Flexible space holder

• US 20050267471A1
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biedermann Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Biedermann Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Matthis, Wilfried, Biedermann, Lutz, Harms, Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 8,771,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.160
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• 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 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30148 lozenge- or diamond-shaped
• 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 2002/30566 Helical springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30818 castellated or crenellated
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0017 Angular shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys

Abstract

A flexible space holder made of at least one biocompatible, rigid material having a tube-like body, with one or more flexible areas is described. The flexible space, holder can be temporarily or permanently inserted into a human or animal. Furthermore, the flexible space holder can be surrounded by an elastomeric sleeve. Alternatively, an elastic core can be inserted into the center of the flexible space holder.

Claims

1. A space holder for vertebrae and/or intervertebral discs with space-holder and weight-transfer function for temporary or permanent introduction into a human or animal body of at least one biocompatible material having a tube-like body and, on the ends of the tube-like body, means for connecting to adjacent body parts, wherein the tube-like body has a recess to locally reduce the rigidity of the space holder.

2. The space holder according to claim 1, wherein the tube-like body and the means for connecting to adjacent body parts are interconnected.

3. The space holder according to claim 1, wherein the biocompatible material is rigid.

4. The space holder according to claim 3, wherein the biocompatible material is selected from the group comprising titanium, titanium alloys and plastics.

5. The space holder according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a groove-like recess formed in the wall of said tube-like body.

6. The space holder according to claim 5, wherein the recess is an open aperture in the wall of said tube-like body.

7. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein two recesses are formed in the tube-like body of said space holder.

8. A space holder according to claim 7, wherein said two recesses are groove-like recesses.

9. A space holder according to claim 7, wherein said two recesses comprise an open aperture arranged twin-track helices inside each other.

10. A space holder of claim 1, wherein said space holder includes a flexible part which acts together with the recesses to achieve the desired flexibility and mobility.

11. A space holder of claim 10, wherein flexible part comprises an elastomeric sleeve.

12. A space holder of claim 1, wherein said space holder is compressible and extendable in the axial direction and, with reference to the means for connecting provided on the ends and is bendable about a radial turning axis and torsionable about an axial rotating axis.

13. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein means for connecting the tube-like body part to adjacent body parts comprise projections.

14. A space holder according to claim 13, wherein said projections have serrations in the axial directions for engagement with adjacent body parts.

15. A space holder according to claim 14, wherein said projections are triangular.

16. A space holder according to claim 14, wherein said projections are trapezoidal.

17. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein means for connecting the tube-like body part to adjacent body parts are formed as an extension of the tube-like body part.

18. A space holder according to claim 17, wherein the extension is integral with the tube-like body part.

19. A space holder according to claim 17, wherein the means for connecting the tube-like body part to adjacent body parts are disposed at an end plate detachably arranged at an end of the tube-like body part.

20. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein the tube-like body is surrounded by an elastic biocompatible sleeve.

21. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein said space holder includes an elastic biocompatible core.

22. A space holder according to claim 21, wherein said elastic biocompatible core is made from an elastomer.

23. A space holder according to claim 20, wherein the sleeve is held by end plates arranged on the tube-like body.

24. A space holder according to claim 23, wherein said sleeve is held to the end plates by a screw connection.

25. A space holder according to claim 23, wherein said sleeve is held to the end plates by a thread connection.

26. A space holder according to claim 21, wherein the core is held by end plates arranged on the tube-like body.

27. A space holder according to claim 26, wherein said core is held to the end plates by a screw connection.

28. A space holder according to claim 26, wherein said core is held to the end plates by a thread connection.

29. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein the space holder is elastically extendable or compressible by about 0.5 to about 20% in the longitudinal direction.

30. A space holder according to claim 29, wherein in said space holder is elastically extendable or compressible by about 1 to about 15% in the longitudinal direction.

31. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein the space holder is elastically bendable about a radial axis.

32. A space holder according to claim 31, wherein the means for connecting to adjacent body parts provided at the ends of the tube-like body can pivot by about 0.5 to about 10°

from the longitudinal axis of the tube-like body.

33. A space holder according to claim 32, wherein said means for connecting to the adjacent body part can pivot about 1 to about 6°

from the longitudinal axis of the tube-like body.

34. A space holder according to claim 1, wherein said tube-like body is torsionable about an axial axis, so that the means for connecting to adjacent body parts are torsionable by about 0.5 to about 5°

.

35. A space holder according to claim 34, wherein said means for connecting to adjacent body parts are torsionable by about 1 to about 3°

.