Instrument for placement and distraction of an implant

Abstract

An instrument for the placement and distraction of an implant for intersomatic fusion of two adjacent vertebrae comprises a hollow rod connected with a handle, and having a pivotable setting element at a front, free end. The element has two pins for insertion into two guide grooves assigned to a longitudinal parting in the implant. There is a sleeve disposed on the hollow rod and connected with a pivot lever which activates a tension piece that engages on the setting element, for pivoting. A hollow screwdriver is arranged in the hollow rod, and a threaded pin to be screwed into a threaded bore of a screw head of a locking screw on the implant passes through the screwdriver.

1 . An instrument for the placement and distraction of an implant for intersomatic fusion of two adjacent vertebrae, said implant comprising a first implant part and a second implant part being adjustable relative to the first implant part, for the purpose of distraction, wherein the first implant part and the second implant part supplement one another, in a complementary manner, in a non-distracted state, to form a pipe that is divided in a longitudinal direction, and wherein there are guide surfaces disposed on the first and second implant parts, said guide surfaces extending radially in a distraction direction and resting against one another, and means for fixing the relative position of the guide surfaces in place, said instrument comprising: 
 a hollow rod connected with a handle, said rod having a pivotable setting element at a front, free end, which element has two pins for insertion into two guide grooves assigned to a longitudinal parting in the implant;    a sleeve disposed on the hollow rod and being connected with a pivot lever, said pivot lever activating a tension piece that engages on the setting element, for pivoting; and    a hollow screwdriver arranged in the hollow rod through which screwdriver a threaded pin to be screwed into a threaded bore of a screw head of a locking screw on the implant passes.    
   
   
       2 . An instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein a rod thread is formed on a back end of the hollow rod, with a threaded ring arranged on said rod thread, to limit a setting path of the sleeve.  
   
   
       3 . An instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the tension piece engages at a top end of the setting element, wherein projections are formed on the hollow rod, in a front region, at opposite rod walls, which projections define a pivot axis that lies perpendicular to a longitudinal parting of the implant, and wherein the setting element rests against the projections at a distance from a connection with the tension piece.  
   
   
       4 . An instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein a stirrup is mounted on a handle of the instrument, said stirrup adapted to be pivoted between a position that limits an axial adjustment path of the threaded pin, and a position that eliminates this limitation.