The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 26, 2001
James F. Zucherman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Ken Y. Hsu, San Francisco, CA (US);
Charles J. Winslow, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
Henry A. Klyce, Piedmont, CA (US);
James F. Zucherman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Ken Y. Hsu, San Francisco, CA (US);
Charles J. Winslow, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
Henry A. Klyce, Piedmont, CA (US);
St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc., Concord, CA (US);
Abstract
A supplemental spine fixation device and method is used in association with a primary spine fixation device. The supplemental spine fixation device includes a guide and spacer for distracting apart adjacent spinous processes and the device has hook members which hook about the first and second spinous processes. With the spinous processes distracted and the hook members about the spinous processes, the hook members can be rigidly secured to a hub in order to rigidly affix the spinous processes about the spacer. The rigidity between the spinous processes assures that the vertebral bodies will be held rigidly in place in order to promote bone growth and fusion. Further additional freedom of movement between the spacer and hub is accomplished with the spacer being pivotably mounted relative to the hub. The hooks have a tissue distracting lead-in guide for allowing the hooks to be easily urged between spinous processes.