U.S. patent application number 11/371772 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-16 for longitudinal support.
Invention is credited to Stephan Hartmann, Armin Studer.
Application Number | 20060254784 11/371772 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34230817 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060254784 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hartmann; Stephan ; et
al. |
November 16, 2006 |
Longitudinal support
Abstract
A longitudinal support having a first and second longitudinal
support element. The first longitudinal support element having a
longitudinal axis, includes first and second coaxial connecting
segments provided with a first end and a second end, and an
deformable articulated socket on the second connecting segment
first longitudinal support element. The deformable articulated
socket is axially open and can be deformed transversely to the
longitudinal axis. The articulated socket includes a hollow
spherical segment-like cavity with a diameter of D with an opening
on the second end that is concentric with the longitudinal axis and
has a diameter of d, while d<D. Further, the first connecting
segment of the first longitudinal support element has a thread
extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. The second
longitudinal support element having a longitudinal axis, includes
first and second coaxial connecting segments with a first end and a
second end. The first connecting segment is able to be connected
with the first connecting segment of the longitudinal support
element, and the second connecting segment includes an articulated
head that is complementary to the articulated socket.
Inventors: |
Hartmann; Stephan;
(Solothurn, CH) ; Studer; Armin; (Langendorf,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JONES DAY
222 EAST 41ST STREET
NEW YORK
NY
10017-6702
US
|
Family ID: |
34230817 |
Appl. No.: |
11/371772 |
Filed: |
March 8, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/CH03/00605 |
Sep 8, 2003 |
|
|
|
11371772 |
Mar 8, 2006 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
172/789 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 17/7014 20130101;
A61B 17/7005 20130101; A61B 17/7037 20130101; A61B 17/705 20130101;
A61B 17/7032 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
172/789 |
International
Class: |
E02F 3/00 20060101
E02F003/00 |
Claims
1. A longitudinal support comprising: a first longitudinal support
element with a longitudinal axis, comprising: first and second
connecting segments provided with a first end and a second end;
deformable articulated socket on the second connecting segment of
the first longitudinal support element, the deformable articulated
socket is axially open and can be deformed transversely to the
longitudinal axis, wherein the articulated socket comprises a
hollow spherical segment-like cavity, being larger than a
semi-sphere, with a diameter of D with an opening on the second end
that is concentric with the longitudinal axis and has a diameter of
d, where d<D, and wherein the first connecting segment of the
first longitudinal support element has a thread extending parallel
to the longitudinal axis, and; a second longitudinal support
element with a longitudinal axis, having first and second
connecting segments each provided with a first end and a second
end, wherein the first connecting segment of the second
longitudinal support element is connectable with the first
connecting segment of the longitudinal support element, and wherein
the second connecting segment includes an articulated head that is
complementary shaped to the articulated socket.
2. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein the
articulated socket is made from Nitinol.
3. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein the
articulated socket has an external spherical convex
construction.
4. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein the first
connecting element of the first longitudinal support element
comprises an outside thread that is coaxial with the longitudinal
axis of the first longitudinal support element.
5. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein a length of
the connected first connecting segment of the first longitudinal
support element with the first connecting segment of the second
longitudinal support element is able to be axially lengthened or
shortened.
6. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein the first
connecting segment of the first longitudinal support element and
the first connecting element of the second longitudinal support
element are able to telescope with respect to one another.
7. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein the
connection between the first connecting segment of the first
longitudinal support element and the first connecting element of
the second longitudinal support element is a screw connection.
8. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein the
articulated head has a spherical convex construction that is
complementary shaped with the cavity.
9. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, wherein the
articulated head and the articulated socket can be elastically
snapped together.
10. A longitudinal support according to claim 7, wherein: the first
connecting segment of the first longitudinal support element is
constructed as a shaft having an external thread; and the first
connecting segment of the second longitudinal support element is
constructed as a sleeve having a central bore with an internal
thread that complements the external thread of the first connecting
segment of the first longitudinal support element.
11. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, further comprising
at least one end-piece with an articulated head.
12. A longitudinal support according to claim 1, further comprising
at least a second end-piece with an articulated socket.
