US 12,329,654 B2
Spinal fixation system
Brett Freedman, Rochester, MN (US); April V. Krivoniak, Greensburg, PA (US); and Kendall D. Dennis, Rochester, MN (US)
Assigned to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, MN (US)
Filed by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, MN (US)
Filed on Jan. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/406,663.
Application 18/406,663 is a division of application No. 17/489,313, filed on Sep. 29, 2021, granted, now 11,865,013.
Application 17/489,313 is a continuation of application No. 16/331,706, granted, now 11,154,404, previously published as PCT/US2017/050775, filed on Sep. 8, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/384,972, filed on Sep. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0138997 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61B 17/17 (2006.01); A61B 17/70 (2006.01); A61B 17/80 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01); A61F 2/46 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4455 (2013.01) [A61B 17/1728 (2013.01); A61B 17/1757 (2013.01); A61B 17/7059 (2013.01); A61B 17/8009 (2013.01); A61B 17/8042 (2013.01); A61F 2/30744 (2013.01); A61F 2/4611 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30266 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30405 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30471 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30507 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30523 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30538 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30565 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30578 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30649 (2013.01); A61F 2002/449 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4629 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for fixing adjacent vertebrae in a spine, the method comprising:
(a) obtaining a medical image of the spine;
(b) defining native dimensions of a disc space of the spine from the medical image;
(c) determining corrected dimensions for the disc space of the spine;
(d) inserting a spinal fixation system in the disc space of the spine, wherein the spinal fixation system comprises: (i) an expandable disc replacement body including a first wall, a second wall, a hinge connecting the first wall and the second wall, and a first bone-screw receiving section at a proximal end of the first wall, and (ii) an adjustment mechanism positioned between the first wall and the second wall, wherein an angle between the first wall and the second wall can be continuously varied between a lower value of the angle and an upper value of the angle by movement of the adjustment mechanism; and
(e) adjusting the angle between the first wall and the second wall by movement of the adjustment mechanism such that the disc space of the spine corresponds to the corrected dimensions.