Distractor

摘要

An instrument for distracting and/or compressing adjacent vertebrae is described. The instrument includes a yoke, a first blade movably mounted to the yoke, a second blade mounted to the yoke and an adjustment system. The yoke, the first blade and the second blade form a working channel for the instrument. The adjustment system of the instrument is configured to adjust a spacing between the first blade and the second blade by selectively moving the first blade relative to the second blade to distract and/or compress adjacent vertebrae when the first blade and the second blade have been secured to the adjacent vertebrae. The instrument may include a depth stop system that limits an insertion depth of an associated tool inserted into the working channel of the instrument. The adjustable depth stop system includes a releasable catch for securing a stop element of the associated tool. A position of the releasable catch relative to the working channel is adjustable to vary the insertion depth of the associated tool.

主权项

1. An instrument for distracting and/or compressing adjacent vertebrae, the instrument comprising:
a yoke; a first blade movably mounted to the yoke; a second blade mounted to the yoke and opposed to the first blade, wherein the first blade, the second blade and the yoke form a working channel of the instrument, wherein at least one spinal fixation element extends from each of the first and second blades to securely anchor each of the first and second blades into respective vertebrae, wherein each blade includes at least one channel having a top opening and a bottom opening to allow the at least one spinal fixation element to be inserted from the top opening, along the channel, and out the bottom opening and into a vertebrae; and an adjustment system configured to adjust a spacing between the first blade and the second blade to distract or compress adjacent vertebrae when the first blade and the second blade have been securely anchored into the adjacent vertebrae by the respective spinal fixation elements, wherein the first blade and/or second blade are mounted for translational movement while maintaining an orientation of the first blade and second blade relative to each other, and wherein the spacing between the first blade and the second blade is adjusted by translating the first blade and/or second blade relative to each other to distract the adjacent vertebrae in a first mode of operation and compress the adjacent vertebrae in a second mode of operation.