APPARATUS FOR INTERLOCKING TWO CONTIGUOUS, IN PARTICULAR LUMBAR, VERTEBRAE

摘要

The disclosed device comprises means for joining two contiguous vertebrae at their respective pedicular and laminar facets. The invention specifically comprises, for each pair of articular facets, a pedicular implant (1) consisting of a screw (2) with a head (3) containing an inset ball-and-socket joint (5) rotating in the horizontal and frontal planes. The device further comprises a translaminar implant (4) which extends from the cord (22) of the vertebra (L4) through the plate; the end (7) of said implant (4) is inserted into the entire length of a threaded bore (11) completely intersecting the rotating ball-and-socket joint (5). The mechanical locking of the two implants thereby ensures that the two articular facets are joined, and are homologous due to the predetermined position of the ball-and-socket joint and the translaminar implant (4). The paired device allows the procedure to be restricted to only the pedicles of the vertebra concerned by the monosegmental immobilization, thereby ensuring rotatory as well as translatory immobilization. In other words, rotation is neutralized by the two translaminar screws, while translation is secured by the pedicular axis.