Surgical tether apparatus and methods of use
Inventors
Alamin, Todd • Fielding, Louis • Cahill, Colin • Kothari, Manish
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12167874-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A spinal treatment system includes a constraint device having an upper tether portion, a lower tether portion and a compliance member coupled therebetween. The upper tether portion is coupled with a superior spinous process of a spinal segment in a patient and the lower tether portion is coupled with an inferior spinous process or sacrum of the spinal segment. The length or tension in the constraint device is adjustable so that the construct of the tether portions and the compliance member provides a force resistant to flexion of the spinal segment. The system also includes a first prosthesis coupled with the spinal segment, wherein the constraint device modulates loads borne by the prosthesis or by tissue adjacent thereto.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a spinal treatment system that includes a prosthesis adapted to be coupled with a spinal segment in a spine. The prosthesis comprises a plurality of pedicle screws and a spinal stabilization rod coupled thereto, where the plurality of pedicle screws are configured to be threadably engaged with a pair of vertebrae to be fused in a spinal segment.
The system includes a constraint device having an essentially non-compliant upper tether portion, an essentially non-compliant lower tether portion, and an elastically distensible compliance member coupled therebetween. The constraint device is configured to be disposed around a superior surface of a superior spinous process superior to the fused region and around an inferior surface of an inferior spinous process that is part of superior region of the fused region, and to restrict flexion of the spinal segment supradjacent to the fused region.
Length or tension in the constraint device is adjustable to provide a force resistant to flexion of the spine superior to the pair of vertebrae to be fused. The prosthesis and the constraint device are not directly coupled to one another, while the adjustable, force-resisting constraint modulates loads associated with spinal flexion relative to the fused region.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim and dependent claims that refine the constraint-device-to-spine coupling, therapeutic-agent inclusion, bone graft/flexion-limiting features, and transcutaneous adjustability. The independent claim specifies the core system architecture: a fusion prosthesis with a separate, non-directly coupled, spinous-process constraint device that restricts supradjacent flexion using adjustable length or tension.
Spinal fusion prosthesis with pedicle screws and stabilization rod
A prosthesis adapted to be coupled with a spinal segment comprises a plurality of pedicle screws and a spinal stabilization rod coupled thereto, with the plurality of pedicle screws configured to be threadably engaged with a pair of vertebrae to be fused in a spinal segment.
Non-directly coupled supradjacent flexion constraint using upper and lower tether portions with elastically distensible compliance member
A constraint device comprises an essentially non-compliant upper tether portion, an essentially non-compliant lower tether portion and an elastically distensible compliance member coupled therebetween, and is configured to be disposed around a superior surface of a superior spinous process and around an inferior surface of an inferior spinous process in the superior region of the fused region, with the upper tether portion coupled with the superior spinous process and the lower tether portion operatively coupled with the inferior vertebrae to restrict flexion supradjacent to the fused region.
Adjustable constraint length or tension providing force resistant to supradjacent flexion without direct coupling to the prosthesis
Length or tension in the constraint device is adjustable to provide a force resistant to flexion of the spine superior to the pair of vertebrae to be fused, and the prosthesis and the constraint device are not directly coupled to one another.
Overall claim coverage centers on combining a pedicle-screw/spinal-stabilization-rod fusion prosthesis with a separate constraint device disposed around spinous processes. The constraint device uses essentially non-compliant tether portions and an elastically distensible compliance member, restricts supradjacent flexion, and provides force resistance through adjustable length or tension without direct coupling to the prosthesis.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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