Methods and apparatus for vertebral stabilization using sleeved springs

1. A stabilization element for implantation in a patient, comprising:

a spring element including a plurality of helical coils terminating at first and second ends; and

at least one sleeve, including: (i) a closed first end, (ii) an open second end, (iii) at least one threaded bore extending from the open second end of the at least one sleeve and being sized and shaped to thread onto the helical coils of the spring element, and (iv) at least one slot extending from the threaded bore through to an external surface of the sleeve, extending longitudinally at least partially along a length of the sleeve,

wherein the at least one sleeve is operable to engage a tulip of a bone anchor, and to only cap at least one of the first end and the second end of the spring element.

2. The stabilization element of claim 1 , wherein activation of a coupling mechanism of the tulip is operable to cause an internal diameter of the threaded bore to reduce via the at least one slot such that one or more surfaces of the threaded bore clamps to the helical coils of the spring element.

3. The stabilization element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

one of the sleeves is operable to cap the first end of the spring element; and

another of the sleeves is operable to cap the second end of the spring element.

4. The stabilization element of claim 1 , wherein:

the helical coils of the spring element define a longitudinal hollow portion thereof;

the at least one sleeve includes a post that extends from a bottom of the threaded bore and coaxially therewith; and

a diameter of the post is sized and shaped to slide into the hollow portion of the spring element as the at least one sleeve is threaded thereon.

5. The stabilization element of claim 4 , wherein the post is operable to provide a reactive force to compressive forces imposed on the spring element by one or more surfaces of the threaded bore as the tulip clamps the sleeve.

6. The stabilization element of claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the sleeve has a shape taken from the group consisting of rectangular, square, triangular, round, polygonal, any combination thereof, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, nonagonal, decagonal, undecagonal, dodecagonal.

7. The stabilization element of claim 1 , wherein an overall length of the stabilization element is adjustable by cutting off a section of the spring element.

8. A stabilization element for implantation in a patient, comprising:

a spring element including a plurality of helical coils terminating at first and second ends;

at least one sleeve, including: (i) an open first end, (ii) a closed second end, where the open first end and the closed second end of the at least one sleeve oppose each other, (iii) at least one threaded bore extending from the open first end of the at least one sleeve at least partially through the sleeve and being sized and shaped to thread onto the helical coils of the spring element, and (iv) at least one slot extending from the threaded bore through to an external surface of the sleeve, extending longitudinally at least partially along a length of the sleeve, wherein the at least one sleeve is operable to engage a tulip of a bone anchor, and to only cap at least one of the first end and the second end of the spring element; and

a rigid rod extending from the closed second end of the sleeve, the rod being sized and shaped to engage a further tulip of a further bone anchor.

9. The stabilization element of claim 8 , further comprising: an end sleeve including a closed end and an open end from which a threaded bore extends into the end sleeve, which threaded bore is sized and shaped to at least one of: thread onto the helical coils of the second end of the spring element when the at least one sleeve is threaded onto the helical coils of the first end of the spring element; and thread onto the helical coils of the first end of the spring element when the at least one sleeve is threaded onto the helical coils of the second end of the spring element.

10. A stabilization element for implantation in a patient, comprising:

a spring element including a plurality of helical coils terminating at first and second ends;

at least one sleeve, including: (i) an open first end, (ii) a closed second end, where the open first end and the closed second end of the at least one sleeve oppose each other, (iii) at least one threaded bore extending from the open first end of the at least one sleeve at least partially through the sleeve and being sized and shaped to thread onto the helical coils of the spring element, and (iv) at least one slot extending from the threaded bore through to an external surface of the sleeve, extending longitudinally at least partially along a length of the sleeve, wherein the at least one sleeve is operable to engage a tulip of a bone anchor, and to only cap at least one of the first end and the second end of the spring element; and

a coupling plate extending from the second end of the sleeve, the coupling plate including at least one aperture therethrough for receiving a bone screw to secure the coupling plate to a bone of the patient.

11. The stabilization element of claim 10 , wherein the coupling plate includes at least one elongate aperture to permit adjustment of the coupling plate relative to the bone screw.

12. The stabilization element of claim 10 , wherein the coupling plate is elongate and includes a series of apertures.

13. The stabilization element of claim 12 , wherein the coupling plate is long enough to span between adjacent vertebral bones of the patient.

14. The stabilization element of claim 13 , wherein the coupling plate is operable to rigidly stabilize the adjacent vertebral bones relative to one another when one or more bone screws are used through the apertures to fix respective ends of the coupling plate the respective vertebral bones.

15. A system for stabilizing a plurality of bones of a patient, comprising:

a first stabilization element including: a spring element including a plurality of helical coils terminating at first and second ends; and at least two sleeves, each including: (i) a closed first end, (ii) an open second end, (iii) at least one threaded bore extending from the open second end and being sized and shaped to thread onto the helical coils of the spring element, and (iv) at least one slot extending from the threaded bore through to an external surface of the respective sleeve, extending longitudinally at least partially along a length of the respective sleeve, wherein the at least two sleeves are each operable to engage a tulip of a bone anchor, and to only cap at least one of the first end and the second end of the spring element;

a first bone anchor operable to fixedly connect to one of the bones of the patient, and including a first coupling element at one end thereof operable to couple to one of the sleeves of the first stabilization element; and

a second bone anchor operable to fixedly connect to another of the bones of the patient, and including a second coupling element at one end thereof operable to couple to the other of the sleeves of the first stabilization element.

16. A method of implanting a stabilization element in a patient to stabilize at least two vertebral bones, comprising:

customizing a stabilization element by cutting a spring element thereof to a length, the spring element including a plurality of helical coils terminating at first and second ends;

threading at least one end sleeve to at least one of the first end and the second end of the spring element, the at least one end sleeve including: (i) a closed first end, (ii) an open second end, (iii) at least one threaded bore extending from the open second end and being sized and shaped to thread onto the helical coils of the spring element, and (iv) at least one slot extending from the threaded bore through to an external surface of the end sleeve, extending longitudinally at least partially along a length of the end sleeve, wherein the at least one end sleeve is operable to engage a tulip of a bone anchor, and to only cap at least one of the first end and the second end of the spring element;

fixing a first bone anchor to one of the vertebral bones of the patient, the bone anchor including a coupling element at one end thereof operable to couple to the end sleeve of the stabilization element; and

clamping the end sleeve of the stabilization element within the coupling element of the bone anchor to fix the end of the spring element to the vertebral bone of the patient.