13. A device to stabilize bodies of the vertebra comprising: a
longitudinal support according to claim 1; at least two bone
anchors, each bone anchor having a central axis, an anchoring
segment to fix the bone anchor to a vertebra, and a head segment
configured to accommodate the articulated socket; and fixing means
to fix the articulated sockets to the anchoring means.
14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the head segment
comprises a concave spherical recess that complements the
articulated socket.
15. A device according to claim 13, wherein the fixing means
comprise a screw, the screw configured to engage an inside thread
in the head segment of the bone anchor.
16. A device according to claim 14, wherein the fixing means
comprise an elastically expandable clamp having at least on free
end, the clamp is capable of being placed over the articulated
socket and snapped onto the head segment of the bone anchor so that
the articulated socket is compressed by the clamp.
17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the clamp has a lug on
at least one of the free ends that can be snapped onto the head
segment of the bone anchor.
18. A device according to claim 17, wherein the head segment
comprises notches matching the lugs.
19. A method of inserting a longitudinal support into a patient
comprising the steps of: attaching a bone anchor onto pedicles of
two adjacent vertebra, the bone anchor comprising head segments and
anchoring segments; assembling the longitudinal support by
alternatingly joining at least one first longitudinal support
element to at least one second longitudinal support element to form
at least one articulated joint until the longitudinal support has a
desired length, wherein each first longitudinal support element has
an articulated socket and each second longitudinal support element
has an articulated head such that each first longitudinal support
element is joined to each second longitudinal support element by
inserting each articulated head into each articulated socket;
introducing the assembled longitudinal support into the body of the
patient through a minimally invasive incision, placing the
assembled longitudinal support below the soft tissue surrounding
the vertebra bodies to be securely fixed; positioning the
articulated joint so that the assembled longitudinal support has a
desired shape; positioning each articulated joint onto the head
segment of the bone anchor; adjusting the length of the each
longitudinal support, as desired; and securing each articulated
joint to the bone anchor.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of International Patent
Application No. PCT/CH2003/000605, filed Sep. 8, 2003, the entire
contents of which is expressly incorporated herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to longitudinal
support elements to stabilize bones, particularly bodies of the
vertebra.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The current treatment for damaged or tumorous bodies of the
vertebra usually comprises implanting a rigid longitudinal support,
anchored on the bodies of the vertebra by bone anchoring means or a
rigid bone plate. The purpose of these devices is to prevent, by
means of the rigid implants, the movement of the bodies of the
vertebra stabilized in this manner relative to one another and to
promote the fusion of adjacent bodies of the vertebra.
[0004] A device to stabilize the bodies of the vertebra using a
multi-segmented longitudinal support that can be fixed in a
desirable form, is known from document FR 2 796 828 to Jammet. By
using the Jammet device, a longitudinal support, comprising a
plurality of axial segments that can be joined with the head
segments of pedicle screws or pedicle hooks, which for the purpose
of stabilization are screwed into the pedicle of the corresponding
body of the vertebra, and can be adapted without using great force
to suit the form specified by the positions of the pedicle screws.
A disadvantage of the Jammet device is that the longitudinal
support elements can be fastened individually on the head segments
of the pedicle screws or pedicle hooks but cannot be joined with
one another. As a result, each longitudinal support element has to
be individually inserted and placed into the body of the patient,
representing to the surgeon a tedious and time-consuming step of
the operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is to provide a remedy for the
above-discussed disadvantage. It is an object of the invention to
produce a longitudinal support element with an articulated socket,
in the cavity of which a complementary articulated head of a
further longitudinal support element can be elastically snapped in,
so that a longitudinal support, comprising a plurality of
longitudinal support elements, can be pre-assembled outside of the
patient's body.
