Spinal fixation systems with bifurcated connectors

摘要

A system and method to form a surgical construct using spinal rods and bifurcated connectors. One or more spinal rods such as those used in fusing vertebrae of the spine are attached with the bifurcated connectors to form the surgical construct. The bifurcated connector may be used with pedicle screws, lamina clamp assemblies or vertebra hook assemblies for installation of the surgical construct adjacent to selected portions of the patient's spine. A cap or end closure cooperates with an associated deformable coupling to position the spinal rod within the bifurcated connector. The spinal fixation system may consist of a pair of rods installed on opposite sides of the spine or a single midline spinal rod. The connectors and their associated mechanism for attaching instrumentation to the patient's spine are readily adaptable for use with either parallel rods on opposite sides of the patient's spine or a single midline spinal rod fixation system.