Spine immobilization tool

Abstract

To provide a spine immobilization tool that can control the movement of the spine with improved safety as a spine immobilization tool that includes a first covering portion, a second covering portion, and a joint portion. The first covering portion covers at least a part of a vertebral arch of a vertebra at a head-side among the adjacent vertebrae, and thus can be fixed to the vertebra. The second covering portion covers at least a part of a vertebral arch of a vertebra at a buttock side among the adjacent vertebrae, and thus can be fixed to the vertebra. The joint portion couples the first covering portion and the second covering portion together while allowing changing relative positions of the first covering portion and the second covering portion.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A spine immobilization tool that can control movement of a spine by being mounted on a plurality of vertebrae, comprising:
 a covering portion fixable to each of plurality of vertebrae by covering at least a part of a vertebral arch of the vertebra; and   a joint portion that couples the adjacent covering portions such that a relative position between the adjacent covering portions is allowed to be changed, wherein   the covering portion includes two or more members that each includes a close-contact surface,   the close-contact surface is a surface that has a shape in a male-female relationship with a surface shape of the vertebral arch, the close-contact surface being allowed to be in close contact with the vertebral arch, and   the joint portion is disposed between the adjacent covering portions.   
     
     
         11 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the covering portion includes two members, and the covering portion is fixable to the vertebra by sandwiching the vertebral arch between the two members.   
     
     
         12 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the covering portion at a head side of the adjacent covering portions includes: a first head-side member that covers a head side of the vertebral arch; and a first buttock-side member that covers a buttock side of the vertebral arch,   the covering portion at the buttock side of the adjacent covering portions includes: a second head-side member that covers the head side of the vertebral arch;   and a second buttock-side member that covers the buttock side of the vertebral arch, and   the first buttock-side member, the second head-side member, and the joint portion are integrated together, the joint portion coupling the first buttock-side member and the second head-side member together.   
     
     
         13 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the covering portion at a head side of the adjacent covering portions includes: a first head-side member that covers a head side of the vertebral arch; and a first buttock-side member that covers a buttock side of the vertebral arch,   the covering portion at the buttock side of the adjacent covering portions includes: a second head-side member that covers the head side of the vertebral arch; and a second buttock-side member that covers the buttock side of the vertebral arch, and   the first buttock-side member, the second head-side member, and the joint portion are integrated together, the joint portion coupling the first buttock-side member and the second head-side member together.   
     
     
         14 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the covering portions each includes: a head-side member that covers the head side of the vertebral arch; and a buttock-side member that covers the buttock side of the vertebral arch,   assuming that a covering portion fixable to a vertebra closest to the head side among the vertebrae to which the covering portion is fixed is a first covering portion and a covering portion fixable to an n-th vertebra (here, n is a natural number equal to or more than  2 ) from the head side among the vertebra to which the covering portion is fixed is an n-th covering portion, the buttock-side member of an n′-th covering portion (here, n′ is a natural number from 1 to n−1), the head-side member of an (n′+1)-th covering portion, and the joint portion are integrated together, the joint portion coupling the buttock-side member of the n′-th covering portion and the head-side member of the (n′+1)-th covering portion together.   
     
     
         15 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the covering portions each includes: a head-side member that covers the head side of the vertebral arch; and a buttock-side member that covers the buttock side of the vertebral arch,   assuming that a covering portion fixable to a vertebra closest to the head side among the vertebrae to which the covering portion is fixed is a first covering portion and a covering portion fixable to an n-th vertebra (here, n is a natural number equal to or more than 2) from the head side among the vertebra to which the covering portion is fixed is an n-th covering portion, the buttock-side member of an n′-th covering portion (here, n′ is a natural number from 1 to n−1), the head-side member of an (n′+1)-th covering portion, and the joint portion are integrated together, the joint portion coupling the buttock-side member of the n′-th covering portion and the head-side member of the (n′+1)-th covering portion together.   
     
     
         16 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the covering portions each includes: a head-side member that covers the head side of the vertebral arch; and a buttock-side member that covers the buttock side of the vertebral arch,   assuming that a covering portion fixable to a vertebra closest to the head side among the vertebrae to which the covering portion is fixed is a first covering portion and a covering portion fixable to an n-th vertebra (here, n is a natural number equal to or more than 2) from the head side among the vertebra to which the covering portion is fixed is an n-th covering portion, the buttock-side member of an n′-th covering portion (here, n′ is a natural number from 1 to n−1), the head-side member of an (n′+1)-th covering portion, and the joint portion are integrated together, the joint portion coupling the buttock-side member of the n′-th covering portion and the head-side member of the (n′+1)-th covering portion together.   
     
     
         17 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the covering portions each includes: a head-side member that covers the head side of the vertebral arch; and a buttock-side member that covers the buttock side of the vertebral arch,   assuming that a covering portion fixable to a vertebra closest to the head side among the vertebrae to which the covering portion is fixed is a first covering portion and a covering portion fixable to an n-th vertebra (here, n is a natural number equal to or more than 2) from the head side among the vertebra to which the covering portion is fixed is an n-th covering portion, the buttock-side member of an n′-th covering portion (here, n′ is a natural number from 1 to n−1), the head-side member of an (n′+1)-th covering portion, and the joint portion are integrated together, the joint portion coupling the buttock-side member of the n′-th covering portion and the head-side member of the (n′+1)-th covering portion together.   
     
     
         18 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the covering portion and the joint portion are separately shaped, and the joint portion is removably attachable to the covering portion.   
     
     
         19 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the covering portion and the joint portion are separately shaped, and the joint portion is removably attachable to the covering portion.   
     
     
         20 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the covering portion includes a portion in a mesh-like or sponge-like shape in a portion including the close-contact surface.   
     
     
         21 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the covering portion employs osteoinductive matrix in the close-contact surface and the portion in the mesh-like or sponge-like shape.   
     
     
         22 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the covering portion is shaped by a selective laser sintering method.   
     
     
         23 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the covering portion is shaped by a selective laser sintering method.   
     
     
         24 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the covering portion is shaped by a selective laser sintering method.   
     
     
         25 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 10 , further comprising a fixing member to fix the covering portion to the vertebra. 
     
     
         26 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 20 , further comprising a fixing member to fix the covering portion to the vertebra. 
     
     
         27 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 21 , further comprising a fixing member to fix the covering portion to the vertebra. 
     
     
         28 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 22 , further comprising a fixing member to fix the covering portion to the vertebra. 
     
     
         29 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 23 , further comprising a fixing member to fix the covering portion to the vertebra. 
     
     
         30 . The spine immobilization tool according to  claim 24 , further comprising a fixing member to fix the covering portion to the vertebra.