[0006] The present invention accomplishes the objective set out
above with a longitudinal support having a first and second
longitudinal support element. The first longitudinal support
element having a longitudinal axis, includes first and second
coaxial connecting segments provided with a first end and a second
end, and an deformable articulated socket on the second connecting
segment first longitudinal support element. The deformable
articulated socket is axially open and can be deformed transversely
to the longitudinal axis. The articulated socket includes a hollow
spherical segment-like cavity with a diameter of D with an opening
on the second end that is concentric with the longitudinal axis and
has a diameter of d, while d<D. Further, the first connecting
segment of the first longitudinal support element has a thread
extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. The second
longitudinal support element having a longitudinal axis, includes
first and second coaxial connecting segments with a first end and a
second end. The first connecting segment is able to be connected
with the first connecting segment of the longitudinal support
element, and the second connecting segment includes an articulated
head that is complementary to the articulated socket.
[0007] The advantages achieved by the longitudinal support are that
the longitudinal support may comprise a plurality of longitudinal
support elements which can be joined to one another, in a
pre-assembled manner; the longitudinal support can be adapted
in-situ to suit the desired geometry without using any force; and
implanting of the longitudinal support can be considerably
simplified. Also, because a first longitudinal support element has
an articulated socket, the first longitudinal support element can
be polyaxially pivotably joined with a second longitudinal support
element having a complementary articulated head.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the articulated socket can be
made from a nickel-titanium alloy (Nitinol), wherein
45%<Ni<55%, 45%<Ti<55% and the composition of Ni and Ti
equals 100%. Such a material is biocompatible and highly
elastic.
[0009] In another embodiment, the articulated socket has an
external spherical convex construction, thus achieving the
advantage of a polyaxially pivotable accorumodation of the
articulated socket in, for example, a bone anchoring means
constructed as a tulip screw.
[0010] In yet another embodiment, the first connecting segment of
the longitudinal support element comprises an outside thread.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the connection between a first
connecting segment of a first longitudinal support element and a
first connecting segment of a second longitudinal support element
can be axially lengthened or shortened, so that a first
longitudinal support element can be coaxially joined with a second
longitudinal support element and the length of the longitudinal
support segment formed by the two longitudinal support elements can
be adjusted. This longitudinally adjustable connection between the
two longitudinal support elements can telescope or be realized as a
screw joint. For this purpose, the first connecting segment may be
constructed as a coaxial shaft on the first longitudinal support
element and the thread may be constructed as an outside thread and
that the first connecting segment is constructed as a sleeve on the
second longitudinal support element. The sleeve comprises a central
bore with an inside thread that complements the outside thread.
[0012] In a further embodiment, the articulated head has a
spherical convex design and the cavity of the articulated socket is
complementary to it.
[0013] In another embodiment, the articulated head and the
articulated socket can be elastically snapped into one another.
This has the advantage that a simple pre-assembly of a longitudinal
support, comprising a plurality of longitudinal support segments,
is possible.
[0014] In yet another embodiment, the longitudinal support
comprises an end-piece with an articulated head that can be snapped
into an articulated socket. This has the advantage that an
articulated socket, provided at the end of the longitudinal
support, will not be compressed when mounted in the receptacle on
the head of a pedicle screw. The longitudinal support preferably
comprises a second end-piece with an articulated socket.
[0015] In a further embodiment, a device to stabilize bodies of the
vertebra essentially comprises a longitudinal support according to
one of the above illustrated embodiment and at least two bone
anchoring means each with a central axis. The anchoring means have
an anchoring segment to fix the bone anchoring means onto a bone,
in particular on a body of the vertebra. The anchoring means also
have a head segment with means to accommodate the articulated
socket, and fixing means to fix the articulated sockets in the
means to accommodate the articulated socket.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the means to accommodate the
articulated socket are constructed as a concave spherical recess
that complements the articulated socket.
[0017] In another embodiment, the fixing means comprise a
tightening screw that can be screwed into an inside thread in the
head of the bone anchoring means so that an articulated socket can
be secured in the bone anchoring means.
