Orthopedic implant assembly
DCFirst 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.
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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.
74 Citations
105 Claims
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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, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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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)
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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)
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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.
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36. A method of attaching an orthopedic implant assembly to a bone of a patient, comprising
a) providing a securing member with an elongated body and an enlarged integral portion having a maximum transverse dimension, an attachment member which has an anterior surface and a posterior surface and which has at least one bore extending through the attachment member from the anterior surface to the posterior surface and is configured to receive the securing member, the bore having an anterior bore portion, and a posterior bore portion with at least one transverse dimension smaller than a transverse dimension of the anterior bore portion and smaller than the maximum transverse dimension of the enlarged integral portion of the securing member, and a stopping member which has a first configuration which allows passage of the enlarged integral portion of the securing member and has a second configuration that reduces a transverse dimension of the bore that is smaller than the maximum transverse dimension of the enlarged integral portion of the securing member in order to retain the enlarged integral portion of the securing member within the posterior bore portion of the attachment member wherein the stopping member has an anterior surface and a posterior surface; -
b) positioning the attachment member with at least part of the posterior surface thereof against a surface of the patient'"'"'s bone; and c) attaching the securing member to the patient'"'"'s bone by advancing the securing member within the bore of the attachment member until the enlarged integral portion of the securing member passes the stopping member thereby displacing the stopping member to the first configuration and is disposed in the posterior bore portion, the stopping member then returning to the second configuration to retain the enlarged integral portion within the posterior bore portion; and
wherein the enlarged integral portion of the securing member is retained within the posterior bore portion below the posterior surface of the stopping member. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. An orthopedic implant assembly, comprising:
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a) a securing element with an elongated body and an enlarged head; b) an attachment member comprising an attachment component which has at least one bore configured to receive the securing element, the bore having a first bore portion, and a second bore portion having at least one smaller transverse dimension than transverse dimensions of the first bore portion; a stopping surface which reduces a transverse configuration of the first bore portion to retain the enlarged head of the securing element within the bore of the attachment member between the stopping surface and the second bore portion, and a third bore portion between the stopping surface and the second bore portion having a surface configured to conform at least in part to part of the enlarged head of the securing element received by the bore; and c) the enlarged head of the securing element having a reversibly compressed configuration with transverse dimensions less than the reduced transverse configuration of the first bore portion formed at least in part by the stopping surface and having an uncompressed configuration with a transverse dimension greater than the reduced transverse configuration of the first bore portion and the second bore portion, so that the head of the securing element is retained within the bore between the stopping surface and the second bore portion in the attachment component. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of attaching an orthopedic implant assembly to a bone of a patient, comprising
a) providing an attachment member comprising an attachment component which has at least one bore configured to receive a securing element with an enlarged head, the bore having a first bore portion, and a second bore portion having at least one smaller transverse dimension than transverse dimensions of the first bore portion, a stopping surface which reduces a transverse configuration of the first bore portion to retain the enlarged head of a securing element within the bore of the attachment member between the stopping surface and the second bore portion; -
b) positioning the attachment member against a surface of the patient'"'"'s bone; c) providing a securing element having an elongated body and an enlarged head at one end of the body which has a reversibly compressed configuration with transverse dimensions less than the reduced transverse configuration of the first bore portion formed by the stopping surface and which has an uncompressed configuration with a transverse dimension greater than the reduced transverse configuration of the second bore portion, so that the head of the securing element is retained within the second bore portion in the attachment component; and d) attaching the securing element to the patient'"'"'s bone by advancing the securing element within the bore of the attachment component until the enlarged head of the securing element is in the second bore portion.
