Osteogenic packing device and method

• US 20040073217A1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Karlin Technology, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Michelson, Gary Karlin
• Application Number:
  US10/664,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/908 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/1964 Arcuate cutting edge

Abstract

An apparatus and method of packing osteogenic material into a fusion device with an osteogenic material packing device is disclosed. The osteogenic material packing device has a cavity defined therein to receive the fusion device and an access port intersecting the cavity to receive the osteogenic material.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an osteogenic material packing device for packing osteogenic material onto a fusion device, said packing device having a cavity defined therein adapted to receive said fusion device, and an access port intersecting said cavity to receive said osteogenic material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said packing device includes a coupling portion to couple said packing device to another device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said packing device includes a first section, a second section separate from said first section, said first and second sections cooperable to define said cavity.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said access port is defined in only one of said sections.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cavity includes a first opening at one end of said packing device and a second opening at the other end of said packing device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a compactor adapted to pack osteogenic material into said access port.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said compactor includes:

a handle;

a shaft coupled to said handle; and

a plunger coupled to said shaft for compacting osteogenic material through said access port, said plunger having a curved contacting surface and being adapted to fit through said access port.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cavity has a cylindrical shape.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inserter to insert said fusion device into said packing device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said inserter has a cylindrical shaft with a coupling end at which said fusion device is coupled and a handle provided on the other end of said shaft.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said coupling end includes a ridge for engaging a groove in said fusion device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said inserter includes a coupling mechanism to couple said fusion device to said coupling end, said shaft having a passageway defined therein with an opening at said coupling end, said coupling mechanism having a shaft extending through said passageway with at least a portion of said shaft being threaded at said coupling end and a knob coupled to said shaft.

13. A method of loading osteogenic material onto a fusion device, comprising:

inserting the fusion device into a cavity of a packing device that includes an access port; and

providing the osteogenic material through the access port and onto the fusion device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said providing includes packing the osteogenic material onto the fusion device with a compactor.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the fusion device to an inserter.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising closing the packing device around the fusion device before said providing.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising inserting the fusion device between adjacent vertebrae after said providing.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

removing the fusion device from the packing device after said providing; and

inserting the fusion device into a cannula.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said inserting the fusion device into the cavity of the packing device and said removing the fusion device occur through a single opening of the cavity.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising inserting the cannula at an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae.