Patent ID: 11918254
Assignee: NUVASIVE SPECIALIZED ORTHOPEDICS, INC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An implantable non-invasively adjustable distraction system comprising:
a distraction rod having a first end and a second end, the first end of the distraction rod being configured to couple to a subject's skeletal system at a first location, wherein the second end of the distraction rod comprising:
an elongate recess disposed therein,
a tip portion having one or more protrusions disposed on an outer surface thereof, and longitudinally extending along an extent of the second end, and
a nut disposed within the elongate recess, the nut having a plurality of internal threads; and

an adjustable portion configured for placement relative to the subject's skeletal system at a second location remote from the first location, the adjustable portion comprising:
a housing having one or more grooves extending longitudinally along an inner surface thereof, each groove of the one or more grooves being configured to receive a corresponding protrusion of the tip portion therein;
a lead screw threadably received within the nut of the distraction rod; and
a magnetic assembly configured to at least partially contain a permanent magnet and further configured to be non-invasively rotated by a moving magnetic field generated externally to the subject,

wherein the lead screw is hingedly coupled to the magnetic assembly via a locking pin passing transversely through both the lead screw and the lead screw,
wherein the locking pin, the lead screw and the magnetic assembly are contained within the housing, and rotation of the lead screw and the magnetic assembly causes axial movement of the distraction rod along a longitudinal axis of the adjustable portion within the housing, and
wherein the lead screw comprises a first material, and the nut comprises a second material, the first material having a hardness value that is greater than that of the second material.