[0018] In yet another embodiment, the fixing means may comprise an
elastically expandable clamp that can be placed over the
articulated socket and snapped onto the head segment of the bone
fixing means. After the assembly of the clamp, the articulated
socket is compressed by the clamp. This has the advantage, that due
to the compressing of the second articulated part, the articulated
socket is locked between the two longitudinal support segments, and
the longitudinal support is fixed on the bone anchoring means. The
clamp has preferably a lug on each of its free end, that can be
snapped onto the head segment of the bone anchoring means. For a
better acceptance of the lugs, notches complementing the lugs may
be provided on the head segment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The longitudinal support is explained in even greater detail
in the following exemplary drawings. The longitudinal support may
be better understood by reference to the following drawings,
wherein like references numerals represent like elements. The
drawings are merely exemplary to illustrate the structure,
operation and method of use of the longitudinal support and certain
features that may be used singularly or in combination with other
features and the invention should not be limited to the embodiments
shown.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of the
longitudinal support according to the invention, with type A and
type B longitudinal support elements provided alternating behind
one another,
[0021] FIG. 2a shows a longitudinal section through an embodiment
of the device according to the invention,
[0022] FIG. 2b shows a cross-section through the embodiment of the
device according to the invention and illustrated in FIG. 2a,
and
[0023] FIG. 3 a cross-section through another embodiment of the
device according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the longitudinal support
20. The longitudinal support 20 has type A longitudinal support
elements 7, type B longitudinal support elements 8, and end-pieces
18 and 21.
[0025] Type A longitudinal support element 7 includes first
connecting segment 9 and second connecting segment 10 which are
coaxial with a first longitudinal axis 23 of the longitudinal
support element 7. The longitudinal support element 7 has a first
end 14 and a second end 15. The second end 15 is located next to
the second connecting segment 10. The first connecting element 9 of
the longitudinal support element 7 (type A) is constructed as a
cylindrical shaft 31 with a thread 11. The second connecting
segment 10 of longitudinal support element 7 (type A) comprises an
articulated socket 28 with a hollow spherical segment-like, coaxial
cavity 30. The socket 28 can be elastically deformed transversely
to the first longitudinal axis 23, while the cavity 30 at the
second end 15 of the longitudinal support element 7 has an opening
16 that is concentric with the first longitudinal axis 23. An
articulated head 29 of longitudinal support element 8 (type B)
(discussed later), which has a construction complementing the
cavity 30, can be introduced into the cavity 30 through the opening
16, so that the articulated head 29 and the articulated socket 28
form a ball and socket joint.
[0026] The longitudinal support element 8 (type B) comprises a
first connecting segment 12 and a second connecting segment 13. The
first connecting segment 12 and the second connecting segment 13
are coaxially with a second longitudinal axis 24 of the
longitudinal support element 8 (type B). The longitudinal support
element 8 (type B) has a first end 25 and a second end 26. The
second connecting end 26 is located next to the second connecting
segment 13. The first connecting segment 12 of longitudinal support
element 8 (type B) is constructed as a sleeve 32 that is coaxial
with the second longitudinal axis 24 and has a central bore 33. The
central bore 33 is provided with an inside thread 34, that is
complementary to the thread 11. The second connecting segment 13 of
longitudinal support element 8 (type B) is constructed as a
spherical articulated head 29, that is complementary to the
articulated socket 28 of longitudinal support element 7 (type
A).
[0027] The longitudinal support elements 7 and 8 are connected in
an alternating manner with end-piece 18 at one end connected to a
type A longitudinal support element 7, and end-piece 21 at the
other end connected to a type B longitudinal support element 8.
First connecting segment 9 of the first longitudinal support
element 7 (type A) forms a coaxial connection with the first
connecting segment 12 of a second longitudinal support element 8
(type B) that can be adjusted only axially longitudinally. A second
connecting element 10 of a first longitudinal support element 7
(type A) may connect with a second connecting element 13 of a
second longitudinal support element 8 (type B) and allows a
polyaxially pivotable connection of the two longitudinal support
elements 7, 8. In this case, the first connecting segment 9 of
longitudinal support element 7 (type A) and first connecting
segment 12 of longitudinal support element 8 (type B) may be
particularly joined by a thread connection 42 in such a manner that
the first longitudinal axis 23 of the longitudinal support element
7 (type A) and the second longitudinal axis 24 of the longitudinal
support element 8 (type B) are arranged coaxially. The thread
connection 42 is constructed so that the first connecting segment 9
of the longitudinal support element 7 (type A) comprises a shaft 31
with an outside thread 11 and the first connecting segment 12 of
the longitudinal support element 8 (type B) comprises a sleeve 32
with a central bore 33 having an inside thread 34 that complements
the outside thread 11. The construction of the threaded bore 33 may
be constructed by interchanging the connecting segments 9, 12.
