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:
May. 13, 2008
Filed:
Jul. 06, 2004
Brian Dec, Lafayette Hill, PA (US);
Stuart Weikel, Drexel Hill, PA (US);
Ernest Corrao, Bethel, CT (US);
Alan Bachman, Milford, CT (US);
Brian Dec, Lafayette Hill, PA (US);
Stuart Weikel, Drexel Hill, PA (US);
Ernest Corrao, Bethel, CT (US);
Alan Bachman, Milford, CT (US);
Synthes (U.S.A.), West Chester, PA (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument is provided for urging a longitudinal spinal member into a bone fastener. The surgical instrument may include a holder assembly for engaging a bone fastener, the holder assembly preferably comprising a pair of pivotably connected members arranged in a scissor type configuration, and a reducing mechanism for moving the spinal rod with respect to the bone fastener, the reducing mechanism including a rod contacting member and an outer support structure having an opening for receiving at least a portion of the holder assembly and a cavity for receiving at least a portion of the vertical drive mechanism which is sized and configured to threadably engage the holder assembly. The holder assembly preferably includes a pair of jaws each having an extension formed thereon for engaging a recess formed on the lateral side walls of the bone fastener so that the holder assembly can engage the bone fastener without extending into the U-shaped channel. More preferably, the jaws may be sized and configured to engage only one of the side walls formed on the head of the bone fastener. The surgical instrument may further include a horizontal drive mechanism for aligning a laterally offset spinal rod with respect to the bone fastener.