ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANT SYSTEM

• US 20120029580A1
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Solitario, Ralph C. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,641,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/86.A
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7002 Longitudinal elements, e.g. rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/708 with tubular extensions coaxially mounted on the bone anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7083 Tools for guidance or insertion of tethers, rod-to-anchor connectors, rod-to-rod connectors, or longitudinal elements

Abstract

A surgical instrument is configured to introduce a spinal fixation rod into a vertebral implant such that once the spinal fixation rod is engaged with the surgical instrument and the surgical instrument is put into a retention configuration, the spinal fixation rod cannot be removed from the surgical instrument until the spinal fixation rod is properly located and oriented with respect to the surgical construct and the surgical instrument is released from the retention configuration. The surgical instrument for introducing a spinal fixation rod includes a surgical instrument body with an actuator, and an engagement assembly at opposing ends and a transfer assembly extending between the actuator and the engagement assembly. The surgical instrument can also be used as part of a method for introducing a spinal fixation rod. Additionally, the surgical instrument can be part of a kit for introducing a spinal fixation rod, the kit including a plurality of spinal fixation rods of varying shapes and sizes.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for implanting a spinal fixation rod, comprising:

an engagement assembly including a motion inhibitor configured to releasably engage the spinal fixation rod, the engagement assembly includes a first engagement wall and a second engagement wall so as to define a rod receiving gap that is defined between the first and second engagement walls, the rod receiving gap configured and sized to receive a portion of a spinal fixation rod and to permit the spinal fixation rod to pivot therein;

a transfer assembly comprising a shaft operably coupled to the motion inhibitor; and

an actuator operably coupled to the shaft so as to translate the shaft upon actuation of the actuator; and

wherein movement of the shaft causes at least one of the first and second engagement walls to move toward the other of the first and second engagement walls between a first position in which the rod receiving gap has a first size and a second position in which the rod receiving gap has a second size, the second size being less than the first size.

2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the motion inhibitor is movable upon translation of the shaft to a third position in which the rod receiving gap has a third size, the third size being less than the second size.

3. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the engagement assembly defines an ejection port in communication with the rod receiving gap, the ejection port facing a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined along a length of the surgical instrument.

4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the engagement assembly includes at least one retaining wall and a lip extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined along the length of the surgical instrument at the ejection port.

5. The surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the engagement pocket is contoured and sized to allow removal of the spinal fixation rod therefrom only when the spinal fixation rod is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined by the surgical instrument and when the motion inhibitor is in the first position.

6. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the motion inhibitor comprises an auxiliary shaft having first and second ends, the auxiliary shaft comprising a curved brake surface at the second end thereof, the curved brake surface being configured to contact the spinal fixation rod.

7. The surgical instrument according to claim 6, wherein the curved brake surface has a substantially concave configuration.

8. The surgical instrument according to claim 6, wherein the curved brake surface of the motion inhibitor is configured to receive a curve brake surface of the spinal fixation rod.

9. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a surgical instrument body defining a longitudinal axis and connected to the actuator and the engagement assembly.

10. The surgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the surgical instrument body defines an inner bore extending along the longitudinal axis, the inner bore being configured and dimensioned to slidably receive the shaft.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the engagement assembly defines an engagement pocket and a transverse bore configured and dimensioned to slidably receive the motion inhibitor, the transverse bore being in communication with the inner bore.

12. The surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the engagement assembly further comprises a biasing member disposed within the transverse bore and surrounding the motion inhibitor, the biasing member being configured to bias the motion inhibitor away from the engagement pocket.

13. The surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the engagement assembly further comprises a lip that acts as stop, limiting the pivotal motion of the spinal fixation rod disposed in the engagement pocket.

14. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the motion inhibitor includes the second engagement wall at a distal end thereof.

15. A system for implanting a spinal fixation rod, comprising:

a spinal fixation rod; and

a surgical instrument comprising;

an engagement assembly including a motion inhibitor configured to releasably engage the spinal fixation rod, the engagement assembly includes a first engagement wall and a second engagement wall so as to define a rod receiving gap that is defined between the first and second engagement walls, the rod receiving gap configured and sized to receive a portion of a spinal fixation rod and to permit the spinal fixation rod to pivot therein;

a transfer assembly comprising a shaft operably coupled to the motion inhibitor; and

an actuator operably coupled to the shaft so as to translate the shaft upon actuation of the actuator; and

wherein movement of the shaft causes at least one of the first and second engagement walls to move toward the other of the first and second engagement walls between a first position in which the rod receiving gap has a first size and a second position in which the rod receiving gap has a second size, the second size being less than the first size.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the motion inhibitor is movable upon translation of the shaft to a third position in which the rod receiving gap has a third size, the third size being less than the second size.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the engagement assembly defines an ejection port in communication with the rod receiving gap, the ejection port facing a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined along a length of the surgical instrument.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the engagement assembly includes at least one retaining wall and a lip extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined along the length of the surgical instrument at the ejection port.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the engagement pocket is contoured and sized to allow removal of the spinal fixation rod therefrom only when the spinal fixation rod is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined by the surgical instrument and when the motion inhibitor is in the first position.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the motion inhibitor comprises an auxiliary shaft having first and second ends, the auxiliary shaft comprising a curved brake surface at the second end thereof, the curved brake surface being configured to contact the spinal fixation rod.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the curved brake surface has a substantially concave configuration.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the curved brake surface of the motion inhibitor is configured to receive a curve brake surface of the spinal fixation rod.

23. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a surgical instrument body defining a longitudinal axis and connected to the actuator and the engagement assembly.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the surgical instrument body defines an inner bore extending along the longitudinal axis, the inner bore being configured and dimensioned to slidably receive the shaft.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the engagement assembly defines an engagement pocket and a transverse bore configured and dimensioned to slidably receive the motion inhibitor, the transverse bore being in communication with the inner bore.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the engagement assembly further comprises a biasing member disposed within the transverse bore and surrounding the motion inhibitor, the biasing member being configured to bias the motion inhibitor away from the engagement pocket.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein the engagement assembly further comprises a lip that acts as stop, limiting the pivotal motion of the spinal fixation rod disposed in the engagement pocket.

28. The system according to claim 15, wherein the motion inhibitor includes the second engagement wall at a distal end thereof.