Flexible fastening system

Inventors: Behrooz Akbarnia (La Jolla, CA); Burt Yaszay (San Diego, CA); Brandon Moore (Leesburg, VA); Stuart Weikel (Leesburg, VA); Clint Boyd (Leesburg, VA)

Assignee: K2M, Inc.

A61B17/7053 A61B17/8869

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12678202
App. No.: 18/765,999
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A flexible implant system includes a flexible implant, an implant housing, and an implant set screw. The flexible implant is configured to loop around a portion of a bony element. The implant housing includes a housing body defining a rod passage configured to receive an rod. The housing body also defines an implant passage that receives a portion of the flexible implant. The implant set screw engages the flexible implant within the implant passage to fix the flexible implant to the implant housing.

Claims (35)

1 . A method for securing a spinal rod to a bony element, comprising:

looping a flexible member around the bony element;

positioning the spinal rod in a first passage of a housing of unitary construction;

passing a portion of the flexible member through a second passage of the housing in a first direction, the flexible member being separable from the housing;

tensioning the flexible member about the bony element; and

advancing a securement member along an axis in a second direction transverse to the first direction to secure at least one of the spinal rod within the first passage via a third passage and the flexible member within the second passage via a fourth passage to the housing,

wherein the third passage and the fourth passage are substantially parallel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising trimming an excess portion of the flexible member.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein tensioning the flexible member includes engaging a tensioning instrument to the flexible member and to the housing.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein tensioning the flexible member about the bony element occurs prior to advancing the securement member.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the third passage and the securement member are threaded.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the securement member is a set screw.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first passage is configured to extend circumferentially around the spinal rod received therein except at an open region.

9 . A spinal fixation method, comprising:

passing a first portion of a flexible member around a portion of a vertebra;

inserting first and second ends of the flexible member into a first passage of an implant housing;

positioning a spinal rod in a second passage of the implant housing via a third passage extending transverse to the second passage;

tensioning the flexible member with a tensioning instrument coupled to the flexible member and the implant housing; and

locking the flexible member within the first passage by threading a securement member in a fourth passage extending transverse to the first passage.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising trimming an excess portion of the flexible member.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein tensioning the flexible member about the vertebra occurs prior to advancing the securement member.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second passage extends along a first direction and the fourth passage extends along a second direction, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the fourth passage and the securement member are threaded.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the securement member is a set screw.

15 . A spinal fixation method, comprising:

passing at least one of a first end and a second end of a flexible member around a portion of a vertebra;

inserting the first and second ends of the flexible member in a first passage of an implant housing;

positioning a spinal rod in a second passage of the implant housing;

tensioning the flexible member with a tensioning instrument coupled to the flexible member and the implant housing; and

locking the spinal rod within the second passage by threading a securement member in a third passage extending transverse to the first passage.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising trimming an excess portion of the flexible member.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein tensioning the flexible member about the portion of the vertebra occurs prior to advancing the securement member.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the second passage extends along a first direction and the third passage extends along a second direction, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the third passage and the securement member are threaded.