Patent ID: 9744050
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F

Claim:
1. A system for manipulating portions of a spinal fusion system, comprising: a first shaft having a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the first shaft, the distal end of the first shaft being connectable to a first connecting element affixed to a first vertebra of a spine, the first shaft including a first connector having a first engagement structure, the first connector positioned along an outer surface of the first shaft intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the first shaft; a second shaft having a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the second shaft, the distal end of the second shaft being connectable to a second connecting element affixed to a second vertebra of the spine, the second shaft including a second connector having a second engagement structure; and a manipulation device having a first member and a second member connectable to the respective first and second connectors by interlocking with the respective first and second engagement structures, the manipulation device being actuatable to move the first and second members relative to one another, such that, when the first and second members are interlocked with the respective first and second engagement structures, actuation of the manipulation device causes the first and second shafts to move with respect to one another, thereby inducing relative movement between the first and second vertebrae; wherein the first connector is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the first shaft such that the first engagement structure is movable between different angular positions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first shaft while the distal end of the first shaft is connected to the first connecting element affixed to the first vertebra of the spine.