Orthopedic implant assembly
First Claim
1. An orthopedic implant assembly, comprisinga) a stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore, the bore having a first opening in the anterior surface, a second opening in the posterior surface smaller than the first opening, and a transverse passageway extending from the first opening to the second opening;
- b) a biased stopping member defining at least in part a reversibly expandable passageway having a smaller diameter configuration and a larger diameter configuration; and
c) a securing element having an elongated body, and a head at one end of the body and integral therewith, the head having a maximum diameter greater than the smaller diameter configuration of the passageway defined by the biased stopping member and greater than the second opening in the stabilizing element, so that the head is retained within the transverse passageway between the biased stopping member and the second opening in the stabilizing element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An orthopedic implant assembly comprising a stabilizing element, a securing element which attaches the stabilizing element to the bone, and a stopping member in the stabilizing element which inhibits the securing element from loosening or backing out of the bone. The stabilizing element has at least one bore with the stopping member therein. In one embodiment, the stopping member has a reversibly expandable inner and outer diameter to allow the securing element to pass posteriorly through the stopping member, but thereafter prevent or inhibit the securing element from anteriorly backing out of the posterior section of the transverse passageway. In another embodiment, the stopping member is secured to an anterior section of the transverse passageway, and the head of the securing element generally has a compressed configuration with a diameter less than the diameter of the stopping member, in which configuration the head can pass through the stopping member, and an uncompressed configuration with a diameter larger than the diameter of the stopping member.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. An orthopedic implant assembly, comprising
a) a stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore, the bore having a first opening in the anterior surface, a second opening in the posterior surface smaller than the first opening, and a transverse passageway extending from the first opening to the second opening; -
b) a biased stopping member defining at least in part a reversibly expandable passageway having a smaller diameter configuration and a larger diameter configuration; and
c) a securing element having an elongated body, and a head at one end of the body and integral therewith, the head having a maximum diameter greater than the smaller diameter configuration of the passageway defined by the biased stopping member and greater than the second opening in the stabilizing element, so that the head is retained within the transverse passageway between the biased stopping member and the second opening in the stabilizing element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of attaching an orthopedic implant assembly to a bone of a patient, comprising
a) positioning a stabilizing element against a surface of the patient'"'"'s bone, the stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore, the bore having a first opening in the anterior surface, a second opening in the posterior surface smaller than the first opening, and a transverse passageway extending from the first opening to the second opening, and a biased stopping member within the bore and defining at least in part a reversibly expandable passageway having a smaller diameter configuration and a larger diameter configuration; -
b) providing a securing element having an elongated body, and a head at one end of the body and integral therewith, the head having a maximum diameter greater than the smaller diameter configuration of the passageway defined by the biased stopping member and greater than the second opening in the stabilizing element, so that the head is retained within the transverse passageway between the biased stopping member and the second opening in the stabilizing element;
c) positioning the body of the securing element in the transverse passageway and posteriorly advancing the head of the securing element within the passageway defined by the biased stopping member and thereby displacing the biased stopping member to form the larger diameter configuration passageway defined thereby; and
d) attaching the stabilizing element to the bone by advancing the head of the securing element posteriorly of the biased stopping member so that the passageway defined thereby returns to the smaller diameter configuration, to position the head within a posterior section of the transverse passageway between the biased stopping member and the second opening in the stabilizing element, and to position the body of the securing element within the patient'"'"'s bone, so that the securing element is attached to the bone and is retained within the posterior section of the transverse passageway of the stabilizing element. - View Dependent Claims (22)
-
-
23. An orthopedic implant assembly, comprising
a) a stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore, the bore having a first opening in the anterior surface, a second opening in the posterior surface smaller than the first opening, and a transverse passageway extending from the first opening to the second opening, and a stopping member at an anterior section of the transverse passageway; - and
b) a securing element having an elongated body and a head secured to one end of the body, the head having a reversibly compressed configuration with a compressed diameter less than the diameter of the first opening and an uncompressed configuration with a diameter greater than a diameter of the stopping member and the second opening, so that the head of the securing element is retained within the transverse passageway between the stopping member and the second opening in the stabilizing element. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
- and
-
28. A method of attaching an orthopedic implant assembly to a bone of a patient, comprising
a) positioning a stabilizing element against a surface of the patient'"'"'s bone, the stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore, the bore having a first opening in the anterior surface, a second opening in the posterior surface smaller than the first opening, and a transverse passageway extending from the first opening to the second opening, and a stopping member at an anterior section of the transverse passageway; -
b) providing a securing element having an elongated body and a head secured to one end of the body, the head having a reversibly compressed configuration with a compressed diameter less than a diameter of the first opening and an uncompressed configuration with a diameter greater than the diameter of the stopping member and the second opening, so that the head of the securing element is retained within the transverse passageway between the stopping member and the second opening in the stabilizing element;
c) positioning the body of the securing element in the transverse passageway and posteriorly advancing the head of the securing element within a passageway defined by the stopping member and thereby compressing the diameter of the head of the securing element; and
d) attaching the stabilizing element to the bone by advancing the head of the securing element posteriorly of the stopping member so that the diameter of the head of the securing element returns to the uncompressed configuration, to position the head within a posterior section of the transverse passageway between the stopping member and the second opening in the stabilizing element and the body of the securing element within the patient'"'"'s bone, so that the securing element is attached to the bone and is retained within the posterior section of the transverse passageway of the stabilizing element.
-
Specification