Occipital plate and rod system
US7232441B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 5, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jun 19, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 5, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B17/7032
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention has a plate and rod assembly for implantation in the cervical region of the spine which includes an occipital plate having an angled anchor bridging area that is attached to the lower posterior curve of the skull. On either side the bridging area is connected to offset legs which join flanged areas having a high friction surface and which include tethered rod anchors having rod-receiving channels. These flanges include undercut slots longer in one direction than the other to capture the side plates integral to the open U-shaped members including the rod-receiving channels. The side plates extend longer in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the rod when it is in the channel so that they can thus be lowered into the slot and rotated by 90 degrees to capture the channels in the flanges. The channels are closed by a capnut which has a bottom annular flange that also helps to lock the rod in place. The angle of the rod-receiving flanges relative to the plate bridging area allows the rods to be positioned close to the cervical vertebrae so that they can also be attached to the cervical vertebrae using vertebral anchors. The capnut is self-aligning and include…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.