Patent ID: 8202299
Filing Date: 2012-06-19
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A kit for treatment of spinal disorders, said kit comprising: a device including: a main body including a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a first clamping mechanism having first and second jaws configured to clamp a spinous process of a first vertebra; a second clamping mechanism having third and fourth jaws configured to clamp a spinous process of a second vertebra; said first, second, third and fourth jaws extending transversely from said main body, wherein at least two of said jaws are releasably mounted to said shaft and are mountable to and removable from said shaft by relative movement between said respective jaw and said shaft in a direction normal to a longitudinal axis of said shaft; wherein said at least two of said jaws each being connected at a first end to said shaft and having a free end opposite said first end when configured in said first or second clamping mechanism; and wherein said shaft has sufficient columnar strength to maintain distraction between the first and second vertebrae via said clamps, while also allowing at least one of the relative movements between the first and second vertebrae selected from the movements including lateral bending, flexion, extension and axial rotation; and a tool for inserting jaws of said clamping mechanisms, said tool including: an insertion arm having a distal end with a rotatable engagement feature configured to pass through a mating engagement feature on one of said jaws, and to be prevented from passing through said mating engagement feature after rotation about a longitudinal axis of said rotatable engagement feature; and a locking arm actuatable to rotate said rotatable engagement feature wherein said engagement feature has a first cross-sectional dimension along a first axis normal to a longitudinal axis of said insertion arm and a second cross-sectional dimension along an axis normal to said longitudinal axis, coplanar with said first axis, but extending in a different direction than a direction in which said first axis extends, and wherein said first cross-sectional dimension is greater than said second cross-sectional dimension.