Interspinous vertebral implant

• US 20060015181A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Biomet Merck France
• Original Assignee: Biomet Merck France
• Inventors: Elberg, Jean-Francois
• Application Number:
  US10/894,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015181A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/16.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7062 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral processes, vertebral facets or ribs rib fixation devices A61B17/8076; Tools for such devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7067 Devices bearing against one or more spinous processes and also attached to another part of the spine; Tools therefor

Abstract

This interspinous vertebral implant comprises a body (11) which is intended to be inserted between two consecutive interspinous processes (3, 4), is compressible in the direction of the spine and is provided with means for anchoring it to at least one spinous process.

The body (11) is formed by a single loop closed upon itself.

The anchoring means are formed by two fixing lugs (12, 13) which are integral with the body (11), extend on either side of the spinous process in the area of which they are intended to anchor when the implant is in place, and are each traversed by a through-opening (14, 15) oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the general plane of said process, the through-openings being intended to receive fixing studs (23) to be crimped in the area of the process in question.

Claims

1. Interspinous vertebral implant comprising a body (11) which is intended to be inserted between two consecutive interspinous processes (3,4), is compressible in the direction of the spine and is provided with means for anchoring it to at least one spinous process,

wherein the body (11) is formed by a single loop closed upon itself,

wherein said anchoring means consist of two fixing lugs (12, 13) which are integral with the body (11), extend on either side of the spinous process in the area of which they are intended to anchor when the implant is in place, and are each traversed by a through-opening (14, 15) oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the general plane of said process, the through-openings being intended to receive fixing studs (23) to be crimped in the area of the process in question;

and wherein said fixing studs (23) thus first comprise an insertion zone (24) in the form of a morse cone and with a shape complementing the internal shape of the through-openings (14, 15), this zone in the form of a morse cone (24) being continued by a cylindrical zone (25), of smaller diameter, which ends in a pointed profile (26) in order to permit crimping of said stud in the spinous process and, by this means, fixation of the implant.

2. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the body (11) is formed by a spring blade closed upon itself, substantially in the shape of a figure of 8 or kidney bean, and symmetrical with respect to the median plane.

3. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring means are formed by fixing lugs (12, 13, 16, 17), also mutually symmetrical with respect to the median plane of the body (11), even parallel to one another, said fixing lugs having, near their free end, a through-opening (14, 15, 18, 19) of truncated cone shape functioning as a morse cone able to cooperate with anchoring studs (23) of complementary shape, thus ensuring their retention in this area once the studs have been crimped in the spinous process.

4. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the body (11) comprises two sets of two fixing lugs in order to thus permit fixation of the interspinous vertebral implant in the area of the corresponding processes of two consecutive vertebrae.

5. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the body (11) comprises a first set of two fixing lugs (12, 13) on a spinous process, and a second set of fixing lugs (28, 29) which are substantially in the form of a divergent arc and whose two free ends are each provided with a through-opening (30, 31) intended to permit insertion of fixing screws (33, 34) in this area.

6. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 5, wherein the through-openings (30, 31) are oriented parallel to the general plane of the spinous processes.

7. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the body (11) comprises a first set of two fixing lugs (12, 13) on a spinous process, and a block (35) extending from the opposite face of said body, said block (35) having, in the area of its base (36), a through-bore (39) intended to receive a rod or bar (40) for fixing on an arthrodesis system (32).

8. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 7, wherein the fixing rod or bar (40) is made integral with the base (36) of the block (35) by tightening a screw (38) in a bore (37) which opens into the bore (39).

9. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the body (11) comprises a first set of two fixing lugs (12, 13) on a spinous process, and a second set of two intermediate fixing lugs (14, 15), said second set receiving an intermediate connection element (42) provided, in its upper part, with two bores (43) which are intended to cooperate with immobilizing studs or screws (47) after introduction of said screws into the orifices (18, 19) with which the lower lugs (16, 17) of the implant are provided, and whose base (48) is provided with a through-bore (46) intended to receive a rod or bar (40) for fixing on an arthrodesis system (32).

10. Interspinous vertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the fixing rod or bar (40) is made integral with the base (48) of the intermediate connection element (42) by tightening of a screw (45) in a bore or orifice (44) which opens into the through-bore (46).