BI-DIRECTIONAL FIXATING TRANSVERTEBRAL BODY SCREWS AND POSTERIOR CERVICAL AND LUMBAR INTERARTICULATING JOINT CALIBRATED STAPLING DEVICES FOR SPINAL FUSION

• US 20080033440A1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moskowitz Family LLC
• Original Assignee: Ahmnon Moskowitz, Mosheh Moskowitz, Nathan C. Moskowitz, Pablo Alvarado
• Inventors: Alvarado, Pablo, Moskowitz, Mosheh, Moskowitz, Ahmnon, Moskowitz, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,942,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7064 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral facets; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/809 with bone-penetrating elements, e.g. blades or prongs bone staples A61B17/0642; intramedullary nails with a plate at an end A61B17/7233
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8635 Tips of screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8875 Screwdrivers, spanners or wrenches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8894 holding the implant into or through which the screw is to be inserted A61B17/7082, A61B17/7091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/92 Impactors or extractors, e.g. for removing intramedullary devices insertion or extraction of artificial joints A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0648 threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/922 Devices for impaction, impact element
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30133 kidney-shaped or bean-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 : using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3055 : for adjusting length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 : with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 : hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 : Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30878 : with non-sharp protrusions, for instance contacting the bone for anchoring, e.g. keels, pegs, pins, posts, shanks, stems, struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30879 : Ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4681 : by applying mechanical shocks, e.g. by hammering
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4687 : Mechanical guides for implantation instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0015 : Kidney-shaped, e.g. bean-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0007 : for adjusting length

Abstract

A self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus is disclosed which includes at least first and second sliding boxes. A first screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body is disposed within the first sliding box, and a second screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body disposed within the second sliding box. An adjuster adjusts the height of the sliding boxes. The screw members are screwed into vertebral bodies in order to fuse the vertebral bodies together. A plurality of the self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatuses may be attached together and/or integrated via a plate or cage. Also disclosed is a cervical facet staple that includes a curved staple base and at least two prongs attached to the bottom surface of the curved staple base.

Claims

1. A self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, which comprises:

a first sliding box;

a second sliding box, positioned relative to the first sliding box;

a first screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body disposed within the first sliding box;

a second screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body disposed within the second sliding box; and

an adjuster for adjusting the height of the sliding boxes.

2. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first and second screw members are medially aligned.

3. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second screw members is laterally aligned.

4. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 3 wherein both the first and second screw members are laterally aligned.

5. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one of the first and second screw members is laterally aligned and the other screw member is laterally aligned.

6. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first and second sliding boxes are substantially triangularly shaped.

7. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the triangularly shaped first and second sliding boxes include a sliding rail and ridged surfaces.

8. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the triangularly shaped first and second sliding boxes include holes for bone grafts.

9. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the adjuster includes a screw.

10. A self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, which comprises:

a box;

a first screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body disposed at least partially within the box and laterally aligned with the box;

a second screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body disposed at least partially within the box and laterally aligned with the box; and

a plurality of ridges disposed on along the sides of the box.

11. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 10 which further includes bone graft holes.

12. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 11 which is attachable to a second self-drilling fusion screw apparatus via a plate.

13. A self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, which comprises:

a first box;

a first screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body disposed at least partially within the first box and laterally aligned with the first box;

a second box;

a second screw member having a tapered end and a threaded body disposed at least partially within the second box and laterally aligned with the second box; and

an attachment member for engaging the first and second boxes.

14. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 13 which further includes bone graft holes.

15. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the plate is joined to the first and second boxes by a plurality of screws.

24. The self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the attachment member for engaging the first and second boxes comprises a plate or a circumferential cage defining at least one recess, the first and the second boxes being positioned within the recess of the circumferential cage.

16. A tool assembly for manipulating a self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, which comprises:

a handle;

a gripper cooperating with the handle and having a plurality of prongs;

a screw guide, held in place the plurality of prongs, for controlling the direction of self-drilling screws that are screwed into a vertebral body.

17. The tool assembly for manipulating a self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, according to claim 16, which further includes a key for controlling an adjustment device which controls the height of the self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus.

25. The tool assembly according to claim 16, further comprising a driver assembly, the driver assembly comprising:

a handle;

a drive bit portion; and

a flexible drive shaft extending between the handle and the drive bit portion for manipulating a screw of an expandable or non-expandable screw box.

18. A cervical facet staple, comprising:

a curved staple base;

at least two prongs attached to the bottom surface of the curved staple base; and

an insertion member disposed on the top surface of the curved staple base.

19. The cervical facet staple, according to claim 18 further including at least four prongs attached to the bottom surface of the curved staple base.

20. The cervical facet staple, according to claim 19 wherein the insertion member includes a threaded insert.

21. An impaction tool for a cervical facet staple, comprising:

a handle;

a stem attached to the handle;

a plurality of wings for contacting the cervical facet staple; and

an insertion member for coupling the cervical facet staple to the impaction tool.

22. The impaction tool for a cervical facet staple, according to claim 21 wherein the handle includes a flattened portion that can be struck by a mallet.

23. A lumbar facet staple, comprising:

a pair of rotating arms;

at least two prongs attached to the inner surfaces of the rotating arms;

a plurality of spurs attached to one of the rotating arms; and

a ratchet attached to one of the rotating arms;

wherein the rotating arms and prongs are rotated to a closed position to staple a lumbar facet joint.