[0028] The two longitudinal support elements 7, 8 (types A and B),
connected in the manner discussed above, are then displaceable
relative one another in such a manner, that the first and the
second longitudinal axis 23, 24 can pivot relative one another
about the centre of the articulate joint. Furthermore, cavity 30
has a diameter D, that is greater than the diameter d of opening
16, so that an articulated head 29, introduced into the cavity 30,
is axially enclosed by more than 180.degree.. In addition, the
articulated socket 28 may be provided with four slots 22 which are
parallel to the first longitudinal axis 23 and pass through from
the outside to the cavity 30 allowing radial elastic deformation of
the articulated socket 28.
[0029] The first end-piece 18 has an analogous construction with
the articulated head 29, while the second end-piece 21 has an
analogous construction with the articulated socket 28. The two
end-pieces 18, 21 allow to accommodate the articulated socket 28
and the articulated head 29, respectively, in, for example, a
commercially available pedicle screw or pedicle hook with a
spherical concave recess 36 (FIGS. 2a and 2b).
[0030] FIGS. 2a and 2b depict a longitudinal support 20 according
to FIG. 1 used to stabilize bodies of the vertebra with two bone
anchoring means 3, connected by a longitudinal support 20. The bone
anchoring means 3 are constructed, for example, as pedicle screws,
having a head segment 6 and a shank (anchoring) segment 5. The
longitudinal support 20 may comprise several longitudinal support
elements 7, 8 (type A and type B), alternating with one another. As
illustrated, two longitudinal support elements 7 (type A) are
articulately connected via their first connecting segments 9 with
the first connecting segments 12 of two longitudinal support
elements 8 (type B) and the longitudinal support element 7 (type A)
is connected with the longitudinal support element 8 (type B) via
its second connecting segment 10 in such a manner that it can be
only axially displaceable. The articulated heads 29 of the second
longitudinal support elements 8 (type B) may be snapped into the
articulated sockets 28 of the adjacent first longitudinal support
elements 7 (type A). To connect head segments 6, having a fixed end
51, of the bone anchoring means 3 with the articulated sockets 29,
channels 50 are provided on the head segments 6, with channel axes
53 extending transversely to the central axis 4 of the bone
anchoring means 3. The channels 50 pass through the head segments 6
of the bone anchoring means 3, transverse to the central axis 4,
and are open to the free end 52 of the head segment 6. For a
polyaxially pivotable mounting of the articulated sockets 28 in the
channels 50, spherical recesses 36 at the bottom of the channels 50
complement the articulated sockets 28. The head segments 6 further
comprise bores 55, penetrating from the free end 52, with inside
threads 54. Fixing means 27 which secure the articulated sockets 28
are constructed in this case as tightening screws 37 and may be
screwed into the inside thread 54 from the free end 52 of the head
segment 6, so that the articulated sockets 28, placed into the
channels 50, together with the snapped-in articulated heads 29, can
be fixed in the channels 50 by tightening the tightening screws 37.
When fixing the articulated sockets 28, the articulated sockets 28
are compressed transversely to the longitudinal axes 23 of the
first longitudinal support elements 7 (type A), due to which the
snapped-in articulated heads 29 of the second longitudinal support
elements 8 (type B) are blocked in the articulated sockets 28.
[0031] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 differs from that
illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2b only by that the fixing means 27 is
constructed as a clamp 38, the legs 43 of which can be elastically
expanded so that he clamp 38 can be guided over the articulated
socket 28 and may be snapped onto the head segment 6 of the bone
fixing means 3 by its elastic spring-back in such a manner, that
after being assembled the articulated socket 28 is compressed by
the clamp 38. Thus, the articulated socket 28 is secured in the
head segment 6 of the bone anchoring means 3 first by virtue of the
clamp 38 and, in addition, by compressing the articulated socket 28
the articulated head 29 snapped in the articulated socket 28 is
locked in the head segment 6 of the bone anchoring means 3. To
fasten the clamp 38 on the head segment 6, the clamp 38 has at the
free ends 39 of both legs 43 an inward directed lug 40 that may
snap into the complementary notches 41, arranged at the fixed end
51 of the head segment.
