seat of said pedicle screw. A free end of the rod may be provided with various structures to enable such free end to be retained by another pedicle screw.

The pedicle screw (1) for intervertebral support elements (3) consists of a shaft (10) and a head (2) comprising at least two parts (20, 22). The head is formed as a securing means for at least one support element (3). Each support element consists of a piece of a cable-like band (31) and a cylindrical support body (30) with an axial lumen (31′) containing the band. The band is securable outside end surfaces (32) of the support body in the head. The head is formed with a contact surface (23) via which a pressure stress can be exerted on the support body in the band direction, and indeed using the band and in cooperation with a further pedicle screw. A part (20) of the head (2), which is firmly connected to the shaft (10) at the one end of the latter, contains a base groove (21) which is oriented transversally to the shaft and into which the part of the band (31) to be secured or a connecting piece (292) which contains the band can be introduced during the securing of the support element (3) by means of a translatory movement in the direction of the shaft and fixed there.

A pedicle screw and rod system that has particular application for spinal fusion surgery. The system includes pedicle screws having ball-shaped heads that are threaded through pedicles of adjacent vertebra into the vertebral body. The system also includes two cannulated posts having a head portion with a planar portion and an opening for accepting the head of the pedicle screw in a secure and multi-axial engagement. The system further includes a tube portion that is coupled to the head portion and extends above the patient's skin. The system also includes a lordotic slotted rod that is slid down the tube portions to be positioned on top of the head portions of the posts so that the planar portions are locked within the slot. Bolts are then slid down the tube portions and are threaded to a threaded portion on the planar portion.

A spinal fixation system that utilizes a composite rod to which polyaxial pedicle screw/tulip assemblies are secured, a screwdriver that permits independent threading of a guide member to the tulip and independent threading of the pedicle screw, together with interengaging conical surfaces that true the screwdriver with the pedicle screw. In preferred embodiments, the screwdriver includes an elongated drive shaft having a handle end for imparting rotation and a pedicle screw engaging end, a cylindrical guide member rotatably mounted about said drive shaft, a knob at one end of said guide member for rotating same and a threaded tulip engaging end at the other end thereof. A grip is preferably sleeved around the cylindrical drive member and is longitudinally movable between proximal and distal positions wherein its distal end uncovers and covers, respectively, the screw engaging unit.