Laterally insertable artificial vertebral disk replacement implant with curved spacer

• US 20050283242A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyphon SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Steven T., Zucherman, James F., Hsu, Ken Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,670,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30965 Reinforcing the prosthesis by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4425 made of articulated components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30232 Half-cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3065 Details of the ball-shaped head
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30654 Details of the concave socket
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30662 with rotation-limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• 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 2310/00029 Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium

Abstract

An intervertebral disk implant is adapted to be placed between two vertebrae using a lateral insertion method. The implant is characterized by features including a first end plate having a first socket and a second end plate having a second socket with a spacer that is at least partially received in the first socket and the second socket. The implant includes at least one keel that is adapted to be inserted laterally into a vertebral body of the spine. The spacer allows for pivotal or rotational motion and also for twisting motion of the spine once the implant is inserted between vertebrae of a patient.

Claims

5. An intervertebral implant comprising:

a first end plate adapted to mate with a first vertebrae further comprising;

a first inner surface;

a first outer surface; and

at least one keel on the first outer surface, where the keel is perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the vertebral body;

a second end plate adapted to mate a second vertebral body further comprising;

a second inner surface, wherein the first inner surface and the second inner surface oppose one another;

a second outer surface; and

a spacer positioned between the first end plate and the second end plate.

6. The intervertebral implant of claim 5 wherein the spacer allows bending between flexion to extension.

7. The intervertebral implant of claim 5 wherein the keel is aligned with and supports the spacer.

8. The intervertebral implant of claim 5 further comprising at least one keel on the second outer surface.

9. The intervertebral implant of claim 8 wherein the keel is aligned with and supports the spacer.

10. The intervertebral implant of claim 5 further comprising:

the first inner surface with a first socket formed therein;

the second inner surface with a second socket formed therein; and

the spacer at least partially received in the first socket and the second socket.

11. An intervertebral implant comprising:

a first end plate adapted to mate with a first vertebrae further comprising;

a first inner surface;

a first outer surface; and

at least one keel on the first outer surface, where the keel is perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the vertebral body;

a second end plate adapted to mate a second vertebrae further comprising;

a second inner surface opposing the first inner surface;

a second outer surface; and

at least one keel on the second outer surface, where the keel is perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the vertebral body, and

a spacer positioned between the first end plate and the second end plate.

12. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 wherein the spacer allows bending between flexion to extension.

13. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 wherein the keels on the first outer surface and the second outer surface are aligned with and support the spacer.

14. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 further comprising:

the first inner surface with a first socket formed therein;

the second inner surface with a second socket formed therein; and

the spacer at least partially received in the first socket and the second socket.

15. An interspinous disk replacement implant having a first end plate, a second end plate, and an articulation element at least partially received between the first end plate and the second end plate, the improvement comprising the implant having at least one keel that is about perpendicular to the sagittal plane of a vertebral body when implanted thereto.

16. An interspinous disk replacement implant having an articulation unit with a first end plate having a first inner surface with a first socket therein, a second end plate having a second inner surface opposing the first inner surface, the second inner surface with a second socket therein, and an articulation element at least partially received in the first and second socket, the improvement of the implant comprising the implant having at least one keel extending from the articulation unit that is substantially perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the spine.

17. An interspinous disk replacement implant having a first end plate, a second end plate, and an articulation element between the first end plate and the second end plate, the improvement comprising the implant having an attachment mechanism extending from the articulating unit that is aligned with and supports the articulation element, the attachment mechanism adapted to laterally engage an adjacent vertebral body.

18. The implant of claim 17 wherein the attachment mechanism is at least one keel.

19. An interspinous disk replacement implant having an articulation unit with a first end plate having a first inner surface with a first socket therein, a second end plate having a second inner surface opposing the first inner surface, the second inner surface with a second socket therein, and an articulation element at least partially received in the first and second socket, the improvement of the implant comprising an attachment mechanism extending from the articulating unit that is aligned with and supports the articulation element, the attachment mechanism adapted to laterally engage an adjacent vertebral body.

20. The implant of claim 19 wherein the attachment mechanism is at least one keel.

21. An intervertebral implant adapted to be inserted between adjacent vertebral bodies comprising:

an articulating unit having a spacer within, the articulating unit further comprising;

an anterior end;

a posterior end;

a first lateral end; and

a second lateral end; and

a keel extending from the articulating unit and oriented in a lengthwise direction between the first and second lateral ends.

1. An intervertebral implant comprising:

an articulating unit further comprising;

a first end plate with a first inner surface;

a second end plate with a second inner surface opposing the first inner surface; and

an articulating element positioned between the first end plate and the second end plate; and

an attachment mechanism adapted to engage an adjacent vertebral body, wherein the attachment mechanism extends from the articulating unit along a lateral direction with respect to the vertebral body.

2. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 wherein the articulating element allows bending between flexion to extension.

3. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 wherein the attachment mechanism is aligned with and supports the articulating element.

4. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 further comprising:

the first inner surface with a first socket formed therein;

the second inner surface with a second socket formed therein; and

the articulating element at least partially received in the first socket and the second socket.

22. The implant of claim 21 wherein the keel is configured to insert the implant between adjacent vertebral bodies from a lateral approach.

23. The implant of claim 21 wherein the keel further comprises at least one first keel extending from a first outer surface of the articulating unit.

24. The implant of claim 23 wherein the keel further comprises at least one second keel extending from a second outer surface of the articulating unit.

25. The implant of claim 21 wherein the keel includes a plurality of teeth angled in a desired direction.

26. The implant of claim 21 wherein the keel includes a plurality of teeth angled in a direction opposed to a desired direction of insertion into the vertebral body.

26-1. The implant of claim 21 wherein the keel further comprises a bore configured Therethrough.

27. An intervertebral implant adapted to be inserted between adjacent vertebral bodies, the implant comprising:

a first end plate having a first cavity therein, the first end plate including a first keel protruding between a right lateral side and a left lateral side;

a second end plate having a second cavity therein, the second end plate including a second keel protruding between a right lateral side and a left lateral side; and

a spacer in contact with the first cavity and the second cavity, the spacer configured to limit the first end plate between a first position and a second position, the spacer further configured to limit the second end plate between a third position and a fourth position, wherein the first and second positions are perpendicularly oriented to the third and fourth positions.

28. An intervertebral implant comprising:

an articulating unit having an outer surface adapted to be substantially in contact with a vertebral body, wherein the articulating unit is configured to be inserted between adjacent vertebral bodies from a lateral approach; and

a spacer positioned within the articulating unit, the spacer having a first curved surface and a second curved surface oriented perpendicular to the first curved surface.

29. An implant adapted to be inserted between adjacent vertebral bodies in a spine, the implant comprising:

an articulating unit having an outer surface adapted to be substantially in contact with a vertebral body;

a spacer positioned within the articulating unit and including a first curved surface and a second curved surface oriented perpendicular to the first curved surface; and

a keel extending from the outer surface of the articulating unit and oriented to extend lengthwise between a first lateral end and a second lateral end of the unit.

30. An intervertebral implant comprising:

an articulating unit adapted to be inserted between adjacent vertebral bodies, the articulating unit having a laterally configured keel adapted to mate with a vertebral body; and

a spacer within the articulating unit and a having perpendicularly oriented radial first and second surfaces, wherein an upper portion of the articulating unit is capable of pivoting about the first surface in association with flexion and extension, further wherein a lower portion of the articulating unit is capable of pivoting about the second surface in association with lateral bending.