Artificial facet joint and method

Abstract

An artificial facet joint includes a spinal implant rod and a connector. The connector includes a screw and a rod connecting member having structure for engagement of the rod. The rod connecting member is pivotally engaged to the screw. The rod may also be held slideably within the connector enabling the rod to be moved relative to the connector.

1 . A spinal joint assembly characterized in that a spinal joint device joined to a spinal implant rod and capable of post-operative sliding movement between said rod and said spinal joint assembly. 
     
     
         2 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly is capable of post-operative sliding movement relative to said rod. 
     
     
         3 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that said rod is capable of post-operative sliding movement relative to spinal joint assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , further characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises structure for limiting the length of movement between said spinal implant rod and said spinal joint device. 
     
     
         5 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises a connection device having a first connecting portion with structure for sliding engagement of a rod, and a second connecting portion with structure for sliding engagement of a screw;
 a spinal implant rod slidably engaged to said first connecting portion; and,   a spinal implant screw slidably engaged to said second connecting portion.   
     
     
         6 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that said spinal joint assembly comprises a spinal joint device joined to a spinal implant screw, said spinal joint device being capable of post-operative sliding movement relative to said screw. 
     
     
         15 .- 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterize in that said spinal joint assembly comprises a body having at least one slot adapted to receive a post to enable medial and lateral adjustability of the body relative to the post and structure for movable engagement of another structure of the vertebral body stabilizer post-operatively; and
 the post having at least one stop and adapted to be attached to a spine, wherein the post extends through the at least one slot.   
     
     
         26 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises a post having a head;
 a receiver coupled to the head of the post, wherein the receiver is adapted to rotate about at least two axes, to receive a rod, and to prevent the rod from being released from the receiver while enabling the rod to slide within the receiver relative to the post; and   wherein the slideable movement of the rod in the receiver is maintained when the device is in use in a patient post-operatively.   
     
     
         31 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises a first vertebral attachment device having a head with at least one aperture in the head adapted to slideably receive the rod;
 wherein the slideable movement of the rod in the at least one aperture is maintained post-operatively in a patient.   
     
     
         37 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises an elongated rod having a slot in at least one end of the rod for receiving at least one post adapted to be attached to a vertebrae;
 wherein the slot in the elongated rod is adapted to provide a sliding relationship between the elongated rod and the at least one post post-operatively in a patient.   
     
     
         42 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises a spinal implant rod and at least one connector for sliding engagement of the rod, said connector further having structure for engaging the spine, said rod having a shape defining a desired bending of the spine, such that bending of the spine will cause sliding movement of the connector relative to said rod, and said rod will guide said connector according to a path defined by said rod. 
     
     
         43 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises a spinal implant rod and at least one connector for engaging the rod to a screw, wherein the connector is movable over the screw, and the screw is shaped to provide a path for guiding the motion of the spine during bending of the spine. 
     
     
         44 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises a spinal implant rod;
 a connector, said connector comprising a screw and a rod connecting member having structure for engagement of said rod, the rod connecting member being pivotally engaged to said screw.   
     
     
         45 .- 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . The spinal joint assembly of  claim 1 , characterized in that the spinal joint assembly comprises a spinal implant rod and a connector with a rod connecting portion and a screw portion, the connector permitting sliding movement of the rod relative to the rod connecting portion and pivoting of the rod relative to the screw portion. 
     
     
         54 .- 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . A method of connecting a spinal joint assembly to a spine, characterized in that:
 connecting a spinal implant rod to a spine, and   attaching a spinal implant device to said rod, said device being capable of post-operative sliding movement relative to said rod.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , characterized in that connecting a spinal joint assembly to a spine, comprising the steps of connecting a spinal implant screw having a long axis to a spine, and connecting spinal implant device to said screw, said spinal implant device being capable of post-operative sliding movement along said long axis of said screw. 
     
     
         61 .- 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein securing a first rod to a first vertebrae comprises attaching a first post to the first vertebrae and attaching the first rod to the first post in a manner enabling the first rod to slide relative to the first post generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first rod post-operatively. 
     
     
         69 .- 71 . (canceled) 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising limiting movement of the first and second vertebrae relative to each other by installing movement limiting devices on at least the first rod. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein securing a first rod to a first vertebrae comprises attaching the first rod to a post having a head movable in at least three axes post-operatively. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein securing a first rod to a first vertebrae comprises attaching the first rod to a post having a head enabling the first rod to move post-operatively generally along a longitudinal axis of the first rod. 
     
     
         75 .- 80 . (canceled)