Patent ID: 6423069
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: A61B,Y10S

Abstract:
An orthopedic system for use in an orthopedic procedure comprising:at least two bone anchors for anchoring the system to a patient's bone, each anchor having a bone-contacting surface and a fastener-connecting portion; a fastener associated with each of the bone anchors, each fastener having a device-connecting portion and an anchor-connecting portion, the anchor-connecting portion and the fastener-connecting portion of the associated bone anchor providing a releasable mechanical coupling of the fastener to the bone anchor; and an orthopedic device coupled to the device-connecting portions of each fastener; wherein the anchor-connecting portion of at least one fastener comprises a shoe, and the fastener-connecting portion of the bone anchor associated with that at least one fastener comprises an engagement cavity; wherein the shoe is sized and shaped to be slidingly received by the engagement cavity; wherein the shoe and the associated engagement cavity have a corresponding substantially tapered shape; whereby the releasable mechanical coupling is a frictional lock; whereby after the orthopedic procedure is complete, the mechanical coupling of the bone anchors to the fasteners can be released, allowing the fasteners and orthopedic device to be removed from the patient without removal of the bone anchors.