Apparatus for fixing cervical spine

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for fixing a cervical spine. The apparatus for fixing a cervical spine includes a plate in which a plurality of screw insertion holes is formed, bone screws inserted into the screw insertion holes and screwed onto a bone fragment through rotation, and a locking part rotatably coupled to the plate to open or close a top of the screw insertion hole. A stepped part of a specific depth is formed on top of the plate. The stepped part includes a rotation area in which the locking part is capable of rotating. A locking part insertion hole is formed in the rotation area so that the locking part is inserted into locking part insertion hole.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for fixing a cervical spine, which is used when an operation for fixing the front of a cervical spine is performed in orthopedics or neurosurgery and, more particularly, to an apparatus for fixing a cervical spine, which can easily fix a bone screw inserted into the screw insertion hole of a plate using a rotatable locking part.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, in orthopedics or neurosurgery, when a cervical spine intervertebral disc disease, a cervical spine disk, cervicospinal myelosis or a cervical spine fracture is treated, cervical spines must be fixed to not move. To this end, an apparatus for fixing a cervical spine, including a plate of a sheet form and a screw for fixing the plate to a cervical spine, is used.

A surgical procedure using the apparatus for fixing a cervical spine is performed in such a way as to cut a lesion from the neck portion of a patient, expose a cervical spine, to perform a surgical procedure matter, such as a cage for the cervical spine, on the cervical spondylosis lesion, to locate the plate at the top and bottom of the lesion, and then to fix a corresponding plate by a screw.

Accordingly, the surgical procedure matter, such as the cage that has operated on the cervical spine, is fixed by fixation power of the screw and bearing power of the plate of the apparatus for fixing a cervical spine.

However, a phenomenon in which the screw becomes loose from the plate of the apparatus for fixing a cervical spine due to the activities of a patient after a surgical procedure and then retreats from the plate may be generated. From among conventional technologies for preventing such a phenomenon, Korean Patent No. 10-0552117 (CERVICAL SPINE FIXATOR AND DRIVER) and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2016-0095637 (LOCKING MECHANISM FOR A CERVICAL FIXATION PLATE) have been known.

The contents of the prior arts are described below. In Korean Patent No. 10-0552117, the deviation of a screw is prevented by inserting the screw into an open part formed in a plate and seating a fixing member in a reset part. In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2016-0095637, the deviation of a bone screw is prevented by inserting the bone screw into a bone screw opening formed in a plate body and coupling a locking element to a rocking post.

However, Korean Patent No. 10-0552117 has a problem in that it is inconvenient to perform rivet coupling on the plate in order to seat the fixing member. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2016-0095637 has problems in that the locking element protruded outside the plate body may be caught in another thing and damaged due to a movement of a patient and the rocking post must be separated processed in the plate body.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT

Patent Document

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for fixing a cervical spine, which can prevent a locking part from deviating from a plate or from being caught and damaged despite the activities of a patient because the locking part for preventing the drawing of a bone screw is seated in a stepped part and allows an operator to simply prevent the drawing of the bone screw by rotating the locking part.

An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for fixing a cervical spine, including a plate in which a plurality of screw insertion holes is formed, bone screws inserted into the screw insertion holes and screwed onto a bone fragment through rotation, and a locking part rotatably coupled to the plate to open or close a top of the screw insertion hole. A stepped part of a specific depth is formed on top of the plate. The stepped part includes a rotation area in which the locking part is capable of rotating. A locking part insertion hole is formed in the rotation area so that the locking part is inserted into locking part insertion hole.

The locking part includes a vertical part inserted into the locking part insertion hole, a horizontal part integrally coupled to the vertical part and coming into surface contact with the rotation area, and a plurality of fixing wings formed in the horizontal part and simultaneously opening or shutting the tops of two screw insertion holes adjacent to the rotation area.

An angle between the plurality of fixing wings is 120°.

A central area to guide the rotation of the locking part is provided between a plurality of the rotation areas provided in the stepped part, the fixing wing located in the rotation area shuts the top of the screw insertion hole, and the fixing wing located in the central area opens the top of the screw insertion hole.

A molding head part is formed at one end of the vertical part in order to prevent the locking part from being drawn after the locking part is inserted into the locking part insertion hole.

A rotation hole is formed in the horizontal part so that the rotation hole is coupled to a rotation tool and rotates the locking part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of an apparatus for fixing a cervical spine according to the present invention described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Terms or words used herein should not be construed as having common or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as having meanings and concepts that comply with the technological spirit of the present invention on the basis of the principle that the inventor may appropriately define the concepts of the terms in order to best describe his or her invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, the apparatus1for fixing a cervical spine according to an embodiment of the present invention can easily fix a bone screw20inserted into a plate10at a desired angle, and includes the plate10, the bone screw20and a locking part30.

The plate10is fixing means used to fix a bone fragment generated in the body of a person or an animal and has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped panel shape. The plate is outward protruded along the curved surface of a portion to which the bone screw20is coupled. The shape of the plate10may be changed depending on the shape of a bone fragment.

