Devices and methods are provided for treatment of the cervical spine. The devices and methods allow for treatment to be delivered from a lateral or posterior-lateral location of a subject, proximate to the cervical region of the spine. One exemplary embodiment of a spinal implant includes an elongate cage member and a plate member appended to a proximal end of the cage member. The plate member can be oriented in a manner such that it is asymmetric with respect to a long axis of the cage member. In another exemplary embodiment, an implant includes a cage member having a distal end that has an asymmetrical, bulleted shape such that the distal end is biased towards a superior or cranial direction. In a third exemplary embodiment, an implant includes a spinal fixation element and at least two mounting eyelets formed thereon. Exemplary methods related to implanting spinal implants from a lateral or posterior-lateral location are also provided.

Methods are provided for planning, performing, and assessing of surgical correction to the spine during a spinal surgical procedure. These methods are implemented by a control unit through a GUI to digitize screw locations, digitize anatomical reference points, accept one or more correction inputs, and generate one or more rod solution outputs shaped to engage the screws at locations distinct from the originally digitized locations.

In some embodiments, a connector can be configured to couple a first fixation element (e.g., a first rod) to a second fixation element (e.g., a second rod). One or both of the first and second fixation elements can be included with the connector, or one or both can be separately provided. In some instances, at least one of the fixation elements is previously implanted in a patient. The connector can provide one or more degrees of freedom between the first and second fixation elements. The connector can also include a locking element configured to (1) lock one or more of the fixation elements to the connector, and (2) lock one or more of the degrees of freedom between the fixation elements. The connector can be configured to snap onto or otherwise engage a fixation element in a manner that provides tactile and/or audible feedback to the surgeon.

A method is provided for determining the shape of a surgical linking device that is to be attached to a bony body structure such as the spinal column based on digitized locations of a plurality of attachment elements engaged to the bony structure. The method is implemented by a computer system through a GUI to generate an initial bend curve to mate with the plurality of attachment elements. The initial bend curve may be simplified based on user input to the GUI to reduce the number of bends necessary to produce a well-fitting linking device and may be altered to help obtain the goals of surgery.

Systems providing robotic bending used to bend a surgical rod are disclosed. Such systems may include a processor and memory coupled with the processor. The memory includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations including providing a set of transformation points corresponding to respective attachment implants, generating a bend plan for the surgical rod based on the set of transformation points, and generating an image output to render the set of transformation points and the bend plan on a display. Related methods and computer program products are also discussed.

A method for treating a spine comprises the steps of: fastening a plurality of fasteners with a lateral portion of vertebrae, each of the fasteners including a first element that defines an implant cavity and a second element configured for penetrating the vertebrae; providing a longitudinal element including a portion having a selected curvature; disposing the longitudinal element with the implant cavities such that the portion is disposed in a selected orientation relative to the vertebrae; and moving a first element of at least one of the fasteners relative to the portion such that a second element of the at least one of the fasteners derotates the vertebrae while maintaining the portion in the selected orientation. Systems and implants are disclosed.

Devices and methods for enhancing the effectiveness of spinal stabilization, and particularly that of cervical spinal stabilization, are provided herein. More specifically, methods and systems are disclosed for effectively positioning occipital plates and spinal fixation assemblies within target vertebrae, while also reducing any associated patient trauma (e.g., muscle stripping, tissue damage, etc.). The systems and methods can utilize trans-lamina delivery of the spinal fixation assemblies to allow for the positioning of the fixation elements along the midline of the patient's spine.

A distraction system includes a distraction rod having one end configured for affixation to at a first location on patient. The system further includes an adjustable portion configured for placement in the patient at a second location, the adjustable portion comprising a housing containing a magnetic assembly comprising a magnet, the magnetic assembly secured to a threaded element that interfaces with an opposing end of the distraction rod. The system includes a magnetically permeable member in proximity to the magnetic assembly and covering an arc of less that 360° of the adjustable portion.

Devices and methods that allow a rod to be offset in a relatively small amount of space are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, first and second offset rods can be joined by a plate-type connector having a reduced thickness suitable for insertion into a small space, e.g., between adjacent bone anchors. In some embodiments, first and second offset rods can be joined by a curved connector that conforms to adjacent bone anchors and likewise has a reduced thickness.

A system for spine surgery includes a rod with a longitudinal axis and a connection portion, and a rod insertion device including a rod holding member with a central axis and a rod engagement portion, wherein at least part of a shape of the rod engagement portion substantially matches at least part of a shape of the connection portion to engage the connection portion in a fixed manner at more than one distinct rotational orientation around the longitudinal axis. When the connection portion is engaged with the rod engagement portion, when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a cross-section of the connection portion has a maximum height measured in a direction of the central axis of the rod holding member that is greater than a maximum width of the connection portion measured in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.