System for spinal osteosynthesis

Claim 1

A system for spinal osteosynthesis comprising: a pedicle screw having a pedicle thread insertable into the pedicle of a vertebra and a saddle thread; a rod having a predetermined diameter and a longitudinal axis; at least one saddle member having at least one head provided with a hole of a diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of the saddle thread provided on said pedicle screw and at least one throat portion, an axis of said throat portion being substantially perpendicular to the axis of said head; said throat portion including a split passage having an opening corresponding at least to the diameter of said rod, the rod being insertable into the opening of the split passage in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod; means for securing said saddle member on said screw to thereby render said pedicle screw at the head thereof integral with said saddle member prior to application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; when said securing means is engaged in a locked position, a part of said saddle thread being free; and means for securing said rod in said throat portion to thereby render said rod integral with said throat portion of said saddle member after application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction, said means for securing said rod in said throat portion comprising a screw engaging a threaded portion provided in the passage of said throat portion substantially perpendicular thereto and substantially parallel to said pedicle screw.

Claim 2

A system for spinal osteosynthesis comprising: a pedicle screw having a pedicle thread insertable into the pedicle of a vertebra and a saddle thread; a rod having a predetermined diameter and a longitudinal axis; at least one saddle member having at least one head provided with a hole of a diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of the saddle thread provided on said pedicle screw and at least one throat portion, an axis of said throat portion being substantially perpendicular to the axis of said head; said throat portion including a split passage having an opening corresponding at least to the diameter of said rod, the rod being insertable into the opening of the split passage in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod; means for securing said saddle member on said screw to thereby render said pedicle screw at the head thereof integral with said saddle member prior to application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; when said securing means is engaged in a locked position, a part of said saddle thread being free; and means for securing said rod in said throat portion to thereby render said rod integral with said throat portion of said saddle member after application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction, said means for securing said rod in said throat portion comprising a screw engaging a threaded portion provided in the passage of said throat portion substantially perpendicular thereto and substantially parallel to said pedicle screw.

Claim 16

A system for spinal osteosynthesis comprising: a pedicle screw having a pedicle thread insertable into the pedicle of a vertebra and a saddle thread; a rod having a predetermined diameter and a longitudinal axis; at least one saddle member having at least one head provided with a hole of a diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of the saddle thread provided on said pedicle screw and at least one throat portion, an axis of said throat portion being substantially perpendicular to the axis of said head; said throat portion including a split passage having an opening corresponding at least to the diameter of said rods the rod being insertable into the opening of the split passage in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod; means for securing said saddle member on said screw to thereby render said pedicle screw at the head thereof integral with said saddle member prior to application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; when said securing means is engaged in a locked position, a part of said saddle thread being free; and means for securing said rod in said throat portion to thereby render said rod integral with said throat portion of said saddle member after application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; wherein the cross-section of said split passage is generally omega-shaped; and wherein said means for securing said rod in said throat portion is a key formed as a wedging member, an inside diameter of the key being substantially equal to the diameter of the rod and an outside diameter of the key being such that mechanical stress is applied to said saddle member upon one of rotation and translation of said key.

Claim 17

A system for spinal osteosynthesis comprising: a pedicle screw having a pedicle thread insertable into the pedicle of a vertebra and a saddle thread; a rod having a predetermined diameter and a longitudinal axis; at least one saddle member having at least one head provided with a hole of a diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of the saddle thread provided on said pedicle screw and at least one throat portion, an axis of said throat portion being substantially perpendicular to the axis of said head; said throat portion including a split passage having an opening corresponding at least to the diameter of said rods the rod being insertable into the opening of the split passage in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod; means for securing said saddle member on said screw to thereby render said pedicle screw at the head thereof integral with said saddle member prior to application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; when said securing means is engaged in a locked position, a part of said saddle thread being free; and means for securing said rod in said throat portion to thereby render said rod integral with said throat portion of said saddle member after application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; wherein the cross-section of said split passage is generally omega-shaped; and wherein said means for securing said rod in said throat portion is a key formed as a wedging member, an inside diameter of the key being substantially equal to the diameter of the rod and an outside diameter of the key being such that mechanical stress is applied to said saddle member upon one of rotation and translation of said key.

Claim 28

A method for placing a system for spinal osteosynthesis comprising: a plurality of pedicle screws having a pedicle thread insertable into the pedicle of a vertebra and a saddle thread; at least a rod having a predetermined diameter and a longitudinal axis; a plurality of saddle members having at least one head provided with a hole of a diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of the saddle thread provided on said pedicle screw and at least one throat portion, an axis of said throat portion being substantially perpendicular to the axis of said head; said throat portion including a split passage having an opening corresponding at least to the diameter of said rod, the rod being insertable into the opening of the split passage in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod; means for securing at least one of said plurality of saddle members on said screws to thereby render said pedicle screw at the head thereof integral with said saddle member prior to application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; when said securing means is engaged in a locked position, a part of said saddle thread being free; and means for securing said rod in said throat portion to thereby render said rod integral with said throat portion of said saddle member after application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; the method comprising the steps of: a) providing the plurality of pedicle screws, the rod and the plurality of saddle members; b) placing the pedicle screws; c) fixing said saddle members onto said pedicle screws by placing an entrance of the hole of said saddle member onto the pedicle screw, and locking it thereon by said nut, once in its locked position, leaving a portion of said saddle thread free; d) applying mechanical action to the pedicle screws through at least a reduction tube; e) after mechanical action is completed, producing at least a corresponding rod; and f) fitting said corresponding rod over all the screws, the rod being fitted into the split passage of said throat portion, and securing the rod in the throat portion to ensure locking of the complete assembly constituting the spine osteosynthesis system in position.

Claim 29

A method for placing a system for spinal osteosynthesis comprising: a plurality of pedicle screws having a pedicle thread insertable into the pedicle of a vertebra and a saddle thread; at least a rod having a predetermined diameter and a longitudinal axis; a plurality of saddle members having at least one head provided with a hole of a diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of the saddle thread provided on said pedicle screw and at least one throat portion, an axis of said throat portion being substantially perpendicular to the axis of said head; said throat portion including a split passage having an opening corresponding at least to the diameter of said rod, the rod being insertable into the opening of the split passage in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod; means for securing at least one of said plurality of saddle members on said screws to thereby render said pedicle screw at the head thereof integral with said saddle member prior to application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; when said securing means is engaged in a locked position, a part of said saddle thread being free; and means for securing said rod in said throat portion to thereby render said rod integral with said throat portion of said saddle member after application of mechanical effort for effecting spinal reduction; the method comprising the steps of: a) providing the plurality of pedicle screws, the rod and the plurality of saddle members; b) placing the pedicle screws; c) fixing said saddle members onto said pedicle screws by placing an entrance of the hole of said saddle member onto the pedicle screw, and locking it thereon by said nut, once in its locked position, leaving a portion of said saddle thread free; d) applying mechanical action to the pedicle screws through at least a reduction tube; e) after mechanical action is completed, producing at least a corresponding rod; and f) fitting said corresponding rod over all the screws, the rod being fitted into the split passage of said throat portion, and securing the rod in the throat portion to ensure locking of the complete assembly constituting the spine osteosynthesis system in position.