Tool system for dynamic spinal implants
View Patent ↗A tool set for implanting bone screws in a human spine, followed by the implantation of a longitudinal connecting member into the bone screws includes a pair of independently mountable and manipulatable elongate guide tools that form a unitary tool guide when desired. Each guide tool includes attachment structure for independent operable connection of the guide tool to an arm of the bone screw. The bone screw/guide tool attachment includes an undercut and/or recess so as to resist separation of the guide tool member from an attached bone screw. Further tools include a removable stabilizer, a cooperating bone screw driver with an attached stabilizer, a closure starter/reduction tool, a closure driver and a counter torque tool.
1. An implant assembly comprising:
a receiver for a bone anchor comprising:
a pair of upstanding arms forming a rod-receiving channel therebetween, each arm having an outwardly facing tool attachment structure including a horizontally extending groove forming a downwardly facing surface; and
a tool coupleable to the receiver, the tool comprising:
a pair of discrete elongated members spaced apart from each other and independently manipulatable with respect to one another, and a stabilizer attachable to each of the elongate members at a location spaced from the receiver,
wherein each elongate member comprises a plurality of lock pins extending from its respective top, the stabilizer defining apertures for receiving the lock pins, and wherein each elongated member includes an inwardly facing receiver attachment structure positioned near a lower portion thereof and is independently vertically slidable with respect to the other elongated member to matingly engage the inward facing receiver attachment structure with a respective horizontally extending groove of the receiver.
2. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein when matingly engaged with the respective horizontally extending groove, the attachment structure completely covers the outwardly facing tool attachment structure.
3. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein the horizontally extending groove is located near a top of its respective arm of the receiver.
4. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the horizontally extending grooves extends along an outer surface of the receiver from a front surface to a back surface of its respective arm of the receiver.
5. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of elongated members define a rod receiving channel therebetween such that when the tool is coupled to the receiver, the rod receiving channel between the elongated members aligns with the rod-receiving channel of the receiver.
6. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of upstanding arms extend about a first axis and the pair of elongated members extend about a second axis such that when the tool is coupled to the receiver, the first axis and the second axis are coaxial.
7. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a threaded bone screw shank extending from a lower end thereof.
8. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a threaded bone screw shank polyaxially engaged therewith and extending from a lower end thereof.
9. The implant assembly of claim 1 wherein the pair of elongated members define a through channel therebetween, the through channel extending an entire length of the pair of elongated members.
10. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer further includes a first helical guide and advancement structure sized and shaped to matingly cooperate with a second helical guide and advancement structure of a reduction tool.
11. The implant assembly of claim 10 further comprising the reduction tool.
12. The implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein each outwardly facing tool attachment structure of the receiver further includes an outwardly facing opening in communication with the horizontally extending groove, the inwardly facing receiver attachment structure further slidable to engage the outwardly facing opening.