Troy Dean Drewry
Engineering at Fleur De Lis Cv, Memphis, TN

6623484, Sep 23, 2003

Jun 13, 2001

09/880667

Randall Betz - Langhorne PA
Michael C. Sherman - Memphis TN
Troy Drewry - Memphis TN

SDGI Holdings, Inc. - Wilmington DE

A61B 1770

606 61, 606 72, 606 73, 606 75, 606 87

The treatment and correction of spinal deformities, such as scoliosis, is accomplished without the need for fusion of the intervertebral disc space. A surgical technique is provided in which opening and closing osteotomies are created in the affected vertebrae. Correction devices are provided which hold the osteotomies in either their closed or open orientations. The correction devices include bone-piercing anchors, some in the form of staples, holding the vertebral body on opposite sides of the body to retain the osteotomies in their desired orientation. In the opening osteotomies, the correction devices include a wedge member that is disposed within the opened wedge osteotomy and in contact with the vertebral body. The correction devices also include connection members which can be used to engage the devices to an elongated member spanning the spine, such as a spinal rod or a metal or non-metal cable or tether. Once bone union has occurred in the instrumented vertebrae, the spinal rod or cable or tether can be disconnected from the correction devices and removed from the patient.

6235028, May 22, 2001

Feb 14, 2000

9/503962

David L. Brumfield - Southaven MS
Paige A. Myrick - Memphis TN
B. Thomas Barker - Bartlett TN
Troy D. Drewry - Memphis TN

SDGI Holdings, Inc. - Wilmington DE

A61B 1756

606 53

An instrument and method for guiding a spinal implant from a location outside of a patient's body to a location adjacent an exposed portion of a bone anchor engaged to the patient's spine. The instrument is a guide rod having a connecting portion and a guiding portion disposed along a longitudinal axis, with the connecting portion having a shaped end portion adapted to releasably engage a corresponding shaped end portion of the bone anchor. The guiding portion slideably engages a spinal implant and guides the implant along the longitudinal axis until the implant is positioned adjacent the exposed portion of the bone anchor for fixation thereto. The guide rod is then selectively separated or detached from the bone anchor and removed from the patient's body. In one aspect of the invention, the guiding portion is at least partially formed of a malleable material, such as aluminum or a shape-memory material, to allow the guiding portion to be bent or reshaped.

6132434, Oct 17, 2000

May 17, 1999

9/313842

Michael C. Sherman - Memphis TN
Troy Drewry - Memphis TN

SDGI Holdings, Inc. - Memphis TN

A61B 1770

606 78

In one embodiment, a spinal fixation assembly includes an elongated member, such as a spinal rod, configured for placement adjacent the spine and a bone engaging fastener, such as a bone screw having a lower portion configured for engaging a vertebra and a head that is at least partially spherical. The assembly further includes a receiver member defining a bore therethrough from a top end to a bottom end, a recess for receiving the head of the bone screwing fastener therein, and a lower opening at said bottom end of the receiver member through which the bone screw extends. The recess is configured to at permit pivoting of the bone screw within the receiver member until the head is fixed within the recess. The receiver member also includes a channel communicating with the bore and having an upper opening at the top end of the receiver member for insertion of the spinal rod into the channel. In one embodiment, two compression members are provided, each being formed of a temperature responsive material and having a first configuration at a first temperature and a different second configuration at a different second temperature in which the compression member contracts about a portion of the receiver member to thereby compress the receiver member about both the head of the bone screw within the recess and the spinal rod within the channel.

2011020, Aug 18, 2011

Apr 29, 2011

13/097622

Hai H. Trieu - Cordova TN, US
Jeff R. Justis - Cordova TN, US
Troy D. Drewry - Memphis TN, US
Michael C. Sherman - Memphis TN, US
Bradley J. Coates - Rossiville TN, US
Bradley T. Estes - Memphis TN, US

WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC, INC. - WARSAW IN

A61B 17/88, A61B 17/80

606279, 606289

This invention relates to orthopedic implants and to methods of treating bone defects. More specifically, but not exclusively, the present invention is directed to non-metallic implants and to methods for intra-operative assembly and fixation of orthopedic implants to facilitate medical treatment. The non-metallic implant assembly can be secured to underlying tissue by a fastener, such as a bone screw, that is capable of swelling on contact with fluid in the underlying tissue. Alternatively, the non-metallic implant assembly can be assembled intra-operatively using a fastener that is adhesively bonded to a bone plate or the bone plate can be deformed using heat, force, or solvents to inhibit withdrawal of the fastener. In preferred embodiments, both the fastener and the bone plate are formed of biodegradable material.

7909855, Mar 22, 2011

Oct 17, 2006

11/581915

Troy D. Drewry - Memphis TN, US
William B. Null - Olive Branch MS, US
Marc T. Paul - Memphis TN, US

Warsaw Orthopedics, Inc. - Warsaw IN

A61B 17/70

606265, 606266

Embodiments of an orthopedic implant assembly include an apparatus having a receiver member and a fixation member. The receiver member includes first and second branches which define a channel extending along a longitudinal axis. The channel is configured to receive an elongated member. Additionally, the fixation member can include a threaded portion configured to engage bone. The orthopedic implant system can further include a one-step locking mechanism operably connected with the receiver member, the locking mechanism being configured to lock an elongated member in the channel. The locking mechanism includes a first closure device operably connected with the first branch and a second closure device operably connected with the second branch. The first and second closure devices are configured to cooperate with each other along a lateral axis to lock an elongated member in the channel. In certain embodiments, the lateral axis does not intersect the longitudinal axis.

