Human spinal disc prosthesis

• US 20040098131A1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SDGI Holdings Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: SDGI Holdings Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bryan, Vincent, Kunzler, Alex
• Application Number:
  US10/713,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098131A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/686 Plugs, i.e. elements forming interface between bone hole and implant or fastener, e.g. screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7059 Cortical plates A61B17/7007, A61B17/7058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30742 Bellows or hose-like seals; Sealing membranes A61B17/8808 takes precedence; sealing membranes for retaining bone substitute A61F2/2846
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30771 applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• 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 2/4425 made of articulated components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30016 differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30069 elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30113 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30168 L-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/302 toroidal, e.g. rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30214 having tapered sections of different conicities
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30253 ellipsoidal or ovoid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30331 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30451 : soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30461 : sutured, ligatured or stitched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 : retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30469 : using band clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30474 : using an intermediate sleeve interposed between both prosthetic parts to be coupled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30487 : Circumferential cooperating grooves and beads on cooperating lateral surfaces of a mainly longitudinal connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30495 : using a locking ring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 : using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30563 : having elastic means or damping means, different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric core or shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30576 : with extending fixation tabs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30578 : having apertures, e.g. for receiving fixation screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 : with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30594 : slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30599 : stackable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30624 : Hinged joint, e.g. with transverse axle restricting the movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30663 : multiaxial, e.g. biaxial; multipolar, e.g. bipolar or having an intermediate shell articulating between the ball and the socket
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 : Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 : having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/449 : comprising multiple spinal implants located in different intervertebral spaces or in different vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 : soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 : circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0043 : L-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 : toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 : conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0076 : ellipsoidal or ovoid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0019 : differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 : Nested prosthetic parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 : Composed of particular material or coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/91 : Polymer

Abstract

The invention relates to a spinal disc endoprosthesis. The endoprosthesis has a resilient body formed of one or more materials which may vary in stiffness from a relatively stiff exterior annular gasket portion to a relatively supple central nucleus portion. Concaval-convex elements at least partly surround that nucleus portion so as to retain the nucleus portion and gasket between adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient'"'"'s spine. Assemblies of endoprosthetic discs, endoprosthetic vertebral bodies, and endoprosthetic longitudinal ligaments may be constructed. To implant this endoprosthesis assembly, information is obtained regarding the size, shape, and nature of a patient'"'"'s damaged spine. Thereafter, one or more prosthetic vertebral bodies and disc units are constructed in conformity with that information. Finally, the completed and conformed vertebral body and disc assembly is implanted in the patient'"'"'s spine.

Claims

1. A method of surgery comprising:

forming concave surfaces in endplates of confronting vertebral bodies; and

inserting between the formed concave surfaces an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis wherein the intervertebral disc endoprosthesis comprises;

L-shaped supports wherein each of the L-shaped support comprises an exterior convex surface adapted to mate with one of the formed concave surfaces; and

a resilient body interposed between the L-shaped supports.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising affixing the L-shaped supports to the confronting vertebral bodies.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting at least one anchor in at least one of the confronting vertebral bodies.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the implanting is located in an anterior surface of the at least one of the confronting vertebral bodies.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising affixing a bone surface milling mechanism to the at least one anchor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the resilient body comprises a relative stiff portion and a relative supple portion.

7. A method of surgery comprising:

implanting at least one anchor in an anterior surface of at least one of confronting vertebral bodies;

forming concave surfaces in the endplates of the confronting vertebral bodies; and

inserting between the formed concave surfaces an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis comprising;

confronting supports, each support having an exterior convex surface adapted to mate with one of the formed concave surfaces; and

a resilient body interposed between the supports.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising affixing a bone surface milling mechanism to the at least one anchor.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising removing damaged disc material.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the resilient body comprises a relative stiff portion and a relative supple portion.

11. A method of spinal surgery comprising:

forming mounting holes in one or more vertebral bodies of a patient'"'"'s spine;

implanting at least one anchor into one of the mounting holes;

utilizing the at least one anchor to mount a bone mill on the patient'"'"'s spine;

milling confronting bone surfaces on and in the patient'"'"'s spine to a predetermined surface shape;

removing the bone mill; and

mounting an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis having a predetermined outer surface shape so that outer surfaces of the intervertebral disc endoprosthesis mate with the previously milled bone surfaces and are capable of motion relative to each other.

12. A method of endoprosthetic discectomy surgery comprising:

receiving information about the size, shape, and nature of a patient'"'"'s involved natural spinal vertebral bodies and natural spinal vertebral discs from imaging devices;

removing at least the involved and damaged natural spinal disc material from the patient'"'"'s spine;

implanting at least one anchor into a hole having a predetermined position in an anterior surface of at least one adjacent vertebral body;

forming concave surfaces in the adjacent vertebral bodies; and

implanting into the patient'"'"'s spine, an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis comprising a resilient disc body and concaval-convex elements that at least partly surround and are capable of movement relative to the resilient disc body in the patient'"'"'s spine.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising affixing a bone surface milling mechanism to the at least one anchor.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the concaval-convex elements are adjacent to the resilient body.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the concaval-convex elements are in contact with the resilient body.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the concaval-convex supports are adjacent to the resilient body.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the concaval-convex supports are in contact with the resilient body.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the resilient body comprises a gasket portion and a nucleus portion.

16. A method of surgery comprising:

implanting at least one anchor into a hole having a predetermined position in an anterior surface of at least one adjacent vertebral body;

affixing a bone surface milling mechanism to the at least one anchor;

forming concave surfaces in the endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies; and

inserting between the formed concave surfaces an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis, comprising;

confronting concaval-convex supports, each support having an exterior convex surface adapted to mate with one of the formed concave surfaces; and

a resilient body between the concaval-convex supports.

20. A method of inserting a prosthesis in a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising:

implanting at least one anchor into a hole having a predetermined position in an anterior surface of at least one adjacent vertebral body;

affixing a bone surface milling mechanism to the at least one anchor;

forming at least a portion of a hemispherical cavity in an endplate of one of the vertebral bodies, the endplate have a remaining surface surrounding the cavity; and

inserting an endoprosthesis into the disc space and the cavity, the endoprosthesis including at least one support having an exterior convex surface adapted to mate with the cavity, and a body interposed between the at least one support and the second vertebral body, wherein the at least one support is movable relative to the body.