Rod system including at least two rods and connector device for rods
A rod system, in particular, for the spine, includes a first rod, a second rod, and a connector for connecting the first rod and the second rod. The connector includes a main body defining a first rod seat configured to hold the first rod in a fixed manner and a second rod seat configured to accommodate a second rod, and a fixation member and a closure member that are interchangeably mountable to the main body. When the fixation member is mounted to the main body, the fixation member is engageable with the portion of the second rod to hold the second rod in a fixed manner relative to the main bod, while when the closure member is mounted to the main body, the closure member is configured to hold the second rod to the main body in a slidable manner.
1 . A rod system, in particular, for the spine, comprising:
a first rod;
a second rod; and
a connector for connecting the first rod and the second rod to one another, the connector comprising:
a main body defining a first rod seat that extends along a first longitudinal axis and that is configured to hold a portion of the first rod, a second rod seat that extends along a second longitudinal axis and that is configured to hold a portion of the second rod, and an orifice positioned between the first rod seat and the second rod seat, wherein a thread is formed in the orifice; and
a monolithic fixation member comprising a threaded portion engageable with the thread formed in the orifice, a head that is wider than the threaded portion, and an engagement surface formed on the head that is configured to directly engage and hold both the first rod in the first rod seat and the second rod in the second rod seat relative to the main body.
2 . The rod system of claim 1 , wherein the fixation member is tiltable relative to an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal axes.
3 . The rod system of claim 1 , wherein the fixation member is configured to hold both the first rod and the second rod in a fixed manner relative to the main body.
4 . The rod system of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axes of the first rod seat and the second rod seat are substantially parallel to one another.
5 . The rod system of claim 1 , wherein the fixation member is movable translationally relative to the main body when the threaded portion of the fixation member engages the thread formed in the orifice of the main body.
6 . The rod system of claim 1 , wherein respective central axes of the first and second rods are configured to be located at a same axial position relative to a thread axis of the fixation member when the fixation member holds the first and second rods relative to the main body.
7 . The rod system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rods have different diameters from one another.
8 . A rod system, in particular, for the spine, comprising:
a first rod;
a second rod; and
a connector for connecting the first rod and the second rod to one another, the connector comprising:
a main body defining a first rod seat that extends along a first longitudinal axis and that is configured to hold a portion of the first rod, a second rod seat that extends along a second longitudinal axis and that is configured to hold a portion of the second rod, and an orifice positioned between the first rod seat and the second rod seat; and
a monolithic fixation member comprising an engagement surface engageable with an inner surface of the main body that defines the orifice, the fixation member being configured to directly engage both the first rod and the second rod to hold the first rod in the first rod seat and the second rod in the second rod seat relative to the main body, wherein the fixation member is tiltable relative to an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal axes.
9 . The rod system of claim 8 , wherein the fixation member comprises a threaded portion engageable with a thread formed in the orifice of the main body.
10 . The rod system of claim 8 , wherein the fixation member is configured to hold both the first rod and the second rod in a fixed manner relative to the main body.
11 . The rod system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second rods have different diameters from one another.
12 . The rod system of claim 8 , wherein the main body comprises a sleeve positionable in and pivotable relative to the orifice, and wherein the inner surface of the main body that is engageable with the engagement surface of the fixation member is formed on the pivot sleeve.
13 . The rod system of claim 8 , wherein the fixation member and the pivot sleeve are tiltable together relative to other portions of the main body.