A method for treating scoliosis in a patient is disclosed. The method comprises identifying a spinal column having a lateral convex curve; providing a first anchor, a second anchor, and a tether; securing the first anchor to a posterior region of a first vertebra; securing the second anchor to a posterior region of a second vertebra; securing a first tether end at a first tether connection location; and securing a second tether end at a second tether connection location. A scoliosis treatment system comprises anchors, each having a tether connection location positioned at a first location offset in a first lateral direction from a midsagittal plane of the first or second vertebra, and the anchors do not include any tether connection locations offset in in a second lateral direction, opposite the first lateral direction, from the midsagittal plane of the first vertebra or second vertebra.

A coupling assembly for use in surgical constructs includes a first body and a second body. One of the first body and the second body includes a male member and an other of the first body and the second body includes a female member. The male member is sized and shaped to be received within the female member and the female member has an internal bore sized and shaped to receive the male member therein. One of the male member or the female member includes one or more engagement features formed therewith or attached thereto. The engagement features are operable to provide a gripping interface between the male member and the female member to couple the male member and the female member one to another.

A method for fusing vertebral bodies comprising the steps of: mounting a first engagement member of a fixation member to a pedicle of a first vertebra and a second engagement member of the spinal fixation member to a pedicle of a second vertebra, the first engagement member having a first extension engaged with an expansion ring, the second engagement member having a second extension engaged with the expansion ring; inserting screws through the first and second engagement members and into the pedicles of the respective first and second vertebrae; rotating the expansion ring in a first direction, thereby distracting the first and second vertebrae; implanting an intervertebral implant between the first and second vertebrae after rotating the expansion ring in the first direction; and rotating the expansion ring in a second direction after implanting the intervertebral implant, thereby compressing the first and second vertebrae.

A spinal device including a variable-length member including a ratchet mechanism that has an operative configuration that allows a change in length of the variable-length member in one direction and prevents a change in length of the variable-length member in an opposite direction, wherein the variable-length member includes polyaxial-joint attachment members for attachment to bone, which permit pivoting movement of the attachment members about more than one pivoting axis, characterised by a force applicator operative to adjust or advance the ratchet mechanism.

A growing spinal rod system is configured to grow in response to the growth of a patient. The growing spinal rod system includes a housing, a spacer, and a sliding spinal rod. The housing includes a stepped passage therethrough. The spacer is disposed within the stepped passage and defines a through hole. The spacer includes a plurality of ribs biased inwards and into the through hole. The sliding spinal rod is slidably inserted through the through hole of the spacer. The sliding spinal rod moves the plurality of ribs outwards. The plurality of ribs permits the sliding spinal rod to extend from the housing and inhibit the sliding spinal rod from retracting into the housing.

A spinal cage (80) including first and second spinal attachment members (82, 84) attachable to vertebrae (83, 85), the first and second spinal attachment members (82, 84) articulating with one another by means of an articulation joint (86, 88), characterized by a wedge element (90) arranged for wedging between the first and second spinal attachment members (82, 84), and an actuator (92) linked to the wedge element (90) for moving the wedge element (90) in a direction that wedges the wedge element (90) further in between the first and second spinal attachment members (82, 84) or further away from the first and second spinal attachment members (82, 84).

A growing rod adapted to be secured along a length of a spine for treating deformities of the spine. The growing rod comprises a base rod, an extendable rod having a proximal portion that is slidably coupled to the base rod and arranged with a gear rack, and a distraction unit. The distraction unit includes a housing attached to the base rod, a rotatable drive interface accessible by an external driver from outside of the housing, and a drive gear mechanism housed within the housing and coupled to the rotatable drive interface and the gear rack such that rotation of the rotatable drive interface causes linear movement of the extendable rod through the gear rack.

A growing rod adapted to be secured along a length of a spine for treating deformities of the spine. The growing rod comprises a base rod, an extendible rod having a proximal portion that is slidably coupled to the base rod and arranged with a gear rack, and a distraction unit. The distraction unit includes a housing attached to the base rod, a rotatable drive interface accessible by an external driver from outside of the housing, and a drive gear mechanism housed within the housing and coupled to the rotatable drive interface and the gear rack such that rotation of the rotatable drive interface causes linear movement of the extendible rod through the gear rack.

A polyaxial screw assembly includes an internal load dampening mechanism for sharing and dampening loads between at least one screw member and at least one rod member interconnected by the assembly. A method of interconnecting the orthopedic screw with the rod includes dampening with a body member interconnecting the screw to the rod.

A method for fusing vertebral bodies comprising the steps of: mounting a first engagement member of a fixation member to a pedicle of a first vertebra and a second engagement member of the spinal fixation member to a pedicle of a second vertebra, the first engagement member having a first extension engaged with an expansion ring, the second engagement member having a second extension engaged with the expansion ring; inserting screws through the first and second engagement members and into the pedicles of the respective first and second vertebrae; rotating the expansion ring in a first direction, thereby distracting the first and second vertebrae; implanting an intervertebral implant between the first and second vertebrae after rotating the expansion ring in the first direction; and rotating the expansion ring in a second direction after implanting the intervertebral implant, thereby compressing the first and second vertebrae.