ELECTROMAGNETICALLY GUIDED SPINAL ROD SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS
First Claim
1. An electromagnetically guided spinal rod system for placing a spinal rod into screw heads of screws positioned in bone material, said spinal rod system comprising:
- an elongated, tubular-shaped screw inserter having a top portion with signal relay junctions located on opposite sides of said top portion and rod access slots extending longitudinally for a length along said screw inserter;
a rod detection system adjacent to said rod access slots of said screw inserter and electrically coupled to said signal relay junctions; and
a rod pusher having a handle and a curved portion with a spinal rod receiver wherein said curved portion is sized to guide the spinal rod into said rod access slots.
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Abstract
An electronically guided spinal rod system for the placement of a spinal rod into the heads of pedicle screws and other types of bone fixation systems includes a bone screw inserter having rod access slots extending longitudinally for a length along the screw inserter, a rod detection system coupled to the rod access slots and a rod pusher for inserting a spinal rod through the rod access slots. The electronically guided spinal rod system insures that the spinal rod will be accurately positioned while allowing the operator complete freedom to choose its specific path into the screw inserter rod access slots.
96 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electromagnetically guided spinal rod system for placing a spinal rod into screw heads of screws positioned in bone material, said spinal rod system comprising:
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an elongated, tubular-shaped screw inserter having a top portion with signal relay junctions located on opposite sides of said top portion and rod access slots extending longitudinally for a length along said screw inserter;
a rod detection system adjacent to said rod access slots of said screw inserter and electrically coupled to said signal relay junctions; and
a rod pusher having a handle and a curved portion with a spinal rod receiver wherein said curved portion is sized to guide the spinal rod into said rod access slots. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of electronically guiding a spinal rod into a screw head of a bone screw, said method comprising:
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inserting, through the skin of a patient at a distance from the skin entry point of a tubular-shaped screw inserter having a pair of rod access slots, a distal end of a spinal rod that is secured to a spinal rod pusher;
positioning the spinal rod using visual cues provided by electronic signals generated by the placement of the spinal rod through said pair of rod access slots of said screw inserter, said screw inserter having a rod detection system coupled to said rod access slots; and
disengaging said spinal rod pusher from the spinal rod after said spinal rod is positioned within said rod access slots and after a rod gripper engages the spinal rod through said screw inserter.
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15. A method for making a guiding system to electronically position a spinal rod into proper alignment with a screw head of a bone screw, said method comprising:
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providing a pair of rod access slots that extend longitudinally along a bone screw inserter below a screw inserter top portion;
coupling a rod detection system to said pair of rod access slots;
electrically coupling said rod detection system to a pair of signal junctions of said top portion;
providing a rod pusher having a handle and a curved portion with a receiver for detachably receiving a spinal rod, said rod pusher being independent of said screw inserter but structured for positioning the spinal rod through said pair of rod access slots; and
providing electronic detection circuitry coupled to said rod detection system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification