Described herein is a pedicle screw for use in the thoracolumbar spine where the height can be adjusted intra-operatively before or after installation member of the longitudinal member. The pedicle screws with adjustable height may be made with a monoaxial or polyaxial configuration. The height of the pedicle screw can be lengthened or shortened.

A receiver assembly includes a receiver having a first channel, a through-space with internal recesses beneath a guide and advancement structure, and internal ridges projecting inwardly below the internal recesses. The assembly also includes an insert having a second channel, side structures protruding laterally outward below top surfaces, and opposed lower extensions extending downwardly below the second channel, with the insert being loadable into the through-space with the second channel in non-alignment with the first channel. The insert is the non-threadably rotatable within the through-space to align the second channel with the first channel and to move the side structures into the internal recesses above the internal ridges, with subsequent downward displacement of the insert within the through-space causing the opposed lower extensions to engage the capture head of a bone anchor with a frictional engagement that inhibits the bone anchor from moving upward within the through-space.

A system and methods for assembling an expandable vertebral implant for engagement between vertebrae. The implant may expand and/or collapse between a variety of lengths. The implant may include an inner core, an outer core, and/or a middle core such that the inner and outer cores may be moveable relative to each other along an axis. The middle core may include one or more gear teeth. The implant may include one or more locking mechanisms. The implant may include one or more endplates. One endplate may be fixed and/or polyaxial. A tool may be used to vary the length of the implant.

A bone anchoring device includes an anchoring element having a shank for anchoring in a bone and a head, a receiving part configured to pivotably receive the head, and a pressure member for exerting pressure on the head to clamp the head in the receiving part, the pressure member defining a head receiving recess for pivotably holding at least a portion of the head therein and comprising a first surface configured to restrict removal of the head from the head receiving recess. The head includes a first position indication structure configured to engage a second position indication structure of the bone anchoring device when the shank assumes a first angular position relative to the receiving part. The first and second position indication structures disengage from one another when the shank is moved out of the first angular position to a different angular position.

A polyaxial bone anchoring device includes a receiving part with a rod receiving portion defining a recess for receiving a rod, and a head receiving portion with a wall that defines an accommodation space for accommodating a head of an anchoring element, and a locking member positionable at least partially around the head receiving portion and movable from a first position where the head can pivot in the accommodation space to a second position where an angular position of the head is locked. The wall of the head receiving portion further defines at least one cavity in communication with the accommodation space that reduces a radial thickness of at least part of the wall located between the accommodation space and the locking member, and at least part of the cavity is separated radially from the accommodation space by a portion of the wall.

A bone anchor having a rod housing including a base that has an internal groove oriented at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the base, a capture ring situated within the groove and oriented at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis, and a bone fastener extending into the rod housing and including a fastener head situated within the base and having a surface that mates with the capture surface of the capture ring to maintain a connection between the bone fastener and the rod housing.

A load sensing assembly for a spinal implant includes a set screw having a central opening that extends from a first end of the set screw toward a second end of the set screw. The second end of the set screw is configured to engage with an anchoring member. The load sensing assembly includes an antenna, an integrated circuit in communication with the antenna, where the integrated circuit is positioned within the central opening of the set screw, and a strain gauge in connection with the integrated circuit. The strain gauge is located within the central opening of the set screw in proximity to the second end of the set screw.

A bone anchor assembly includes a shank having a head and an anchor portion, and a receiver having a first channel to receive a rod and an axial bore with an upper internal thread, interference abutment surfaces below the upper internal thread, and a bottom opening. The assembly also includes an insert having a second channel to receive the rod and opposed lateral protrusions positioned above the interference abutment surfaces upon loading into a first position within the axial bore. The assembly further includes a resiliently expandable retainer positionable within the axial bore adjacent the bottom opening to capture and hold the head in the receiver. After the head is uploaded into the axial bore, the insert is downwardly deployable by tooling into a second position with the opposite lateral protrusions being forced below the interference abutment surfaces and with lower portions of the insert entering into compressive overlapping engagement with the retainer to hold down the retainer within the axial bore.

A receiver of a bone anchor includes a base and a pair of upright arms extending upward from the base to define an open channel for receiving an elongate rod, with the upright arms having opposed interior surfaces with a discontinuous guide and advancement structure formed therein and side outer faces opposite the opposed interior surfaces extending downward across the base to a bottom of the receiver. A horizontally-elongated upper tool engaging groove is formed into the side outer face of each upright arm that extends to at least a front face or back face of the upright arm and that includes a downwardly-facing upper surface, an upwardly-facing lower surface, and an outwardly-facing inner surface. A vertical tool-engaging groove is also formed into the side outer face of each upright arm that extends downward from a top surface of the upright arm through to a level below the lower surface of the upper tool engaging groove.

A receiver assembly for securing an elongate rod to a bone anchor includes a receiver having a channel configured to receive the elongate rod, a helically wound receiver guide and advancement structure formed into the interior surfaces of the receiver. The receiver assembly further includes a fastener configured for positioning within the channel to secure the elongate rod to the receiver in a locked configuration, with the fastener having an outer surface with a mating continuous helically wound guide and advancement structure configured for rotatable engagement with the receiver guide and advancement structure.