ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANT

• US 20090287249A1
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Children's Hospital & Medical Center, SpineForm, LLC
• Original Assignee: Children's Hospital Medical Center and Spineform LLC
• Inventors: Reynolds, Joseph E., Wall, Eric J., Crawford, Alvin H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7059 Cortical plates A61B17/7007, A61B17/7058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8033 having indirect contact with screw heads, or having contact with screw heads maintained with the aid of additional components, e.g. nuts, wedges or head covers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8047 wherein the additional element surrounds the screw head in the plate hole A61B17/8052 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8052 immobilised relative to screws by interlocking form of the heads and plate holes, e.g. conical or threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8057 the interlocking form comprising a thread
• 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

Abstract

An orthopedic implant, illustratively a spinal staple, including pre-attached fasteners.

Claims

1. An orthopedic implant device comprising:

a body having a first surface, a second surface opposed to the first surface and configured to face a bone, and a fastener receiving opening extending between the first and second surfaces;

a bone screw received within the fastener receiving opening of the body and configured to be inserted into the bone, the bone screw extending between proximal and distal ends and including a threaded portion; and

a releasable securing member configured to pre-attach the bone screw to the body prior to placement of the bone screw within the bone in a secured mode of operation by resisting axial movement of the bone screw relative to the fastener receiving opening of the body.

2. The orthopedic implant device of claim 1, wherein the receiving opening of the body includes at least one internal thread and the threaded portion of the bone screw includes at least one external thread, the releasable securing member being configured to resist rotational movement and resulting axial movement of the bone screw in the secured mode of operation, and to permit rotational movement and resulting axial movement of the bone screw within the receiving opening in a released mode of operation.

3. The orthopedic implant device of claim 2, wherein the releasable securing member comprises the at least one external thread providing an interference fit with the at least one internal thread.

4. The orthopedic implant device of claim 3, wherein the at least one external thread has a major diameter greater than the minor diameter of the at least one of the internal thread.

5. The orthopedic implant device of claim 2, wherein a torque of at least about 0.2 Newton-meters is required to release the securing member.

6. The orthopedic implant device of claim 2, wherein the releasable securing member comprises a resistive material positioned intermediate the body and the bone screw.

7. The orthopedic implant device of claim 6, wherein the resistive material comprises at least one of a resilient material, a wax, an adhesive, and a viscous fluid.

8. The orthopedic implant device of claim 1, wherein the releasable securing member comprises a deformable clip concentrically received within the fastener receiving opening.

9. The orthopedic implant device of claim 8, wherein the deformable clip includes an annular member and a plurality of radially inwardly extending tabs.

10. The orthopedic implant device of claim 1, wherein the releasable securing member comprises a deformable member supported by the body and extending within the receiving opening.

11. The orthopedic implant device of claim 10, wherein the deformable member comprises a polymeric pin.

12. The orthopedic implant device of claim 1, wherein the bone screw includes a head having a protrusion, and the receiving opening includes a recess, the protrusion and the recess configured to interlock and prevent back-out of the fastener following bone engagement.

13. The orthopedic implant device of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a spinal staple having a bridge member, a pair of legs coupled to opposing ends of the bridge member, and a pair of fastener retaining portions defining a pair of the fastener receiving openings.

14. An orthopedic implant device comprising:

a spinal staple including a bridge member having an upper surface, an opposed lower surface, a first end, an opposed second end, a first leg proximate the first end and configured to be inserted into a first vertebra, and a second leg proximate the second end and configured to be inserted into a second vertebra;

at least one fastener configured to couple the spinal staple to at least one of the first vertebra and the second vertebra; and

a releasable securing member configured to pre-attach the at least one fastener to the spinal staple prior to coupling of the spinal staple to the first vertebra and the second vertebra.

15. The orthopedic implant device of claim 14, wherein the at least one fastener comprises at least one bone screw received within a fastener receiving opening of the spinal staple and configured to be inserted into at least one of the first vertebra and the second vertebra, the bone screw including an elongated shank extending between proximal and distal ends and including a threaded portion, the releasable securing member configured to resist axial movement of the bone screw relative to the fastener receiving opening of the spinal staple in a secured mode of operation.

16. The orthopedic implant device of claim 15, wherein the releasable securing member is configured to resist rotational movement and resulting axial movement of the bone screw in the secured mode of operation, and permit rotational movement and resulting axial movement of the bone screw within the receiving opening in a released mode of operation.

17. The orthopedic implant device of claim 16, wherein the receiving opening of the spinal staple includes at least one internal thread and the threaded portion of the bone screw includes at least one external thread, and the releasable securing member comprises the at least one external thread providing an interference fit with the at least one internal thread.

18. The orthopedic implant device of claim 17, wherein the at least one external thread has a major diameter greater than the minor diameter of the at least one of the internal thread.

19. The orthopedic implant device of claim 16, wherein a torque of at least about 0.2 Newton-meters is required to release the securing member.

20. The orthopedic implant device of claim 16, wherein the releasable securing member comprises a resistive material positioned intermediate the body and the bone screw.

21. The orthopedic implant device of claim 20, wherein the resistive material comprises at least one of a resilient material, a wax, an adhesive, and a viscous fluid.

22. The orthopedic implant device of claim 16, wherein the releasable securing member comprises a deformable clip concentrically received within the fastener receiving opening.

23. The orthopedic implant device of claim 22, wherein the deformable clip includes an annular member and a plurality of radially inwardly extending tabs.

24. The orthopedic implant device of claim 16, wherein the releasable securing member comprises a deformable member supported by the spinal staple and extending within the receiving opening.

25. The orthopedic implant device of claim 24, wherein the deformable member is a polymeric pin.

26. The orthopedic implant device of claim 16, wherein the bone screw includes a head having a least one protrusion, and the receiving opening includes at least one recess, the protrusion and the recess configured to interlock and prevent back-out of the fastener following bone engagement.

27. A pre-assembled implant device comprising:

an orthopedic implant; and

a bone screw pre-attached to the implant prior to placement within a bone.

28. The pre-assembled implant device of claim 27, wherein the implant comprises a spinal staple.

29. The pre-assembled implant device of claim 27, wherein the implant includes internal threads and the bone screw includes external threads configured to interfere with the internal threads and thereby pre-attach the bone screw to the implant.

30. A method of inserting an orthopedic implant device comprising the steps of:

providing an implant body including a receiving opening;

inserting a bone screw into the receiving opening of the implant body;

securing the bone screw to the implant body to resist axial movement of the bone screw relative to the receiving opening;

applying a predetermined force to the bone screw in order to release the bone screw for axial movement relative to the implant; and

inserting the bone screw into bone.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the implant body comprises a spinal staple including a first leg and a second leg, the bone includes a first vertebra and a second vertebra, and further comprising the step of inserting the first leg into the first vertebra and the second leg into the second vertebra.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the securing step comprises causing an interference between internal threads of the receiving opening and external threads of the bone screw.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the applying step comprises applying a predetermined torque to rotate the bone screw.