Over a million spinal surgeries are performed in the U.S. annually. Metal rods are frequently used to stabilize the spine when fusing vertebral discs, correcting spinal deformity or bridging gaps created by removing intervertebral discs. During surgery, surgical rods are bent into the correct spinal curvature then secured to the patient’s spine with various fasteners. Our invention is an ergonomically designed surgical rod bender that can precisely bend surgical rods at angles greater than 30 degrees. Surgeons can manipulate the surgical rod bender with one hand. Ease of use allows rods to be placed faster and more efficiently causing less trauma to the patient and time in surgery.

Current surgical rod benders either require two operators or create delays during surgery while rods are repeatedly bent and fitted. The most commonly used hand-held surgical rod bender resembles a bolt cutter and is limited to bends of 30 degrees or less. Our surgical rod bender allows the surgeon to make small, precise adjustments without leaving the patient or relying on others to interpret instructions correctly.

Addition of our surgical rod bender to a suite of surgical tools will allow the surgeon to work more comfortably with better precision and control.

Inventors: Brian Glasheen; Anthony Paris, Ph.D.; Jacob Thompson; Gan Wu

Patent Pending

File Number: UAA 131-10 

Other Information:

Technology Contact:

Diane McLean

Office of Technology Transfer

University of Alaska Anchorage

Diane.McLean@alaska.edu