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44. An orthopedic implant assembly, comprising:
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a. a stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore extending through the stabilizing element from the anterior surface to the posterior surface and the bore having an anterior bore portion with a transverse dimension and a posterior bore portion which has a posterior opening with a transverse dimension smaller than the transverse dimension of the anterior bore portion; b. a securing element which is configured to be slidably disposed within the bore of the stabilizing element and which has an elongated body and an enlarged integral portion with a maximum transverse dimension; and c. a stopping member which is at least partially disposed within the bore of the stabilizing element, which has a posterior stopping surface, a first configuration within the bore allowing passage of the securing element into the posterior bore portion with the enlarged integral portion of the securing element disposed in the posterior bore portion posterior to the stopping member and a second configuration within the bore which has smaller transverse dimensions than the first configuration and smaller than the maximum transverse dimension of the enlarged integral portion of the securing element to facilitate retention of the enlarged integral portion of the securing element within the posterior bore portion of the stabilizing element; and
wherein the enlarged integral portion of the securing element is retained below the posterior surface of the stopping member. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. An orthopedic implant assembly, comprising:
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a. a stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore, the bore having an anterior bore portion, a posterior bore portion with a transverse dimension smaller than a transverse dimension of the anterior portion, b. a stopping member at the anterior portion of the bore; and c. a securing element having an elongated body and a head secured to the body which is reversibly compressible with a compressed transverse dimension less than the transverse dimension of the anterior portion of the bore and with an uncompressed transverse dimension greater than an inner transverse dimension of the stopping member and the posterior portion of the bore, so that the head of the securing element is retained between the stopping member and the smaller transverse dimension of the posterior portion of the bore of the stabilizing element. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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59. An orthopedic attachment assembly, comprising:
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a. an elongated securing element having an enlarged integral portion with a length, an anterior surface, a posterior surface and a transverse dimension; b. an attachment element which has an anterior surface and a posterior surface and which has at least one bore extending through the attachment element from the anterior surface to the posterior surface and is configured to receive the securing element, the bore having an anterior bore portion, and a posterior bore portion, the posterior bore portion having at least one transverse dimension smaller than the transverse dimension of the enlarged integral portion of the securing element to facilitate retention of the enlarged integral portion of the securing member within the posterior bore portion; and c. a biased stopping member which has a posterior stopping surface, a first configuration which extends within the bore that is elastically deformed to a second configuration as the enlarged portion of the securing member passes into the posterior bore portion, the biased stopping member returning to the first configuration upon passage of the enlarged integral portion into the posterior bore portion, the posterior stopping surface of the biased stopping member configured to engage with the anterior surface of the enlarged integral portion of the securing member facilitating retention of the enlarged portion of the securing member within the posterior bore portion of the attachment member. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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84. The attachment assembly of clam 59 wherein the biased stopping member resiliently returns to the first configuration after passage of the enlarged integral portion of the securing member.
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92. An orthopedic attachment assembly, comprising:
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a. an elongated securing member having a biased enlarged portion with a length, an anterior surface, a posterior surface and a transverse dimension; b. an attachment member which has an anterior surface and a posterior surface and which has at least one bore extending through the attachment member from the anterior surface to the posterior surface and is configured to receive the securing member, the bore having an anterior bore portion, a posterior bore portion having at least one transverse dimension smaller than the transverse dimension of the biased enlarged portion of the securing member to facilitate retention of the enlarged portion of the securing member within the posterior bore portion; and c. a stopping member which has an anterior surface, and a posterior stopping surface which extends within the bore; d. the biased enlarged portion of the securing member is elastically deformed from a first configuration to a second configuration as the biased enlarged portion passes the stopping member during the passage of the biased enlarged portion of the securing member into the posterior bore portion of the attachment member, the biased enlarged portion of the securing member returning to the first configuration after passage of the biased enlarged portion into the posterior bore portion of the attachment member, engagement of the posterior stopping surface of the stopping member with the anterior surface of the biased enlarged portion of the securing member facilitating retention of the biased enlarged integral portion of the securing member within the posterior bore portion of the attachment member. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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98. An orthopedic attachment assembly, comprising:
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a. an elongated securing element having an enlarged integral portion with a length, an anterior surface, a posterior surface and a transverse dimension; b. an attachment member which has an anterior surface and a posterior surface and which has at least one bore extending through the attachment member from the anterior surface to the posterior surface and is configured to receive the securing element, the bore having an anterior bore portion, a posterior bore portion having at least one transverse dimension smaller than the transverse dimension of the enlarged integral portion of the securing element; and c. a plurality of biased stopping members that are part of the attachment member, each of said stopping members having a posterior stopping surface, a first configuration wherein the stopping members extend within the bore and wherein the stopping members are elastically deformed by the passage of the enlarged portion of the securing element to a second configuration to allow passage of the enlarged portion of the securing element into the posterior bore portion, the biased stopping members returning to the first configuration upon passage of the enlarged portion and the posterior stopping surfaces configured to engage the anterior surface of the securing element facilitating retention of the enlarged integral portion of the securing element within the posterior bore portion of the attachment member. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100)
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101. An orthopedic implant assembly, comprising:
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a. a stabilizing element having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and at least one bore extending through the stabilizing element from the anterior surface to the posterior surface with an anterior bore portion which has a transverse dimension, a posterior bore portion which has a posterior opening with a transverse dimension smaller than the transverse dimension of the anterior bore portion; b. a securing element having an elongated body and an enlarged integral portion having an anterior surface; and c. a biased stopping member which has a posterior stopping surface, which has a first configuration within the anterior bore portion that has a first transverse dimension and is elastically deformable to a second configuration within the anterior bore portion that has a second transverse dimension larger than the first transverse dimension that allows the enlarged integral portion of the securing element to pass into the posterior bore portion posterior to the biased stopping member, the biased stopping member returning to the first configuration so that the posterior surface of the stopping member is positioned to engage the anterior surface of the securing element and prevents the securing element from backing out of the posterior bore portion and to facilitate retention of the enlarged integral portion of the securing element within the posterior bore portion. - View Dependent Claims (102, 103, 104, 105)
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Specification