Vertebral pars interarticularis clamp a new spine fixation device, instrumentation, and methodology

Abstract

An improve spinal surgical implant used primarily in the posterior aspect of the spinal column for spinal reconstruction; revision surgery; deformity correction; and/or tumor surgery and/or trauma surgery of the cervical, thoracic and/or and lumbo-sacral spine.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A spinal implant for connecting to at least a portion of a vertebra comprising an arm hub and first and second arms, each of said first and second arms having first and second ends, said first end of said first and second arms are both securable to said arm hub, said second end of said first arm connected to a foot adapted to engage a portion of vertebra, said second end of said second arm connected to a foot adapted to engage a portion of vertebra, said arm hub including an adjustment arrangement and a set mechanism, said adjustment arrangement enabling said first arm to be adjustably positioned relative to said second arm, said adjustment arrangement including an opening designed to at least partially telescopically receive said first and second arms, said set mechanism designed to secure said first arm in position relative to said second arm, said set mechanism including an arrangement to at least partially engage at least one of said arms positioned in said adjustment arrangement, said adjustment arrangement designed to enable multi-axis movement and positioning of at least one of said first and second arms in said arm hub such that at least one of said first and second arms can be positioned to lie in a parallel plane or to lie in a non-parallel plane with respect to one another when secured to said arm hub. 
     
     
         19 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said foot of at least one of said first and second arms is designed to substantially not penetrate into the vertebra when connected to the vertebra. 
     
     
         20 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 18 , including a third arm, one end of said third arm connected to a foot adapted to engage a portion of vertebra. 
     
     
         21 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said third arm is securable to said arm hub. 
     
     
         22 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said foot of said third arm is designed to substantially not penetrate into the vertebra when connected to the vertebra. 
     
     
         23 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said arm hub includes a stabilizing system connection arrangement designed to secure to a component of a stabilizing system or other type of treatment system. 
     
     
         24 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said set mechanism includes a contact arrangement to at least partially engage at least one of said first arm and said second arm in said adjustment arrangement so as to at least partially secure at least one of said first arm and said second arm in said arm hub by one or more forces selected from the group consisting of a frictional force and a clamping force. 
     
     
         25 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said contact arrangement of said set mechanism includes an adjustable contact piece designed to contact at least one of said side walls of said first arm or said second arm or a structure on at least one of said side walls of said first arm or said second arm when at least one of said first arm and said second arm are at least partially positioned and secured in said arm hub. 
     
     
         26 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 25 , wherein said adjustable contact piece is designed to only contact one of said side walls of said first arm or said second min or a structure on said side wall of said first arm or said second arm and to apply said one or more forces to said side wall of said first arm thereby causing said first arm and said second arm to be secured in said arm hub when said first arm and said second arm are at least partially positioned in said arm hub. 
     
     
         27 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said first arm including a) a first slot in a first end of said first arm that is designed to receive at least a portion of a first end of said second arm, b) a plurality of teeth on a first end of said first arm that is designed to engage at least a portion of a first end of said second arm, or c) an adjustment landing on a first end of said first arm designed to engage said set mechanism when said set mechanism secures said first and second arms in said arm hub. 
     
     
         28 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 27 , wherein said set mechanism includes a contact arrangement to at least partially engage at least one of said first arm and said second arm in said adjustment arrangement so as to at least partially secure at least one of said first arm and said second arm in said arm hub by one or more forces selected from the group consisting of a frictional force and a clamping force, said contact arrangement including a contact piece designed to contact a side wall of said first arm or said an adjustment landing on said first arm when said first min is at least partially positioned and secured in said arm hub and to apply said one or more forces to said side wall of said first arm or said adjustment landing on said first arm thereby causing said first arm and said second arm to be secured in said arm hub when said first arm and said second arm are at least partially positioned in said arm hub. 
     
