Articulating rod inserter

Abstract

An articulating rod inserter is configured for use in delivering a fixation rod to an orthopedic fixation system through a cannula or tower. The articulating rod inserter is releasably coupled to a rod and can move the rod from a generally aligned configuration, wherein the longitudinal axes of the rod and rod inserter are generally aligned, to an angled configuration, wherein the longitudinal axis of the rod is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the rod inserter. The rod is inserted into the patient through a first tower and then articulated to a second tower such that the rod extends between two or more fixation devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rod inserter for delivering a spinal fixation rod through an access channel, the rod inserter comprising:
 a first member comprising an elongate tube with a proximal end and a distal end, with a passage extending from the proximal end to the distal end;   a second member comprising an elongate shaft configured to move along the passage of the first member;   a third member comprising a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the second member;   a rod holder comprising a leading end coupled to the distal end of the first member and a trailing end coupled to the second end of the third member, the rod holder configured to transition from an aligned configuration, wherein a longitudinal axis of the rod holder is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the second member, to an angled configuration wherein the longitudinal axis of the rod holder is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the second member, the rod holder configured to releasably couple with a rod; and   an actuator toward the proximal end of the first member configured to translate the second member, wherein translation of the second member transitions the rod holder between the aligned configuration and the angled configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The rod inserter of  claim 1 , wherein the rod holder automatically releases the rod when the rod holder is transitioned toward the aligned configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The rod inserter of  claim 2 , wherein the rod holder comprises a protrusion configured to be received by a complementary cutout on the rod. 
     
     
         4 . The rod inserter of  claim 1 , wherein the rod holder comprises a mechanism for changing the rod holder between a clamping configuration and a release configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The rod inserter of  claim 4 , wherein the second member comprises a longitudinal channel for accessing the mechanism from the proximal end with a drive tool. 
     
     
         6 . The rod inserter of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a rotating handle. 
     
     
         7 . The rod inserter of  claim 6 , wherein the rotating handle comprises threads that engage complementary threads on the second member to move the second member longitudinally. 
     
     
         8 . The rod inserter of  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator corresponding to the orientation of the rod holder relative to the second member. 
     
     
         9 . The rod inserter of  claim 1 , further comprising an alignment feature configured to cooperate with an access tower, the alignment feature configured to prevent rotation of the rod inserter about its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . A rod inserter comprising:
 a shaft extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the rod inserter, the shaft comprising a longitudinal axis and configured to move along the longitudinal axis;   a rod holder toward the distal end configured to rotate from an aligned configuration wherein a longitudinal axis of the rod holder is generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft, to an angled configuration wherein the longitudinal axis of the rod holder is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the rod holder configured to releasably couple with a rod; and   an actuator toward the proximal end configured to transition the rod holder between the aligned configuration and angled configuration.   
     
     
         11 . The rod inserter of  claim 10 , wherein the rod holder comprises a leading end pivotally coupled to the distal end of the rod inserter and a trailing end coupled to the shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The rod inserter of  claim 10 , wherein the shaft is connected to the rod holder by one or more linkages. 
     
     
         13 . The rod inserter of  claim 10 , wherein the rod holder automatically releases the rod when the rod holder is transitioned toward the aligned configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The rod inserter of  claim 13 , wherein the rod holder comprises a protrusion configured to be received by a complementary cutout on the rod. 
     
     
         15 . The rod inserter of  claim 10 , wherein the rod holder comprises a mechanism for changing the rod holder between a clamping configuration and a release configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The rod inserter of  claim 15 , wherein the shaft comprises a longitudinal channel for accessing the mechanism from the proximal end with a drive tool. 
     
     
         17 . The rod inserter of  claim 10 , wherein the actuator is a rotating handle. 
     
     
         18 . The rod inserter of  claim 17 , wherein the rotating handle comprises threads that engage complementary threads on the shaft to move the shaft longitudinally. 
     
     
         19 . The rod inserter of  claim 10 , further comprising an indicator corresponding to the orientation of the rod holder relative to the shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The rod inserter of  claim 10 , further comprising an alignment feature configured to cooperate with an access tower, the alignment feature configured to prevent rotation of the rod inserter about its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         21 . A method of delivering a rod onto a fixation system, the method comprising:
 providing a rod inserter comprising a rod holder configured to rotate from an aligned configuration wherein a longitudinal axis of the rod holder is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the rod inserter, to an angled configuration wherein the longitudinal axis of the rod holder is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the rod inserter, and further providing a rod releasably coupled to the rod holder;   inserting the rod longitudinally through an access channel of a first anchoring device; and   activating an actuator on the rod inserter to transition the rod holder from the aligned configuration to the angled configuration, such that a trailing end of the rod is near the first anchoring device and a leading end of the rod is near a second anchoring device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of delivering a rod of  claim 21 , further comprising activating the actuator to transition the rod holder from the angled configuration to the aligned configuration, wherein the rod holder automatically releases the rod. 
     
     
         23 . The method of delivering a rod of  claim 21 , further comprising moving a mechanism that releases the rod from the rod holder. 
     
     
         24 . The method of delivering a rod of  claim 21 , further comprising securing the rod to the first or second anchoring device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of delivering a rod of  claim 24 , wherein securing the rod to the first or second anchoring device comprises fastening a threaded cap onto the first or second anchoring device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of delivering a rod of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second anchoring devices are pedicle screws with heads adapted to receive the rod.