Systems and Methods for Compressing and Distracting Vertebrae of the Spinal Column

• US 20100145349A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Melkent, Anthony J., Lim, Roy, Conley, Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 8,083,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• 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 17/8019 where the means are a separate tool rather than being part of the plate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8866 for gripping or pushing bones, e.g. approximators joint distractors A61B17/025
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine

Abstract

Spinal surgical systems include a compressor mountable to a first vertebra and positionable relative to a fulcrum mountable to a second vertebra. The compressor and fulcrum are manipulated relative to one another to compress the first and second vertebrae. The systems further include a distractor mountable to a first vertebra and positionable relative to a fulcrum mountable to a second vertebra. The distractor and fulcrum are manipulated relative to one another to distract the first and second vertebrae.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A distractor, comprising:

an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal end and a distal leverage surface, said elongated body including a channel between said proximal end and said distal leverage surface;

an angled extension extending distally from said distal leverage surface of said elongated body along a distal axis angled relative to said longitudinal axis, said angled extension defining a distal channel extending therealong in communication with said channel of said elongated body; and

an engaging member extending distally from said angled extension, said engaging member being positionable adjacent an anchor engaged to a bony portion of a patient'"'"'s body.

28. The distractor of claim 27, wherein said engaging member includes a U-shaped recess formed in a distal end surface thereof.

29. The distractor of claim 27, wherein said engaging member includes a flat plate-like extension extending from said distal angled portion.

30. The distractor of claim 27, wherein said elongated body includes a convexly curved outer surface opposite said channel.

31. The distractor of claim 27, wherein said channel of said elongated body is defined by a concavely curved surface extending between opposite sides of said elongated body.

32. The distractor of claim 31, wherein said angled extension includes a convexly curved outer surface opposite said distal channel.

33. The distractor of claim 32, wherein said distal channel of said angled extension is defined by a concavely curved surface extending between opposite sides of said angled extension.

34. The distractor of claim 27, wherein said distal leverage surface extends between said channel of said elongated body and said channel of said distal angled portion, said distal leverage surface being contactable with an elongated shaft of a fulcrum to move said engaging member away from said fulcrum as said proximal end of said elongated body is moved toward said fulcrum.

35-41. -41. (canceled)

42. A spinal surgical system, comprising:

a distractor including an elongated body extending between a proximal end and a leverage surface, said distractor further comprising an angled extension extending distally from said elongated body along a distal axis angled relative to said longitudinal axis and an engaging member extending distally from said angled extension, said engaging member being engageable to a first vertebra; and

a fulcrum including an elongated shaft extending between a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being engageable to a second vertebra, said fulcrum being removably and nestably received by said distractor with said elongated shaft in contact with said leverage surface of said distractor, said distractor and said fulcrum having a first configuration wherein said distal end of said fulcrum is positioned to a first side of and adjacent to said engaging member of said distractor and said proximal end of said fulcrum is positioned to said first side of and spaced from said proximal end of said distractor, wherein movement of said proximal ends of said distractor and said fulcrum toward one another moves said engaging member of said distractor and said distal end of said fulcrum away from one another about said leverage surface.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said leverage surface is contactable with said elongated shaft at any one of a number of locations along said elongated shaft when in said first configuration.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein said elongated body and said angled extension each include a channel oriented toward said fulcrum in said first configuration.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said elongated shaft of said fulcrum is received in said channel of said distal extension in said first configuration.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein said elongated shaft is positioned along said channel of said elongated body as said proximal ends of said distractor and said fulcrum are moved toward one another.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein said leverage surface is formed at a junction of said channels of said elongated body and said angled extension.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein said engaging member of said distractor includes a flat, plate-like body.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein said engaging member includes a recess in a distal end surface of said flat, plate-like body.

50. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

a construct including an elongated connecting member extending between the first and second vertebrae and first and second anchors for engaging the connecting member between the first and second vertebrae, wherein said distractor and said fulcrum are mountable to respective ones of the first and second anchors, said elongated connecting member being movable along at least one of said anchors when said proximal ends of said fulcrum and said distractor are moved toward one another to move said engaging member of said compressor and said distal end of said fulcrum away from one another to distract the first and second vertebrae.

51-56. -56. (canceled)

57. A method for distracting vertebrae, comprising:

positioning a distractor and a fulcrum through a portal to the vertebrae;

mounting the fulcrum to a first vertebra;

mounting the distractor to a second vertebra;

positioning the fulcrum against a leverage surface of the distractor; and

pivoting the distractor and fulcrum relative to one another about the leverage surface by moving proximal ends of the distractor and fulcrum toward one another to move distal ends of the distractor and fulcrum away from one another thereby distracting the vertebrae.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the leverage surface is positionable at any one of a number of locations along the fulcrum.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the leverage surface is formed between a proximal channel and a distal channel opening along one side of the distractor, the distal channel being angled relative to the proximal channel.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein positioning the fulcrum against the leverage surface of the distractor includes positioning the fulcrum in the distal channel of the distractor.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein pivoting the distractor and fulcrum relative to one another includes moving the proximal channel toward the fulcrum.

62. The method of claim 57, wherein mounting the fulcrum and mounting the distractor each include mounting the fulcrum and mounting the distractor to an anchor engaged to respective ones of the first and second vertebrae.

63. The method of claim 57, further comprising engaging a connecting member between the first and second anchors when a desired distraction between the first and second vertebrae is obtained.