The plate10may be made of a rigid metal material, such as titanium, or a polymer material, such as polyether ether ketone, but the shape and material of the plate10are not limited to the aforementioned shape and materials. A rigid material for fixing a bone fragment which does not an adverse reaction when it is inserted into the human body may be used. The plate10includes screw insertion holes12a,12band12cand stepped parts16and17.

The bone screws20to be described later are inserted into the screw insertion holes12a,12band12c. An insertion path that penetrates from the top of the plate10to the bottom is formed. The screw insertion holes12a,12band12care formed to be symmetrical to an axis in the length direction of the plate10. Three pairs of the screw insertion holes12a,12band12chave been shown inFIG. 1, but the screw insertion holes12a,12band12cthat are more than three pairs or less than three pairs may be configured in the plate10.

Central axes formed in the screw insertion holes12a,12band12cmay be perpendicular to the top and bottom of the plate10, but may be configured at a specific angle. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, the central axes of a pair of the screw insertion holes12athat belong to the three pairs of screw insertion holes12a,12band12cand that are located on the upper side may be configured to become close each other. The central axes of a pair of the screw insertion holes12bthat belong to the three pairs of screw insertion holes12a,12band12cand that are located in the middle may be configured in the direction perpendicular to the top and bottom of the plate10. The central axes of a pair of the screw insertion holes12cthat belong to the three pairs of screw insertion holes12a,12band12cand that are located on the lower side may be configured to become distant from each other. The angles of the central axes are formed by processing the screw insertion holes12a,12band12cin the direction of the central axis depending on the shape of a bone fragment to be fixed.

The inner surface of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cmay be formed to have a tapered surface or may be formed as a counter bore position having a latching jaw through the upper hole and the lower hole so that after the bone screw20is inserted into a cervical spine, the plate10is not drawn to a direction opposite the direction in which the bone screw20is inserted. In an embodiment of the present invention, the inner surface of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12chas been illustrated as having a tapered surface.

The stepped parts16are17are areas in which steps have been formed from the top of the plate10to the bottom thereof in order to seat the locking parts30. The stepped part may include a rotation area and a central area. Referring toFIG. 1, the stepped parts16and17include a first stepped part16and a second stepped part17. The first stepped part16includes a pair of rotation areas symmetrical to each other on the basis of the central area. The second stepped part17includes a central area and a rotation area.

The rotation area is provided between the pairs of screw insertion holes12a,12band12cand has a rotation path having specific curvature so that the locking part30can rotate. Locking part insertion holes14a,14band14cthat penetrate from the top of the plate10to the bottom thereof are configured in the rotation areas. Accordingly, the depth of the screw insertion holes12a,12band12cand the depth of the locking part insertion holes14a,14band14chave a difference corresponding to the step.

The central area is connected to the rotation area and provided between a pair of the screw insertion holes12aand12band between a pair of the screw insertion holes12band12c. The central areas are spaced apart from each other in the length direction of the plate10so that it does not hinder rotation between a plurality of the locking parts30located in the rotation areas. Vision holes18and19formed to have a form that penetrates the plate10and to allow the procedure state of the apparatus1for fixing a cervical spine to be easily checked are configured in the central area.

Referring toFIG. 1, the stepped parts16and17include the first stepped part16and the second stepped part17. The first stepped part16has a pair of rotation areas symmetrical to each other on the basis of the central area. The second stepped part17has the central area and the rotation area. However, if four pairs of the screw insertion holes are configured as described above, the second stepped part17may have a central area and a rotation area, such as those of the first stepped part16.

The bone screw20may include a head part22and a shaft24in order to be inserted into the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cof the plate10.

A clamping device hole26into which a clamping device (not shown) is inserted may be formed at the top of the head part22so that the bone screw20is coupled to a cervical spine (not shown). InFIG. 1, the clamping device hole26has been formed to have a star shape, but may have a different shape for coupling the clamping device hole26and the clamping device (not shown).

The outer surface of the head part22may have a tapered surface in such a way as to correspond to the inner surface of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c. That is, the inner surface of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cand the outer surface of the bone screw20can be compressed and brought in contact with each other with inclination due to the shape of the inner surface of the head part22. Accordingly, after the bone screw20is inserted into the cervical spine, the drawing of the plate10is prevented.

The shaft24has one end integrally coupled to the head part22and inclined toward the other end to have a screw form. A screw thread formed in one direction to be easily coupled to the cervical spine is configured in the outer surface of the shaft24.

As described above, the axis in which the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cis inserted can be processed to be inclined at a specific angle. Accordingly, the bone screw20inserted into the inclined screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cmoves with inclination in the direction of the central axis of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cand screw-coupled to the cervical spine. Accordingly, a task for fixing bone fragments of various forms can be performed depending on the angle of the central axis of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c.

The diameter of the top of the bone screw20may be smaller than that of the top of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c. Accordingly, the bone screw20is inserted into the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c, moved and stopped at a portion where the diameter of the top of the bone screw20is the same as the diameter of the top of the bone screw20in the inner surface of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c. Accordingly, the top of the bone screw20is not protruded outside the top of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c.

