FLEXIBLE SPINAL FIXATION DEVICE
A spinal fixation assembly includes an intervertebral body and a fixation member. The intervertebral body is positionable between adjacent vertebral bodies. The intervertebral body includes a front surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface. In particular, the top and bottom surfaces engage the respective adjacent vertebral bodies. The intervertebral body defines a through-hole extending from the front surface toward one of the adjacent vertebral bodies. The fixation member is configured to be received through the through-hole, and includes cut features to facilitate flexing of the fixation member.
1 . A spinal fixation assembly comprising:
an intervertebral body positionable between adjacent vertebral bodies, the intervertebral body including a front surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces engaging the respective vertebral bodies, the intervertebral body defining a through-hole extending from the front surface toward one of the adjacent vertebral bodies; and
a fixation member configured to be received through the through-hole, the fixation member including cut features to facilitate flexing of the fixation member, wherein the cut features define a plurality of circumferential sections, each circumferential section of the plurality of circumferential sections including male and female portions.
2 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the through-hole of the intervertebral body defines a curvature.
3 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the male and female portions are circumferentially arranged such that the male and female portions are alternately arranged along a length of the fixation member.
4 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the fixation member includes a head portion and a shaft extending distally from the head portion.
5 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the head portion includes threads to threadably engage the through-hole of the intervertebral body.
6 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the shaft of the fixation member is bendable transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fixation member.
7 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the shaft of the fixation member includes threads configured to threadably engage one of the adjacent vertebral bodies.
8 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the shaft of the fixation member includes a retaining member.
9 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the retaining member includes a plurality of circumferentially arranged fingers to inhibit proximal displacement of the fixation member.
10 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the retaining member of the shaft is disposed at a distal end of the fixation member.
11 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the fixation member is cannulated.
12 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising a guide wire configured to be received through the fixation member.
13 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the intervertebral body includes a locking member to threadably secure the fixation member thereto.
14 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the fixation member includes threads, and the locking member includes a deformable lip configured to threadably engage the threads of the fixation member.
15 . The spinal fixation assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the head portion of the fixation member includes a first diameter and the shaft of the fixation member includes a second diameter different from the first diameter.
16 . A method of surgery comprising:
positioning an intervertebral body between adjacent vertebral bodies;
inserting a fixation member through a front surface and into one of the adjacent vertebral bodies; and
locking the fixation member to the intervertebral body.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising inserting a flexible drill bit through a through-hole of the intervertebral body and creating a path into one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to receive the fixation member therein.
18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein inserting the fixation member includes flexing the fixation member such that at least a portion of the fixation member is aligned with a longitudinal axis defined by the adjacent vertebral bodies when the fixation member is inserted through the intervertebral body.
19 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising inserting a guidewire through a channel defined in the fixation member.
20 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising inserting circumferentially arranged fingers into the one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to inhibit proximal displacement of the fixation member.