US10154861B2

US PATENT 10,154,861 B2 SPINAL STABILIZATION SYSTEM

A spinal stabilization system is provided for maintaining preselected spacing and movement between adjacent vertebrae in a spinal column and for providing overall stability thereto. The system includes interlaminar members positioned in the spaces intermediate a first vertebra and the vertebrae positioned immediately above and immediately below and adjacent to the first vertebra. The interlaminar members are operatively connected to one another by an adjustable support structure and cooperate therewith to maintain the preselected spacing between adjacent vertebrae and to provide overall stability to the spinal column.

CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

1. A stabilization system for stabilizing multiple levels of a patient's spine, the patient having a head, a pelvis, and a spinal column operatively connected at a caudal end thereof to the patient's pelvis and operatively connected at a cephalad end thereof to the patient's head, the spinal column including a plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae positioned at multiple levels intermediate the caudal and cephalad ends thereof, each of the plurality of vertebrae being separated from an adjacent vertebra by an intervertebral space formed between the adjacent vertebrae, the system comprising:

a first interlaminar member adapted to be positioned in an intervertebral space intermediate a first one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and a second adjacent one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae, the first interlaminar member including a U-shaped body having a midsection, and two spaced apart end portions, and a pair of juxtaposed legs extending generally parallel to one another from one of the respective ends in a direction generally outwardly away from the spinal column when the first interlaminar member is implanted;

a pair of guide rods secured to the first interlaminar member and extending in a direction upwardly therefrom generally parallel to one another;

a second interlaminar member adapted to be positioned between the second vertebra and a third vertebra positioned adjacent to and above the second vertebra in the spinal column, the second interlaminar member being structured and arranged to be slideably supported by the pair of guide rods whereby the position of the second interlaminar member relative to the first interlaminar member may be selectively adjusted in response to a dimension of the spinal column and a preferred preselected range of motion thereof; and

a support structure structured and arranged to secure the stabilization system to the patient's spinal column whereby multiple levels of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae are stabilized, the support structure including a plurality of transversely extending cross members which span the patient's spinal column when the first interlaminar member is implanted, each transversely extending cross member including an elongate body portion having a midpoint operatively connected to the first interlaminar member and first and second free end portions, wherein at least two of the plurality of transversely extending cross members are operatively interconnected to one another at the midpoints thereof.

2. The stabilization system of claim 1 further including a connector secured to each of the first and second free end portions of each of the plurality of transversely extending cross members.

3. The stabilization system of claim 2 wherein each of the connectors further includes an aperture formed therein for receiving a free end portion of one of the plurality of transversely extending cross members.

4. The stabilization system of claim 3 wherein each of the connectors includes a fastener adapted to hold the connector in a preselected position on the free end portion of a transversely extending cross member.

5. The stabilization system of claim 4 further including first and second support members operatively connected to the first and second free end portions of each of the transversely extending cross members respectively, each of the first and second support members having an upper end and a lower end, each of the upper and lower ends being adapted to be secured to at least one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae of the spinal column.

6. The stabilization system of claim 5 wherein the connector on the first free end portion of each of the transversely extending cross members is structured and arranged to adjustably receive the first support member therein, and the connector on the second free end portion of each of the transversely extending cross members is structured and arranged to receive the second support member therein.

7. The stabilization system of claim 6 wherein each of the upper and lower ends of the first and second support members has a securing device slideably positioned thereon, each securing device being releasably secured to a respective upper or lower end by a fastener.

8. The stabilization system of claim 7 wherein each securing device is structured and arranged to receive a pedicle screw, each pedicle screw being adapted to be secured to a respective one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae.

9. The stabilization system of claim 1 wherein the first interlaminar member and the support structure are integrally formed by a single piece of material.

10. The stabilization system of claim 1 wherein the midsection of the U-shaped body of the first interlaminar member is elastic.

11. The stabilization system of claim 1 wherein the second interlaminar member includes a body portion having a preselected thickness, the preselected thickness being selected based upon the spacing between the second vertebra and the third vertebra.

12. The stabilization system of claim 1 further including an intervertebral body fusion device adapted to be inserted between the first one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and the second adjacent one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae.

13. The stabilization system of claim 12 further including an intervertebral body fusion device adapted to be inserted between the first one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and a fourth vertebra positioned adjacent to and below the first vertebra in the spinal column.

14. The stabilizer system of claim 13 further including an intervertebral body fusion device adapted to be inserted between the fourth one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and a fifth vertebra positioned adjacent to and below the fourth vertebra in the spinal column.

15. A stabilization system for stabilizing multiple levels of a patient's spine, the patient having a head, a pelvis, and a spinal column operatively connected at a caudal end thereof to the patient's pelvis and operatively connected at a cephalad end thereof to the patient's head, the spinal column including a plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae positioned at multiple levels intermediate the caudal and cephalad ends thereof, each of the plurality of vertebrae being separated from an adjacent vertebra by an intervertebral space formed between the adjacent vertebrae, the system comprising:

a first interlaminar member adapted to be positioned in an intervertebral space intermediate a first one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and a second adjacent one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae, the first interlaminar member including a U-shaped body having a midsection, and first and second spaced apart end portions, and a pair of juxtaposed legs, one of the pair of juxtaposed legs being operatively connected to the first spaced apart end portion and the other of the pair of juxtaposed legs being operatively connected to the second spaced apart end portion, the pair of juxtaposed legs extending generally parallel to one another from the respective first and second end portions in a direction generally outwardly away from the spinal column, when the first interlaminar member is implanted;

a pair of guide rods secured to the first interlaminar member and extending in a direction upwardly therefrom generally parallel to one another;

