Granted Patent B2

US 8,652,143 · App. 11/841,039 · Granted Feb 18, 2014

Abstract

Claims (69)

1. A surgical tool for inserting an implant in a vertebral body, the tool comprising:

a shaft comprising a shaft thread that engages said implant;

a piston at least a portion of which is traversed by a locking screw coupled to said shaft thread to articulate said implant from a starting linear position to a final curvilinear position;

an actuator coupled to said piston, wherein said actuator adjusts the position of said implant;

a wire traversed by said locking screw parallel and exterior to said shaft and positioned between said shaft and said piston, said wire at least partially encircled by said piston at a position where said locking screw traverses the wire and piston; and

an annular structure surrounding said shaft, wherein said annular structure increases a stability of an end part of said implant upon an impact of insertion,

wherein said shaft thread and said wire contact said implant at different locations; and wherein actuation of said actuator pulls said wire away from said implant to move said implant from said starting linear position to said final curvilinear position.

2. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a screw attached to said piston that locks said end part of said implant.

3. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a body coupled to the shaft to release said end part of the implant upon rotation of said body.

4. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a lock lever that locks a position of said piston in at least one position.

5. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a knob attached to an end of said shaft and to disengage said implant from said surgical tool upon rotation of said knob.

6. A surgical inserter comprising:

a body component;

a non-bendable shaft operatively connected to said body component, wherein said shaft comprises a shaft thread that engages an implant;

a knob coupled to said shaft;

an annular structure configured around said shaft;

an actuator coupled to said body component;

a link coupled to said actuator;

a piston positioned parallel to said shaft and coupled to said link;

a rigid wire comprising an upper end and a lower end coupled to said piston at said upper end, wherein said wire is positioned parallel to said shaft, and wherein said wire is positioned between said shaft and said piston, wherein said rigid wire engages said implant at a different location than said non-bendable shaft;

a spring operatively coupled to said piston;

a lock lever coupled to said body component; and

a lock screw coupled to said piston positioned perpendicular to said piston and said wire; wherein actuation of said actuator pulls said wire away from said implant to move said implant from a starting linear position to a final curvilinear position.

7. The inserter of claim 6 , wherein said actuator comprises:

a plate comprising a plurality of arms positioned at a first end of said plate, wherein said plurality of arms are coupled to said body component;

an aperture positioned at a second end of said plate, wherein said aperture is coupled to said link; and

a hollow portion positioned at said second end, wherein said hollow portion allows for movement of said link.

8. The inserter of claim 6 , wherein said body component comprises:

a plurality of openings that allow said shaft and said piston to translate linearly;

a gap accommodating said lock lever;

a slot that houses said spring; and

a hollow portion that allows for movement of said link.

9. The inserter of claim 6 , wherein said shaft comprises an attachment head at an end opposite to said shaft thread, and wherein said knob comprises a hollow inner aperture that fixes said attachment head of said shaft.

10. The inserter of claim 7 , wherein said link comprises:

a plate;

a first semi-circular end; and

a second semi-circular end,

wherein said first semi-circular end comprises a bore that couples said link to said piston, and wherein said second semi-circular end comprises a bore that couples said link to said actuator.

11. The inserter of claim 6 , wherein said piston comprises:

a hollow portion positioned at a first end of said piston, wherein said hollow portion allows longitudinal movement of said link;

a socket positioned at a second end of said piston, wherein said socket fixes said piston to said lock screw, said socket traversing said piston defining access to said wire; and

at least one groove that accommodates said lock lever.

12. The inserter of claim 6 , wherein said lock lever comprises:

a condensed end positioned at a first end of said lock lever, wherein said condensed end fixes said piston in at least one position;

a groove adjacent to said condensed end and including a bore to allow for said shaft to translate linearly; and

a semi-circular end positioned at a second end of said lock lever, wherein said semi-circular end is rotated to fix said piston to said groove.

13. A method of performing a surgical procedure, said method comprising:

engaging a surgical inserter tool with an implant having at least two parts that are rotatable with respect to each other, wherein said surgical inserter tool comprises:

a body component;

a shaft operatively coupled to said body component, wherein said shaft comprises a shaft thread that engages said implant;

a knob coupled to said shaft;

an actuator coupled to said body;

a link coupled to said actuator;

a piston coupled to said link;

a wire at least partially encircled by said piston contacting said implant at a position different than said shaft, wherein said wire is parallel to said shaft and positioned between said shaft and said piston; and

a spring operatively coupled to said piston;

articulating said actuator so as to bias said actuator against said spring thereby causing said link to engage said piston and causing said shaft thread to adjust a position of said implant so that a first part of said implant is articulated from a first linear position to an intermediate curvilinear position; and

upon insertion of said implant into a vertebral body, disengaging said implant from said surgical inserter tool;

wherein actuation of said actuator pulls said wire away from said implant to move said implant from said first linear position to said intermediate curvilinear position.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

maintaining the implant in the intermediate curvilinear position;

adjusting a position of the implant so that a second part of the implant is tilted to a final position; and

maintaining the implant in the final position.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising maintaining the implant in the first linear position so that all of the at least two parts of the implant are aligned to each other.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising releasing said implant by rotating said knob.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising increasing a stability of said implant by absorbing an impact force caused during insertion using a C-shaped ring surrounding said shaft.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein an amount of rotation of said actuator determines the position of said implant.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein said implant is maintained in the intermediate position by locking said actuator in an intermediate position using a lock lever operatively connected to said body and said piston.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein said implant is locked in position with a lock screw that is coupled to said piston.

Assignments (8)