Posterior spinal stabilization plate device

Abstract

A device for connecting two spinal rods is provided. In one form, the device includes two clamping devices for receiving and locking to spinal rods and a central bridge or plate member that couples the clamping devices. In one aspect, the clamping devices are unitary members with deflectable jaw portions that snap-fit and then locked by operation of actuators. In another aspect, one or both of the clamping devices are adjustably coupled to the central bridge or plate member to allow at least translation and pivoting or rotation of the clamping devices relative to a central axis of the elongate bridge member. The clamping devices may be coupled to the bridge or plate member with the same locking actuator that causes clamping of the clamp device so that the positions of the clamp device and the spinal rod are locked into place by manipulation of only a single locking actuator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cross connector device comprising:
 a bridge member;   a guide track connected to the bridge member;   at least one clamp device having a resiliently deflectable jaw portion and a threaded portion, the clamp device slidably coupled to the guide track; and   a rotary locking actuator member having a threaded portion for being threadingly connected to the threaded portion of the clamp device to slidably couple the clamp device to the guide track and being operable to be rotated for being shifted into direct engagement with the deflectable jaw portion to resiliently shift the resiliently deflectable jaw portion into locking engagement with a spinal rod and to fix the clamp device against sliding along the guide track.   
     
     
         2 . The cross connector device of  claim 1  wherein the guide track includes a guide slot, and the rotary locking actuator member includes an elongate shank portion configured to extend through the guide slot to be slidably disposed therein. 
     
     
         3 . The cross connector device of  claim 2  wherein the elongate shank portion has a distal end portion including a cam surface that is configured for shifting into direct camming engagement with the deflectable jaw portion. 
     
     
         4 . The cross connector device of  claim 1  wherein the bridge member has an elongate configuration, the guide track includes a pair of guide tracks with one at either end of the bridge member and connected thereto, the at least one clamp device includes a pair of clamp devices for the pair of guide tracks, and the rotary locking actuator includes a pair of rotary locking actuators for the pair of clamp devices. 
     
     
         5 . The posterior spinal stabilization plate device of  claim 4  wherein the bridge member includes adjustable portions that are adjustable relative to each other with one portion having one of the pair of guide tracks connected thereto and an other portion having the other one of the pair of guide tracks connected thereto. 
     
     
         6 . The cross connector device of  claim 1  wherein the clamp device includes a body portion that cooperates with the resiliently deflectable jaw portion to form an arcuate recess in which the spinal rod is received to be locked therein by the resiliently deflectable jaw portion. 
     
     
         7 . A method for connecting a pair of spinal rods, the method comprising
 providing clamping members for being clamped onto the spinal rods via resiliently deflectable jaws of the clamping members;   slidably coupling the clamping members to guide tracks at either end of a bridge member via rotary actuators;   advancing threaded portions of the rotary actuators in threaded engagement with threaded portions of the clamping members via rotation of the rotary actuators; and   engaging the resiliently deflectable jaw portions with ends of the threaded portions of the rotary actuators to resiliently shift the resiliently deflectable jaw portions into locking engagement with the spinal rod and to fix the clamp members against sliding along the guide tracks.