Serpentine spinal stability device

摘要

A spinal implant comprising a plurality of contiguous segments that define a segment array, said plurality of contiguous segments extending from a first side of the segment array to a second side of the segment array in an overlapping configuration, said plurality of contiguous segments operable to apply a torque to a degenerate spinal segment in each of three orthogonal axes. At least one mounting connection is configured to connect said spinal implant to a mounting mechanism, said mounting mechanism being configured to attach said spinal implant to said degenerate spinal segment.

主权项

1. A spinal implant comprising:
a plurality of contiguous segments that define a segment array, said plurality of contiguous segments extending from a first side of the segment array to a second side of the segment array in an overlapping configuration, said plurality of contiguous segments operable to apply a torque to a degenerate spinal segment in each of three orthogonal axes; at least one mounting connection configured to connect said spinal implant to a mounting mechanism, said mounting mechanism being configured to attach said spinal implant to said degenerate spinal segment; and at least one insert positioned between two of the segments of the segment array, the insert operable to alter a force-deflection characteristic of the spinal implant, the insert including a rounded profile along which one or more of the two segments is forced to track during deflection of the spinal implant; wherein
the rounded profile of the insert is maintained while the one or more of the two segments tracks along the rounded profile.