[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the articulated socket 28 can be
made from a nickel-titanium alloy (Nitinol), wherein
45%<Ni<55%, 45%<Ti<55% and the composition of Ni and Ti
equals 100%. Such a material is biocompatible and highly
elastic.
[0033] In another embodiment, the articulated socket 28 has an
external spherical convex construction, achieving the advantage of
a polyaxially pivotable accommodation of the articulated socket in,
for example, a bone anchoring means constructed as a tulip
screw.
[0034] In another embodiment, the connection between a first
connecting segment 9 of a longitudinal support element 7 (type A)
and a first connecting segment 12 of a longitudinal support element
8 (type B) can be axially lengthened or shortened, so that the
longitudinal support element 7 (type A) can be coaxially joined
with a longitudinal support element 8 (type B) and the length of
the longitudinal support segment formed by the two longitudinal
support elements 7 and 8 can be adjusted. This longitudinally
adjustable connection between the two longitudinal support elements
7 and 8 can telescope or be realized as a screw joint. For this
purpose the first connecting segment 9 can be constructed as a
coaxial (cylindrical) shaft 31 on the longitudinal support element
7 (type A) and the thread 11 be constructed as an outside thread
and the first connecting segment 12 constructed as a sleeve 32 on
the longitudinal support element 8 (type B), the sleeve 32
comprising a central bore 33 with an inside thread 34 that
complements the outside thread 11.
[0035] In a further embodiment, the articulated head 29 has a
spherical convex design and the cavity 30 of the articulated socket
28 is complementary to it.
[0036] In another embodiment, the articulated head 29 and the
articulated socket 28 may be elastically snapped into one another.
This has the advantage that simple pre-assembly of a longitudinal
support 20, comprising a plurality of longitudinal support
segments, is possible.
[0037] In yet another embodiment, the longitudinal support 20
comprises an end-piece 18 with an articulated head that can be
snapped into an articulated socket 28. This has the advantage that
an articulated socket 28, provided at the end of the longitudinal
support, will not be compressed when mounted in the receptacle on
the head of a pedicle screw. The longitudinal support preferably
comprises a second end-piece with an articulated socket.
[0038] In another embodiment, the means to accommodate the
articulated socket 28 are constructed as a concave spherical
recess, that complements the articulated socket 28.
[0039] A method of inserting the longitudinal support 20 into a
patient will now be described. First, all bone anchoring means 3,
in particular the pedicle screws or pedicle hooks, are placed by
the surgeon onto the pedicles of the bodies of the vertebra to be
fixed.
[0040] The longitudinal support elements 7, 8 (type A and type B)
are then joined alternating together outside of the patient's body
until the longitudinal support 20 has the desired length and
contains the desired number of joints. The assembled longitudinal
support 20 is then introduced into the patient's body by a
minimally invasive incision and placed below the soft tissue
surrounding the body of the vertebra to be fixed and is bent at the
articulated joints until the assembled longitudinal support 20 has
the desired shape and the articulated heads 29 are introduced into
the means 35 to accommodate the articulated heads 29 on the bone
anchoring means 3. Following this, the fixing means 27 are
pre-assembled on the head segments 6 of the bone anchoring means 3,
i.e., not yet locked, so that the longitudinal support 20 can still
be adjusted. At this stage the shape of the longitudinal support
20, as well as the distances of the individual longitudinal support
elements 7, 8 are still flexibly adjustable. When the desired shape
of the longitudinal support 20 is set, the fixing means 27 are
locked and consequently the entire fixing device is fixed.
[0041] Although the present invention and its advantages have been
described in detail, it should be understood that various changes,
substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is
not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the
process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means,
methods and steps described in the specification. As one of
ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the
disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines,
manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps,
presently existing or later to be developed that perform
substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same
result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be
utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the
appended claims are intended to include within their scope such
processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means,
methods, or steps.
* * * * *