a second interlaminar member adapted to be positioned in an intervertebral space between the second vertebra and a third vertebra positioned adjacent to and above the second vertebra in the spinal column, the second interlaminar member being slideably supported by the pair of guide rods whereby the position of the second interlaminar member relative to the first interlaminar member may be selectively adjusted in response to a dimension of the spinal column and a preferred preselected range of motion thereof; and

a support structure structured and arranged to secure the stabilization system to the patient's spinal column whereby multiple levels of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae are stabilized, the support structure including a plurality of transversely extending cross members which span the patient's spinal column when the first interlaminar member is implanted, each of the plurality of transversely extending cross members including an elongate body portion having a midpoint operatively connected to the first interlaminar member and first and second end portions, wherein at least two of the plurality of transversely extending cross members are operatively interconnected to one another at the midpoints thereof, the first and second ends of each of the plurality of transversely extending cross members having a respective connector secured thereto, each connector being structured and arranged to adjustably receive and secure a respective first and second support member to the respective first and second ends of each of the plurality of transversely extending cross members.

16. The stabilization system of claim 15 wherein each of the first and second support members has an upper end and a lower end, each of the upper and lower ends being adapted to be secured to at least one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae of the spinal column.

17. The stabilization system of claim 15 wherein the second interlaminar member includes a body portion having a preselected thickness, the preselected thickness being selected based upon the spacing between the second vertebra and the third vertebra.

18. The stabilization system of claim 17 wherein the second interlaminar member is adapted to be placed between the second vertebra and the third vertebra where the spacing therebetween is larger than the thickness of the second interlaminar member.

19. The stabilization system of claim 17 wherein the second interlaminar member is adapted to be wedged in the spacing between the second vertebra and the third vertebra where the spacing therebetween is smaller than the thickness of the second interlaminar member.

20. The stabilization system of claim 1 wherein the pair of juxtaposed legs of the U-shaped body portion of the first interlaminar member are spaced apart a preselected distance, the distance being determined by the spacing between the first one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and a second adjacent one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae.

21. A stabilization system for a patient's spine, the patient having a head, a pelvis, and a spinal column operatively connected at a caudal end thereof to the patient's pelvis and operatively connected at a cephalad end thereof to the patient's head, the spinal column including a plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae positioned at multiple levels intermediate the caudal and cephalad ends thereof, each of the plurality of vertebrae being separated from an adjacent vertebra by a space formed between the adjacent vertebrae, the system being adapted to stabilize multiple levels of vertebrae, the system comprising:

a first interlaminar member adapted to be positioned in a space intermediate a first one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and a second adjacent one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae, the first interlaminar member including a U-shaped body having a midsection, two spaced apart end portions, and a pair of juxtaposed legs, each leg being operatively connected to a respective one of the two spaced apart end portions of the U-shaped body, the legs extending generally parallel to one another in a direction generally outwardly away from the spinal column when the first interlaminar member is implanted;

a pair of guide rods secured to the first interlaminar member and extending generally parallel to one another in a direction upwardly from an upper one of the pair of juxtaposed legs toward the cephalad end of the patient's spine when the first interlaminar member is implanted;

a second interlaminar member adapted to be positioned between the second vertebra and a third vertebra positioned adjacent to and above the second vertebra in the spinal column, the second interlaminar member being structured and arranged to be slideably supported by the pair of guide rods whereby the position of the second interlaminar member relative to the first interlaminar member may be selectively adjusted in response to a dimension of the spinal column and a preferred preselected range of motion thereof; and

a support structure structured and arranged to secure the stabilization system to the patient's spinal column, the support structure including: a plurality of transversely extending cross members spanning the patient's spinal column when the first interlaminar member is implanted, each transversely extending cross member including an elongate body portion having a midpoint and first and second free end portions, the midpoint of at least one of the transversely extending cross members being operatively connected to the first interlaminar member, at least two of the plurality of transversely extending cross members being operatively interconnected to one another at the midpoints thereof; a first securing device attached to each of the first and second end portions of each of the plurality of transversely extending cross members; first and second support members operatively connected by a respective one of the first securing devices to a respective first and second end portion of each of the at least two transversely extending cross members, each of the first and second support members having an upper end and a lower end, each of the upper and lower ends being adapted to be secured to a respective one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae of the spinal column when the first and second interlaminar members are implanted; and a plurality of second securing devices adapted to secure the first and second support members to the patient's spine, one of the plurality of second securing devices being slideably positioned on the upper end of each of the first and second support members, and one of the plurality of second support members being slideably positioned on the lower end of each of the first and second support members, each of the second securing devices being adapted to receive a bone screw, each bone screw being structured and arranged to be threadably secured to one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebra of the patient's spinal column when the first and second interlaminar members are implanted.

22. The system of claim 21 further including a plurality of third securing devices, one of the plurality of third securing devices being positioned in each of the plurality of second securing devices and being adapted to secure each of the first and second securing devices to the respective upper and lower ends of each of the support members.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein each of the plurality of third securing devices comprises a set screw.

24. The stabilization system of claim 21 wherein the second interlaminar member includes a body portion having a preselected thickness, the preselected thickness being selected based upon the spacing between the second vertebra and the third vertebra.

25. The stabilization system of claim 24 wherein the second interlaminar member is adapted to be placed between the second vertebra and the third vertebra where the spacing therebetween is larger than the thickness of the second interlaminar member.

26. The stabilization system of claim 24 wherein the second interlaminar member is adapted to be wedged between the second vertebra and the third vertebra where the spacing therebetween is smaller than the thickness of the second interlaminar member.

27. The stabilization system of claim 21 wherein the pair of juxtaposed legs of the U-shaped body portion of the first interlaminar member are spaced apart a preselected distance, the distance being determined by the spacing between the first one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae and a second adjacent one of the plurality of operatively interconnected vertebrae.