     
         29 . A spinal implant for connecting to at least a portion of a vertebra comprising an arm hub and first and second arms, each of said first and second arms having first and second ends, said first end of said first and second arms are both securable to said arm hub, said second end of said first arm connected to a first foot designed to at least partially encircle a pars portion of a vertebra, said second end of said second arm connected to a second foot designed to at least partially encircle a pars portion of the same vertebra as said first foot, said first arm including a) a first slot in a first end of said first arm that is designed to receive at least a portion of a first end of said second arm, b) a plurality of teeth on a first end of said first arm that is designed to engage at least a portion of a first end of said second arm, or c) an adjustment landing on a first end of said first arm designed to engage said set mechanism when said set mechanism secures said first and second arms in said arm hub, said arm hub including an adjustment arrangement and a set mechanism, said adjustment arrangement enabling said first arm to be adjustably positioned relative to said second arm, said set mechanism designed to secure said first arm in position relative to said second arm, said first and second arms both securable to said arm hub and adjustably positionable in said arm hub, said adjustment arrangement including a first opening designed to at least partially telescopically receive said first arm and a second opening designed to at least partially telescopically receive said second arm, said set mechanism including a contact arrangement to at least partially engage one or both of said first arm and said second arm in said adjustment arrangement so as to at least partially secure one or both of said first arm and said second arm in said arm hub by one or more forces selected from the group consisting of a frictional force and a clamping force, said contact arrangement of said set mechanism including a contact piece designed to contact a side wall of said first arm or said adjustment landing on said first arm when said first arm is at least partially positioned and secured in said arm hub and to apply said one or more forces to said side wall of said first arm or said an adjustment landing on said first arm thereby causing said first arm and said second arm to be secured in said arm hub when said first arm and said second arm are at least partially positioned in said arm hub. 
     
     
         30 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 29 , wherein said adjustment arrangement is designed to enable multi-axis positioning of one or both of said first arm and said second arm in said arm hub prior to said set mechanism securing one or both of said first arm and said second arm in said arm hub such that said first and second arms can lie in a parallel plane or in a non-parallel plane with respect to one another when secured to said arm hub. 
     
     
         31 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 29 , wherein said arm hub includes a stabilizing system connection arrangement designed to secure to a component of a stabilizing system or other type of treatment system. 
     
     
         32 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 29 , wherein said first arm includes i) a plurality of teeth on a first end of said first arm that is designed to engage at least a portion of a first end of said second arm, or ii) an adjustment landing on a first end of said first arm designed to engage said set mechanism when said set mechanism secures said first and second arms in said arm hub. 
     
     
         33 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 32 , wherein said first arm includes an adjustment landing on a first end of said first arm designed to engage said set mechanism when said set mechanism secures said first and second arms in said arm hub. 
     
     
         34 . A spinal implant for connecting to at least a portion of a vertebra comprising an arm hub and first and second arms, each of said first and second arms having first and second ends, said first end of said first and second arms are both securable to said arm hub, said second end of said first arm connected to a foot adapted to engage a portion of vertebra, said second end of said second arm connected to a foot adapted to engage a portion of vertebra, said arm hub including an adjustment arrangement and a set mechanism, said adjustment arrangement enabling said first arm to be adjustably positioned relative to said second arm, said adjustment arrangement includes an opening adapted to at least partially telescopically receive said first and second arms, said set mechanism substantially securing said first arm in position relative to said second arm, said set mechanism including an arrangement to at least partially engage at least one of said arms positioned in said adjustment arrangement to cause at least one of said first and second arms to be secured in said arm hub, said set mechanism is designed to cause said first and second arms to frictionally engage one another in said adjustment arrangement, said first arm includes an adjustment landing on a first end of said first arm designed to engage said set mechanism when said set mechanism secures said first and second arms in said arm hub. 
     
     
         36 . The spinal implant as defined in claim  35 , wherein said set mechanism is designed to create a force that is not normal to the longitudinal axis of said first or second arms. 
     
     
         37 . The spinal implant as defined in claim  35 , including a third arm, one end of said third arm connected to a foot adapted to engage a portion of vertebra. 
     
     
         38 . The spinal implant as defined in  claim 37 , wherein said third arm is securable to said arm hub. 
     
     
         39 . The spinal implant as defined in claim  35 , including a connection arrangement adapted to secure to a component of a stabilizing system or other type of treatment system, said connection arrangement positioned on said arm hub.