5976135, Nov 2, 1999

Dec 18, 1997

8/992975

Michael C. Sherman - Memphis TN
Eddie Ray - Cordova TN
Troy Drewry - Memphis TN
David Shapiro - Highland Park IL

SDGI Holdings, Inc. - Wilmington DE

A61B 1770

606 61

A lateral connector assembly for connecting a bone engaging fastener to an elongated member, such as a spinal rod includes a lateral connector having an elongated opening for receiving a portion of the bone engaging fastener therethrough. The lateral connector includes a plate portion and an integral yoke portion, which yoke portion is attached to the elongated member by way of a clamp. The lateral connector assembly can include variable angle means between the clamp and the yoke portion of the lateral connector that permits rotation of the lateral connector about an axis projecting outward from the spinal rod. The plate portion and the yoke portion of the lateral connector are oriented at non-perpendicular angles, preferably an angle greater than 100 degrees. In a further embodiment the plate portion of the lateral connector is curved so that as the bone engaging fastener slides along the elongated opening, it assumes variable angular orientations relative to the lateral connector assembly and the elongated rod.

5728098, Mar 17, 1998

Nov 7, 1996

8/744403

Michael C. Sherman - Memphis TN
Troy Drewry - Memphis TN

SDGI Holdings, Inc. - Memphis TN

A61B 1770

606 61

In one embodiment, a spinal fixation assembly includes an elongated member, such as a spinal rod, configured for placement adjacent the spine and a bone engaging fastener, such as a bone screw having a lower portion configured for engaging a vertebra and a head that is at least partially spherical. The assembly further includes a receiver member defining a bore therethrough from a top end to a bottom end, a recess for receiving the head of the bone screwing fastener therein, and a lower opening at said bottom end of the receiver member through which the bone screw extends. The recess is configured to at permit pivoting of the bone screw within the receiver member until the head is fixed within the recess. The receiver member also includes a channel communicating with the bore and having an upper opening at the top end of the receiver member for insertion of the spinal rod into the channel. In one embodiment, two compression members are provided, each being formed of a temperature responsive material and having a first configuration at a first temperature and a different second configuration at a different second temperature in which the compression member contracts about a portion of the receiver member to thereby compress the receiver member about both the head of the bone screw within the recess and the spinal rod within the channel.

5879350, Mar 9, 1999

Sep 24, 1996

8/719005

Michael C. Sherman - Memphis TN
Troy Drewry - Memphis TN

SDGI Holdings, Inc. - Wilmington DE

A61B 1756

606 61

A multi-axial bone screw assembly includes a bone screw having a partially spherical head. The bone screw head is truncated at an upper surface in which a tool receiving recess is defined. The assembly includes a receiver member including a central bore that defines a tapered recess to receive a contracting collet carrying the head of the bone screw. The bore of the receiver member also defines a channel communicating with the recess and configured to receive a spinal rod therein. A portion of the channel is threaded to receive a set screw above the rod. The assembly also includes a contracting collet disposed between the rod and the head of the bone screw. The collet defines a partially spherical recess to receive the head of the bone screw, and includes deflectable fingers that substantially surround the screw head. As the set screw is tightened into the receiver member, the set screw compresses the rod against the collet, which presses the collet into the tapered recess of the receiver member, thereby deflecting the fingers of the collet against the bone screw head.

7517359, Apr 14, 2009

Dec 20, 2005

11/313000

Troy D. Drewry - Memphis TN, US
William Barry Null - Olive Branch MS, US

SDGI Holdings, Inc. - Wilmington DE

A61B 17/70, A61F 2/30

606256, 606259

A vertebral rod assembly comprises first and second members that may rotate about a first axis. Each of the first and second members includes a base and a vertebral support rod extending from the base. An extension extends from the base on the first member into an opening formed in the base of the second section. A fastener extends through the base of the second member to lock the first and second members, and to prevent the rotation of the first member and second member.

2010026, Oct 21, 2010

Apr 15, 2009

12/424083

Kevin T. FOLEY - Germantown TN, US
Regis W. Haid - Atlanta GA, US
Bradley J. Coates - Yarmouth IA, US
David Alan Sharp - Oakland TN, US
Chris Michael Diaz - Memphis TN, US
Virginia Leigh Richardson - Memphis TN, US
Jeff R. Justis - Germantown TN, US
Hai H. Trieu - Cordova TN, US
Jeffrey H. Nycz - Warsaw IN, US
Greg C. Marik - Collierville TN, US
Troy D. Drewry - Memphis TN, US
Richard J. Thiele - Collierville TN, US
Gary S. Lindemann - Collierville TN, US

Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc. - Warsaw IN

A61B 17/70, A61B 17/84

606263, 606264, 606300

Various embodiments of a vertebral tension band assembly and associated connection structure are provided. The tension band assemblies may be attached to vertebral bodies to, for example, connect one vertebrae to another, retain the band in approximately a preferred position by application of tension to the band during insertion and/or limit, impede, inhibit, reduce or interfere with the separation from one vertebra to another and may further block, impede, interfere with, inhibit, reduce or present an obstacle to dislodgement of a spinal implant from between the vertebrae to which it is attached. Flexible band portions of the assemblies may be treated and/or configured to promote bony integration between the band and the associated vertebrae, limit tissue adhesion to the band, and/or to elute a therapeutic substance from the installed band to the surgical site.