Rod inserter and rod with reduced diameter end
View Patent ↗A pedicle screw assembly including a bone fastener having a lower end for engaging bone and an upper end remote from the lower end; a head having a rod-receiving channel attached to the upper end of said bone fastener; a spinal rod insertable into the rod-receiving channel of said head, said spinal rod having an outer surface extending between first and second ends thereof, wherein at least one of the first and second ends has a reduced diameter section. A spinal rod having an outer surface extending between a first end and a second end thereof; wherein the outer surface of said spinal rod has a reduced diameter section at at least one of the first and second ends.
1. A kit comprising a plurality of stabilizing rods,
each stabilizing rod having a total length extending between first and second end points on opposite sides of the rod and having:
a central region with a constant central cross sectional area along an entire length of the central region;
a first end extending from the central region to the first end point, the entirety of the first end having a first cross sectional area smaller than the central cross sectional area, the first cross sectional area being symmetrical about more than two axes and of a constant first cross section along a first length, the first cross sectional area progressively decreasing, but never increasing from directly adjacent the central region to the first end point;
a second end extending from the central region to the second end point, the entirety of the second end having a second cross sectional area smaller than the central cross sectional area, the second cross sectional area being symmetrical about more than two axes along a first length, the second cross sectional area progressively decreasing, but never increasing from directly adjacent the central region to the second end point; and
a curvature,
wherein at least two of the plurality of stabilizing rods have different lengths, different curvatures, or different lengths and curvatures.
2. The kit of claim 1 , including a holder having a plurality of openings for holding the plurality of stabilizing rods.
3. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the different curvatures of the stabilizing rods are adapted to generally match the normal curvature of particular spinal segments.
4. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the different lengths of the stabilizing rods are adapted to stabilize different sections of a spinal segment.
5. The kit of claim 1 , wherein each stabilizing rod has at least one alignment marker for identifying an axis of curvature of said stabilizing rod.
6. The kit of claim 5 , wherein the at least one alignment marker is a line that extends along the axis of curvature of said stabilizing rod.
7. The kit of claim 5 , wherein the marker extends from one side of the central region.
8. The kit of claim 5 , wherein the marker extends along the central region.
9. The kit of claim 5 , wherein each marker is on the same portion of each stabilizing rod.
10. The kit of claim 1 , wherein both of the first and second ends of each said stabilizing rod include tapers.
11. The kit of claim 10 , wherein the central region and the first and second ends of each said stabilizing rod include cylindrical portions, the cylindrical portion of the central region having a diameter greater than diameters of the first and second ends.
12. The kit of claim 10 , wherein the tapers have a spherical shape.
13. The kit of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of pedicle screws and set screws, the pedicle screws adapted to receive one of the stabilizing rods.
14. The kit of claim 1 , further comprising an inserter tool for coupling with at least one of the stabilizing rods.
15. The kit of claim 1 , wherein one of the first or second ends includes a taper.
16. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the second cross sectional area is of a constant second cross section along the length.