Intervertebral implants, systems, and methods of use

• US 10,010,432 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Schmura, Kurt, Chan, Edwin, Chronister, Benjamin, Murphy, Raymond, Jacene, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ERIC SHANE
• Application Number:
  US15/704,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20180000607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1716
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4637 for connecting or disconnecting two parts of a prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30057 made from both cortical and cancellous adjacent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30131 horseshoe- or crescent- or C-shaped or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30774 internally-threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30787 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4628 with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 Bone or bony tissue

Abstract

An intervertebral implant frame that is configured to engage a spacer can include a pair of arms that extend longitudinally from a support member such that the arms engage the spacer. The spacer can be made from bone graft, and include a first spacer body made of cortical bone, and a second spacer body made of cancellous bone.

Claims

1. An expansion instrument configured to expand an intervertebral implant frame to receive an intervertebral spacer, the expansion instrument comprising:

a first member defining a first base and a first instrument arm that extends from the first base and is configured to releasably couple to a first frame arm of the intervertebral implant frame, wherein the first member defines a first gap that extends into the first base;

a second member defining a second base and a second instrument arm that extends from the second base and is configured to releasably couple to a second frame arm of the intervertebral implant frame;

wherein the second base is configured to be received in the first gap, such that the second base is translatable relative to the first base in the first gap so as to cause the respective first and second instrument arms to move away from each other.

2. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second bases are pivotable with respect to each other about a pivot location so as to increase a distance between the first and second instrument arms, wherein the pivot location translates as the second base translates relative to the first base in the first gap.

3. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the first gap extends into the first base but not through the first base so as to terminate at a first stop wall, and the second base is translatable relative to the first base in the first gap so as to increase a distance between the first and second instrument arms until the second base contacts the first stop wall.

4. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the second member defines a second gap that extends into the second base, and the first member is configured to be received in the second gap.

5. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 4, wherein the first and second bases are pivotable with respect to each other about a pivot location so as to move the first and second instrument arms away from each other, wherein the pivot location translates as the second and first bases translate relative to each other in the first and second gaps, respectively.

6. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 5, wherein 1) at least a portion of the first gap extends into the first base but not through the first base so as to terminate at a first stop wall, 2) at least a portion of the second gap extends into the first base but not through the second base so as to terminate at a second stop wall, 3) the second base is translatable relative to the first base in the first gap so as to move the second instrument arm away from the first instrument arm until the second base contacts the first stop wall, and 3) the first base is translatable relative to the second base in the second gap so as to move the first instrument arm away from the second instrument arm until the first base contacts the second stop wall.

7. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 6, wherein the first and second members define respective first and second handle portions that are movable toward each other so as to cause the first and second bases to translate within the second and first gaps, respectively, thereby moving the first and second instrument arms away from each other.

8. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 6, wherein the first and second instrument arms comprise respective first and second engagement members that, in turn, define first and second dovetailed gripping portions, respectively, that are configured to releasably couple the expansion instrument to the first and second frame arms, respectively.

9. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second engagement members have tapered lead-in ends, and the first and second dovetailed gripping portions are configured to be inserted into respective dovetail slots of the first and second frame arms, respectively.

10. An intervertebral implant system comprising:

the expansion instrument as recited in claim 6; and

the intervertebral implant frame as recited in claim 6.

11. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second arms are configured to elastically deflect the first and second frame arms away from each other a sufficient distance such that the frame receives the intervertebral spacer, and the first and second frame arms are configured to flex elastically so as to subsequently apply a retention force to the intervertebral spacer that retains the spacer in the frame.

12. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 11, further comprising the intervertebral spacer.

13. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 12, wherein the intervertebral spacer comprises bone graft.

14. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 13, wherein the intervertebral spacer comprises:

a cortical spacer body comprising a cortical bone graft material, and

a cancellous spacer body comprising a cancellous bone graft material, the cancellous spacer body disposed proximal with respect to at least a portion of the cortical spacer body,

wherein the spacer defines a proximal end that comprises the cancellous spacer body and none of the cortical spacer body, and a distal end that is spaced from the proximal end in a distal direction, the distal end comprising the cortical spacer body and none of the cancellous spacer body.

15. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 14,

wherein the intervertebral implant frame includes a support member disposed proximal with respect to the cancellous spacer body and configured to extend along a portion of the cancellous spacer body, such that the cancellous spacer body is disposed between the support member and the at least a portion of the cortical spacer body, and

wherein the frame defines at least one fixation element receiving aperture that extends through the support member, such that a fixation element inserted through the fixation element receiving aperture toward the spacer travels from the support member and through the cancellous bone graft material without passing through any of the cortical bone graft material.

16. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 15, further comprising the fixation element.

17. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 16, wherein the fixation element comprises a bone screw.

18. The intervertebral implant system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second arms and the first and second bases, in combination, define a void, and an entirety of the intervertebral implant frame is disposed in the void when the first and second instrument arms are coupled to the first and second frame arms, respectively.

19. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the first gap separates first and second portions of the first member along a transverse direction, the second gap separates first and second portions of the second member along the transverse direction, and the first base is configured to be received in the second gap and is translatable in the second gap along a direction angularly offset with respect to the transverse direction so as to cause the first and second instrument arms to move away from each other.

20. The expansion instrument as recited in claim 19, wherein the second base is translatable in the first gap along the direction angularly offset with respect to the transverse direction.