System and method for displacement of bony structures

• US 20050245928A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theken Spine LLC (Orthofix Medical Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Innovative Spinal Technologies, Inc. (Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Colleran, Dennis, Diederich, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 7,776,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2841 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7079 Tools requiring anchors to be already mounted on an implanted longitudinal or transverse element, e.g. where said element guides the anchor motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/708 with tubular extensions coaxially mounted on the bone anchors

Abstract

Systems and methods for displacing bony structures relative to each other using a single device is disclosed. Displacement includes distraction and compression. Bony structures are engaged with displacement arms. The user selects one of a plurality of manners in which to manipulate a user interface, where a first manner results in compression and a second manner results in distraction. The user interface is manipulated in the selected manner until a desired amount of displacement has been reached. This displacement is performed in a manner that is minimally invasive to the patient.

Claims

1. A displacement device for displacing bony structures, said device comprising:

a user interface mechanism; and

a displacement mechanism operable to compress two displacement arms responsive to a first manipulation of said user interface, and distract said two displacement arms responsive to a second manipulation of said user interface.

2. The device of claim 1, said displacement mechanism comprising:

two displacement arms; and

cross members pivotally attached to said two displacement arms, wherein said cross members translate input received from said user interface into relative displacement of said two displacement arms.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein one of said two displacement arms is mated with an engaging element to form an adjustable displacement arm.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein each of said two displacement arms include channels for slidably receiving slider elements, wherein said slider elements adjust up and down said channels to allow for movement of said cross members.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said cross members are coupled to each other to pivot relative to each other.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein said two displacement arms have gradual sloping to allow for gentle movement of said two displacement arms.

7. The device of claim 1, said user interface mechanism comprising:

a knob affixed to a threaded rod, wherein said knob is rotated so as to displace said bony structures relative to each other.

8. The device of claim 7, said user interface mechanism further comprising:

a receiving element for receiving distal end of said threaded rod; and

a movable element threadably engaged to said threaded rod and movable along the longitudinal axis of said threaded rod relative to said receiving element.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said movable element moves relative to said receiving element in response to rotation of said knob.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said threaded rod is a left-hand thread.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein when said knob is turned clockwise, said knob loosens and the distance between said knob and said receiving element increases.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein in response to the action of said knob, said displacement mechanism compresses said bony structures.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein when said knob is rotated counter-clockwise, said displacement mechanism distracts said bony structures relative to each other.

14. The device of claim 8 wherein said threaded rod is a right-hand thread.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein when said knob is turned clockwise, said displacement mechanism distracts said bony structures relative to each other and when said knob is turned counter-clockwise, said displacement mechanism compresses said bony structures.

16. The device of claim 1, said user interface mechanism comprising:

a set of handles having a lever that may be selectively engaged in a slot having a first position and a second position to perform either compression or distraction when said handles are manipulated by a user.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein compression occurs when force is applied to shift said lever to said second position of said slot that is closer to said displacement mechanism.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein distraction occurs when force is applied to shift said lever to said first position of said slot that is further from said displacement mechanism.

19. A displacement device operable to perform at least one of distraction and compression of bony structures, wherein said displacement device operates in a minimally invasive manner.

20. The displacement device of claim 19, said device further comprising:

a user interface mechanism; and

a displacement mechanism including at least two guides and cross members pivotally attached to said at least two guides.

21. The displacement device of claim 20 wherein said user interface mechanism is a threaded rod mechanism.

22. The displacement device of claim 21, said threaded rod mechanism comprising:

a knob attached to a threaded rod, wherein a user manipulates said knob to control how said bony structures are displaced relative to each other.

23. The displacement device of claim 22, said user interface mechanism further comprising:

a movable element threadably engaged to said threaded rod, wherein said movable element houses a force measurement device.

24. The displacement device of claim 23, said force measurement device including a stationary member and a member that is deflected depending on the amount of force, wherein deflection determines the degree to which said at least of compression or distraction has occurred.

25. The displacement device of claim 22, said user interface mechanism further comprising:

a receiving element for receiving the distal end of said threaded rod;

a movable element threadably engaged to said threaded rod and movable along the longitudinal axis of said threaded rod relative to said receiving element; and

a displacement measurement device, wherein said displacement measurement device measures how much said movable element has moved relative to said receiving element during said at least one of distraction and compression of bony structures.

26. The displacement device of claim 20 wherein said user interface mechanism is a set of handles having a lever that may be selectively engaged to perform compression or distraction.

27. The displacement device of claim 19, said minimally invasive manner comprising:

selectively performing distraction and compression without removal of said displacement device from a patient'"'"'s body during a surgical procedure.

28. The displacement device of claim 19 wherein said bony structures are vertebrae of a patient'"'"'s spine.

29. The displacement device of claim 19, said minimally invasive manner comprising:

incisions created in a patient'"'"'s body only as wide as to permit insertion of each of said at least two guides into said patient'"'"'s body.

30. The displacement device of claim 19, said at least two guide tubes having gradual sloping on the surface of said guide tubes for gentle insertion of said guide tubes in a minimally invasive manner.

31. The displacement device of claim 19 wherein use of said displacement device is minimally invasive in that no additional incisions are needed over those required to insert anchors into said bony structures.

32. A method comprising:

engaging a first bony structure with a first displacement arm and a second bony structure with a second displacement arm of a displacement device;

selecting one of a plurality of manners to manipulate a user interface, where a first manner results in compression and the second manner results in distraction; and

manipulating said user interface of said displacement device in the selected manner.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said user interface is a knob attached to a threaded rod.

34. The method of claim 33, said manipulating comprising:

rotating said knob in said first manner to result in compression of bony structures relative to each other.

35. The method of claim 33, said manipulating comprising:

rotating said knob in said second manner to result in distraction of bony structures relative to each other.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein said user interface is a set of handles having a lever that is selectively engaged depending on which one of said plurality of manners is chosen.

37. The method of claim 32, said method further comprising:

measuring the degree to which said first displacement arm and said second displacement arm have been displaced in said selected manner.

38. A displacement device for displacing bony structures, said device comprising:

at least two user interface mechanisms; and

a displacement mechanism operable to compress and distract responsive to manipulation of one of said at least two user interface mechanism, having three displacement arms, said first displacement arm and said second displacement arm displaced relative to each other and said second displacement arm and said third displacement arm displaced relative to each other, wherein said second displacement is stationary relative to said first displacement arm and said third displacement arm.

39. The device of claim 38, said device further comprising:

a first set of cross members pivotally attached to said first displacement arm and said second displacement arm; and

and a second set of cross members pivotally attached to said second displacement arm and said third displacement arm,

wherein said first set and said second set of cross members translate input received from said at least two user interface mechanisms into relative displacement of said three displacement arms.

40. The device of claim 38 wherein said at least two user interface mechanisms are threaded rod mechanisms.

41. The device of claim 38 wherein said at least two user interface mechanisms are sets of handles, each set having a lever that may be selectively positioned in a slot having a first position and a second position to perform compression or distraction when said handles are manipulated by a user.

42. The device of claim 38 wherein more than two vertebrae of a patient'"'"'s spine are displaced relative to each other.