RICHARD SCHWEND, MD
Medical Practice at Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO

2011018, Jul 28, 2011

Aug 7, 2009

13/000869

Richard M. Schwend - Kansas City MO, US

The Children's Mercy Hospital - Kansas City MO

A61B 17/70, A61B 17/88

606258, 606279

A sliding rod system () for correcting a spinal deformity is disclosed. The sliding rod system may include at least one elongated thoracic sliding rod () for slidable engagement with a plurality of connectors () with each connector () being fixedly engaged to multiple ribs () of a patient for applying a continuous corrective force to the spinal column (). Each of the connectors () has a connector body () made from a shape-memory alloy that defines an upper clamp portion () in communication with a lower clamp portion (). The upper clamp portion () includes a pair of opposing upper clamp arms () and the lower clamp portion () defines a pair of opposing lower clamp arms () that are adapted to be in a normally open position when exposed to a first temperature range while assuming a closed position when exposed to a second temperature range that is warmer than the first temperature range. When in the closed position, the upper clamp arms () are in slidable engagement with the at least one elongated thoracic sliding rod () and the lower clamp arms () are in fixed engagement with a respective rib () of a patient. As the patient grows, the thoracic sliding rod () slides relative to each connector (), thereby permitting the sliding rod system () to accommodate the gradual separation of the ribs () during patient growth while providing continued corrective pressure to the patient's spinal column ().