The locking part30is inserted into the plate10and is for fixing the bone screw20in order to prevent the drawing of the bone screw20depending on a rotation angle. The locking part includes a vertical part32and a horizontal part34.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the vertical part32has a cylindrical hollow shape so that it is inserted into the locking part insertion hole14a,14b,14cprovided in the plate10and rotated therein. In the state in which the locking part30has been inserted into the locking part insertion hole14a,14b,14c, one end of the vertical part32is coupled to the horizontal part34and integrated therewith, thereby preventing drawing in the downward direction of the locking part30. Furthermore, the other end of the vertical part32forms a molding head part33ato prevent drawing in the upward direction of the locking part30.

A rotation hole36is provided in the horizontal part34to communicate with the hollow of the vertical part32. When a driver (not shown) is inserted into the rotation hole36and rotated, the integrally formed vertical part32and horizontal part34can rotate in the rotation area of the stepped part16,17on the basis of the central axis of the rotation hole36. In the state in which the horizontal part34has been inserted into the locking part insertion hole14a,14b,14c, the top of the horizontal part34is almost identical with the top of the plate10due to the depth of the depth of the rotation area. Accordingly, a phenomenon in which the locking part30is caught in the outside due to a movement of a patient can be prevented.

Fixing wings35aand35bare provided on both sides of the horizontal part34so that the top of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cis closed and rotation in the rotation area of the stepped part16,17is facilitated depending on a rotation angle.FIG. 1shows the two fixing wings35aand35bhaving an angle of 120° between extension lines that connect the central axis of the rotation hole36and the fixing wings35aand35b(hereinafter referred to as a “wing angle”). However, the wing angle may be set so that an angle between extension lines that connects the central axes of the screw insertion holes12a,12band12cadjacent to the locking part insertion holes14a,14band14cin the central axes of the locking part insertion holes14a,14band14c(hereinafter referred to as a “closed angle”). For example, if the closed angle is 180°, the wing angle may be set to 180°. Furthermore, the number of fixing wings35aand35bis not limited to 2 and may be two or more if the top of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12ccan be closed by the locking part30. The size and shape of the fixing wings35aand35bmay be configured in various manners.

The operation of the locking part30is described in detail with reference toFIGS. 3 to 5.

Referring toFIG. 3, the bone screws20have been inserted into the screw insertion holes12a,12band12cof the plate10, and the locking parts30have been inserted into the locking part insertion holes14a,14band14c. The fixing wings35aand35bof the locking part30inserted into the locking part insertion hole14aover the first stepped part16and the fixing wings35aand35bof the locking part30inserted into the locking part insertion hole14bunder the first stepped part16face each other on the basis of the central area of the first stepped part16. The fixing wings35aand35bof the locking part30inserted into the locking part insertion hole14cof the second stepped part17are set toward the central area of the second stepped part17. If such setting is performed, the fixing wings35aand35bopen the tops of the screw insertion holes12a,12band12c. Accordingly, when the fixing wings35aand35bface toward the central area of the stepped part30, the fixing wings35aand35bdo not fix the bone screw20inserted into the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c.

FIG. 4shows the state in which the fixing wings35aand35bshown inFIG. 3has rotated 90° on the basis of the central axis of the rotation hole36. In this state, the fixing wings35aand35bdo not close the top of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c.

FIG. 5shows the state in which the fixing wings35aand35bshown inFIG. 4have further rotated 90° on the basis of the central axis of the rotation hole36. In this state, the wing angle of the fixing wings35aand35bbecomes the same as the closed angle and the wing angle shuts the top of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c, thereby preventing the drawing of the bone screw20inserted into the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c. Through such a process, the drawing of the bone screw20inserted into the plate10can be easily prevented by only the rotation of the locking part30.

A procedure method using the apparatus1for fixing a cervical spine according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below.

First, an operator performs an operation of a surgical procedure matter, such as a cage, on the lesion of a patient who has suffered a cervical spine fracture. The operator covers the lesion with the plate10while checking an accurate location of the lesion through the vision holes18and19.

When the plate10comes into contact with the accurate location of the lesion, the operator rotates the locking part30formed in the plate10in the state in which it has opened the top of the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12cand inserts the bone screw20into the screw insertion hole12a,12b,12c.

Thereafter, the operator couples a clamping device (not shown) to the clamping device hole26of the inserted bone screw20and performs screw coupling to a fractured cervical spine by rotating the bone screw20in one direction.

When all the bone screws20are screwed through the screw insertion holes12a,12band12cformed in the plate10, the operator inserts a rotation tool, such as a driver (not shown), into the rotation hole36formed in the locking part30and rotates the rotation tool. When the locking parts30close all of the tops of the screw insertion holes12a,12band12c, the operator stops the rotation.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the drawing of the bone screw can be prevented by shutting the top of the plate through a simple rotation manipulation of the locking part.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a phenomenon in which the locking part is caught due to the activities of a patient can be prevented because the locking part is seated in the stepped part formed in the plate.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to them. A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains may change or modify the present invention in various ways within the technological spirit of the present invention and the equivalent range of the claims to be described below.