Variable lordosis spacer and related methods of use

• US 10,143,569 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Weiman, Mark, Glerum, Chad, Burkhardt, Alex, Gahman, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): PLIONIS, NICHOLAS J
• Application Number:
  US15/805,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20180064552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30266 wedge-shaped parallelepipeds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30411 having two threaded end parts connected by a threaded central part with opposite threads at its opposite ends, i.e. for adjusting the distance between both end parts by rotating the central part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30482 using a locking cam
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30484 Mechanically expandable devices located on the first prosthetic part for locking into or onto the second prosthetic part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30538 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30828 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30843 Pyramidally-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00011 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 : Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00407 : Coating made of titanium or of Ti-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite

Abstract

An expandable fusion device may include a first endplate and a second endplate. The expandable fusion device may also include first and second ramps configured to mate with both the first and second endplates. The first ramp may include a mating feature having a first angle relative to a vertical axis, and the second ramp may include a mating feature having a second angle relative to the vertical axis such that the first angle is different from the second angle. In particular, the first and second ramps may be configured to provide for symmetrical expansion of the first and second endplates.

Claims

1. A method of installing an expandable fusion device, the method comprising:

inserting an expandable fusion device into an intervertebral space in a collapsed configuration, the expandable fusion device comprising;

a first endplate having an outer surface that extends from first and second lateral ends and a second endplate having an outer surface that extends from first and second lateral ends, wherein the first and second endplates each include at least one mating feature;

a first ramp configured to mate with both the first and second endplates, wherein the first ramp includes a mating feature having a first angle relative to a vertical axis,

wherein the at least one mating feature of the first endplate or second endplate is slidable with respect to the corresponding mating feature disposed on the first ramp; and

a second ramp having first and second lateral sides, the second ramp configured to mate with both the first and second endplates,

wherein the second ramp includes a mating feature having a second angle relative to the vertical axis, wherein the first angle is different from the second angle,

wherein a height of the first lateral side of the second ramp is different than the height of the second lateral side of the second ramp,

wherein in the collapsed configuration, the outer surface of the upper endplate from the first lateral end to the second lateral end is at a first endplate angle with respect to the outer surface of the second endplate from the first lateral end to the second lateral end, and

wherein the first endplate angle is an oblique angle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the expandable fusion device is inserted through an insertion sheath.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after the expandable fusion device has been inserted into the intervertebral disc space, the expandable fusion device is transitioned from the collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the expandable fusion device is contracted back to the collapsed configuration, repositioned, and expanded again to achieve a desired positioning.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the expandable fusion device has a continuous linear angular rate of change when moving between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein, in the expanded configuration, the expandable fusion device is a wedge having an incline extending along the lateral axis of the expandable fusion device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first angle is about 50-70°

.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first angle is about 60°

.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second angle is about 5-25°

.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second angle is about 15°

.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second ramps are configured to provide for symmetrical expansion of the first and second endplates.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first ramp includes a curved ramp surface.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first ramp has a continuously changing ramp angle.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second endplates have an inner surface configured to mate with the first ramp, wherein the inner surface of each of the first and second endplates are shaped as a concave curve, the concave curve being formed about a longitudinal axis of the expandable fusion device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ramp is coupled to the second ramp by an actuating mechanism, and the expandable fusion device is configured to transition from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration via actuation of the actuating mechanism to move the second ramp and the first ramp toward one another.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein outer surfaces of the first and second endplates are configured to contact a respective vertebral body, wherein each outer surface of the first and second endplates has one or more of teeth, ridges, friction increasing elements, keels, or gripping or purchasing projections.

18. A method of installing an expandable fusion device, the method comprising:

inserting an expandable fusion device into an intervertebral space in a collapsed configuration, the expandable fusion device comprising;

a first endplate having an outer surface that extends from first and second lateral ends and a second endplate having an outer surface that extends from first and second lateral ends, wherein the first and second endplates each include at least one mating feature;

a first ramp configured to mate with both the first and second endplates, wherein the first ramp includes a mating feature having a first angle relative to a vertical axis,

wherein the at least one mating feature of the first endplate or second endplate is slidable with respect to the corresponding mating feature disposed on the first ramp; and

a second ramp having first and second lateral sides, the second ramp configured to mate with both the first and second endplates,

wherein the second ramp includes a mating feature having a second angle relative to the vertical axis, wherein the first angle is different from the second angle,

wherein a height of the first lateral side of the second ramp is different than the height of the second lateral side of the second ramp,

wherein in the collapsed configuration, the outer surface of the upper endplate from the first lateral end to the second lateral end is at a first endplate angle with respect to the outer surface of the second endplate from the first lateral end to the second lateral end, and

wherein the first endplate angle is an oblique angle; and

expanding the expandable fusion device to an expanded configuration.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the expandable fusion device is contracted back to the collapsed configuration, repositioned, and expanded again to achieve a desired positioning.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the expandable fusion device has a continuous linear angular rate of change when moving between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration.