SPINAL FIXATION ASSEMBLY

• US 20100160980A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ingenium
• Original Assignee: Biotechni America Spine Group Inc.
• Inventors: Knobloch, Karl Arthur, Baker, Daniel R., Walsh, David A.
• Application Number:
  US11/816,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20100160980A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/308
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7002 Longitudinal elements, e.g. rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7032 Screws or hooks with U-shaped head or back through which longitudinal rods pass
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7037 wherein pivoting is blocked when the rod is clamped

Abstract

A locking mechanism (100) and method of fixation, such as the fixation of a fixation device (104) like a bone screw and of a rod (106) to the spine. The locking mechanism (100) includes a body (102), an insert (108, 308), a rod seat (110, 310) and a set screw. The body (102) includes a bottom portion (114) configured to receive the fixation device (104) and the insert (108, 308) but prevents the insert (108, 308) and fixation device (104) from passing therethrough once the insert (108, 308) and fixation device (104) are engaged. The body (102) further includes a side portion (120) configured to receive the rod (106). Between the rod (106) and the insert (108, 308) is a rod seat (110, 310).

Claims

1. A locking mechanism comprising:

a body having a bottom portion and a side portion, the side portion being configured to receive a rod;

a fixation device extending at least partially through a hole in the bottom portion of the body, the fixation device comprising an at least partially spherical head;

an at least partially spherical insert at least partially surrounding the head of the fixation device; and

a rod seat having an opening for engaging a top portion of the insert such that upon engagement, the rod seat applies forces to the insert that have both lateral and vertical components.

2. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the rod seat has a tapered portion for receiving the rod.

3. The locking mechanism of claim 2 wherein the center of the tapered portion of the rod seat is aligned with the central axis of the body.

4. The locking mechanism of claim 2 wherein the tapered portion of the rod seat is configured to engage any rod selected from a group of rods having diameters varying from 3 mm to 7 mm.

5. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the insert toward the top of the body.

6. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the rod seat comprises a skirt surrounding the opening for applying forces to the insert that have both lateral and vertical components.

7. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the rod seat and the insert are snapably engageable.

8. The locking mechanism of claim 7 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the rod seat toward the top of the body.

9. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from the rod seat to the insert along the central axis of the body.

10. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from insert to the fixation device along the central axis of the body.

11. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the insert is compressible such that the diameter of the insert is larger than the hole in the bottom portion of the body when the insert is in an uncompressed state and smaller than the diameter of the hole in the bottom portion of the body when the insert is in a compressed state.

12. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the insert comprises:

downward fingers extending from a portion of the insert corresponding to an upper hemisphere of the head of the fixation device to a portion of the insert corresponding to a lower hemisphere of the head of fixation device; and

upward fingers extending from the portion of the insert corresponding to the lower hemisphere of the head of the fixation device to the portion of the insert corresponding to the upper hemisphere of the head of the fixation device.

13. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the insert at least partially surrounds the head of the fixation device such that when the insert and fixation device are forced toward the bottom of the body, the insert applies generally perpendicular force to at least one location on a surface of an upper hemisphere of the head and further applies generally perpendicular force to at least one location on a surface of a lower hemisphere of the head.

14. A locking mechanism comprising:

a body having a bottom portion and a side portion, the side portion being configured to receive a rod;

a fixation device extending at least partially through a hole in the bottom portion of the body, the fixation device comprising an at least partially spherical head; and

an at least partially spherical insert at least partially surrounding the head of the fixation device such that when the insert and fixation device are forced toward the bottom of the body, the insert applies generally perpendicular force to at least one location on a surface of an upper hemisphere of the head of the fixation device (104) and further applies generally perpendicular force to at least one location on a surface of a lower hemisphere of the head of the fixation device.

15. The locking mechanism of claim 14 further comprising a rod seat having a tapered portion for receiving the rod.

16. The locking mechanism of claim 15 wherein the center of the tapered portion of the rod seat is aligned with the central axis of the body.

17. The locking mechanism of claim 15 wherein the tapered portion of the rod seat is configured to engage any rod selected from a group of rods having diameters varying from 3 mm to 7 mm.

18. The locking mechanism of claim 15 wherein the rod seat has an opening for engaging a top portion of the insert and a skirt surrounding the opening for applying forces to the insert that have both lateral and vertical components.

19. The locking mechanism of claim 15 wherein the rod seat and the insert are snapably engageable.

20. The locking mechanism of claim 19 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the rod seat toward the top of the body.

21. The locking mechanism of claim 15 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from the rod seat to the insert along the central axis of the body.

22. The locking mechanism of claim 14 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from the insert to the fixation device along the central axis of the body.

23. The locking mechanism of claim 14 wherein the insert is compressible such that the diameter of the insert is larger than the hole in the bottom portion of the body when the insert is in an uncompressed state and smaller than the diameter of the hole in the bottom portion of the body when the insert is in a compressed state.

24. The locking mechanism of claim 14 wherein the insert comprises downward fingers and upward fingers.

25. The locking mechanism of claim 14 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the insert toward the top of the body.

26. A locking mechanism comprising:

a body having a bottom portion and a side portion, the side portion being configured to receive a rod selected from a group of rods of varying diameter;

a fixation device extending at least partially through a hole in the bottom portion of the body; and

a rod seat between the selected rod and the fixation device, the rod seat comprising a taper for engaging the selected rod and aligning the center of the selected rod with the central axis of the body, the taper having two sides and at least two curvatures on each side, each curvature having a surface for engaging the selected rod such that the diameter of the selected rod determines which of the surfaces of the at least two curvatures engages the selected rod.

27. The locking mechanism of claim 26 further comprising an insert between the rod seat and a head of the fixation device.

28. The locking mechanism of claim 27 wherein the insert is at least partially spherical and at least partially surrounds the head of the fixation device.

29. The locking mechanism of claim 27 wherein the rod seat has an opening for engaging a top portion of the insert and a skirt surrounding the opening for applying forces to the insert that have both lateral and vertical components.

30. The locking mechanism of claim 27 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from the rod seat to the insert along the central axis of the body.

31. The locking mechanism of claim 27 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from insert to the fixation device along the central axis of the body.

32. The locking mechanism of claim 27 wherein the insert comprises downward fingers and upward fingers.

33. The locking mechanism of claim 27 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the insert toward the top of the body.

34. The locking mechanism of claim 27 wherein the rod seat and the insert are snapably engageable.

35. The locking mechanism of claim 34 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the rod seat toward the top of the body.

36. The locking mechanism of claim 26 wherein an upper portion of the taper of the rod seat is wider than a lower portion of the rod seat such that forcing the rod seat toward the bottom of the body forces the sides of the taper toward a central axis of the body.

37. The locking mechanism of claim 26 wherein the diameter of the selected rod varies from 3 mm to 7 mm.

38. The locking mechanism of claim 26 wherein the diameter of the selected rod causes the surfaces of at least two of the at least two curvatures to engage the selected rod.

39. The locking mechanism of claim 26 wherein the surfaces of at least two of the at least two curvatures overlap.

40. The locking mechanism of claim 26 wherein the surface of at least one curvature comprises a non-circular curve.

41. A locking mechanism comprising:

a body having a bottom portion and a side portion, the side portion being configured to receive a rod;

a fixation device extending at least partially through a hole in the bottom portion of the body, the fixation device comprising a spherical head;

an at least partially spherical insert at least partially surrounding the head of the fixation device, the insert having downward fingers extending from a portion of the insert corresponding to an upper hemisphere of the head of the fixation device to a portion of the insert corresponding to a lower hemisphere of the head of the fixation device and upward fingers extending from the portion of the insert corresponding to the lower hemisphere of the head of the fixation device to the portion of the insert corresponding to the upper hemisphere of the head of the fixation device; and

a rod seat having a tapered portion for receiving the rod and an opening for engaging a top portion of the insert such that upon engagement, the rod seat applies forces to the insert that have both lateral and vertical components.

42. A locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein the downward fingers and upward fingers are interdigitating.

43. A locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein the downward fingers and upward fingers alternate around the exterior of the insert.

44. The locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein the center of the tapered portion of the rod seat is aligned with the central axis of the body.

45. The locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein the tapered portion of the rod seat is configured to engage any rod selected from a group of rods having diameters varying from 3 mm to 7 mm.

46. The locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein the opening in the rod seat for engaging a top portion of the insert is surrounded by skirt for applying forces to the insert that have both lateral and vertical components.

47. The locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from the rod seat to the insert along the central axis of the body.

48. The locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein linear compressive forces are not transferred from the insert to the fixation device along the central axis of the body.

49. The locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the rod seat toward the top of the body.

50. The locking mechanism of claim 41 wherein the rod seat and the insert are snapably engageable.

51. The locking mechanism of claim 50 wherein the fixation device is disengageable from the insert by pulling the rod seat toward the top of the body.

52. A method for locking the relative positions of a fixation device and a rod comprising:

placing an insert through a hole in a bottom portion of a body of a locking mechanism;

placing a fixation device having a generally spherical head through the hole in the bottom portion of the body of the locking mechanism;

engaging the head of the fixation device with the insert;

engaging a top portion of the insert with a rod seat;

placing the rod in a side portion of the body such that the rod and insert are on opposite sides of the rod seat; and

urging the rod toward the rod seat such that the rod seat applies forces to the insert that have both lateral and vertical components.

53. A method for locking the relative positions of a fixation device and a rod comprising:

placing an insert through a hole in a bottom portion of a body of a locking mechanism;

placing a fixation device having a generally spherical head through the hole in the bottom portion of the body of the locking mechanism;

engaging the head of the fixation device with the insert such that the insert at least partially surrounds the head of the fixation device;

placing the rod in a side portion of the body such that the rod and the insert bottom portion of the body are on opposite sides of the insert; and

causing the insert to apply generally perpendicular force to at least one location on a surface of an upper hemisphere of the head of the fixation device and further to apply generally perpendicular force to at least one location on a surface of a lower hemisphere of the head of the fixation device.