Rod reducer

1. A rod reducer apparatus comprising:

a housing having an opening and defining a longitudinal axis;

a shaft disposed through the opening, the shaft having threads formed thereon;

an anvil coupled to the shaft;

a button slidably coupled to the housing and transitionable between a first position wherein the threads of the shaft are engaged with threads on the button and a second position wherein the threads of the shaft are spaced apart from the threads on the button, the button biased towards the first position, the button slidable between the first and second positions along a first axis that defines an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis; and

first and second arm members operatively coupled to the housing and configured to engage a bone screw, wherein rotation of the shaft with the button in the first position translates into linear movement of the shaft relative to the housing and linear movement of the shaft with the button in the second position is independent of shaft rotation.

2. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a spring element for biasing the button towards the first position.

3. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the shaft cooperatively engages threads of the button with the button in the first position.

4. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first and second arm members are pivotably coupled to the housing.

5. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first and second arm members are flexibly coupled to the housing.

6. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a first surface of the button includes the threads.

7. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first surface of the button transitions away from the longitudinal axis of the housing when in the second position.

8. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first surface of the button is defined on an outer surface thereof.

9. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the button has an ergonomic grip feature disposed on a second surface.

10. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms are repositionable towards a parallel configuration as the anvil is moved away from the housing.

11. The rod reducer apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a receiving saddle disposed on the anvil, such that the receiving saddle cooperatively engages with a surface of a spinal rod.

12. The rod reduction apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the receiving saddle is generally formed into an arch, and is adapted to engage a variety of spinal rod diameters.

13. A method of reducing a spinal rod into a bone screw comprising:

providing a rod reducer apparatus including:

a housing having an opening and defining a longitudinal axis;

a shaft disposed through the opening, the shaft having threads formed thereon;

an anvil coupled to the shaft;

a button slidably coupled to the housing and transitionable between a first position wherein the threads of the shaft are engaged with threads on a first surface of the button and a second position wherein the threads of the shaft are spaced apart from the first surface, the button slidable between the first and second positions along a first axis that defines an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis; and

first and second arm members operatively coupled to the housing and configured to engage a bone screw, the first and second arms movable towards a parallel configuration as the anvil is advanced away from the housing,

wherein rotation of the shaft with the button in the first position translates into linear movement of the shaft relative to the housing and linear movement of the shaft with the button in the second position is independent of shaft rotation;

coupling the rod reducer apparatus with the bone screw;

positioning the spinal rod between the anvil and the screw housing of the bone screw;

transitioning the button of the rod reducer apparatus into the second position;

sliding the shaft distally such that the first and second arm members grasp the bone screw; and

engaging the spinal rod with the anvil.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

transitioning the button of the rod reducer apparatus to the first position; and

rotating the shaft such that the anvil travels linearly with respect to the housing towards the spinal rod to urge the spinal rod into engagement with the screw housing of the bone screw.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising transitioning the button of the rod reducer apparatus to the second position and sliding the anvil away from the spinal rod.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

translating the anvil proximally into a proximal most position; and

decoupling the first and second arm members of the rod reducer apparatus from the bone screw.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

selecting the spinal rod from a plurality of spinal rods having varying diameters;

selecting the bone screw from a plurality of bone screws having a variety of sizes; and

reducing the selected spinal rod into the selected bone screw.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising implanting at least one bone screw into a bone of a subject.